If you want to sell your products online, you need a powerful lead magnet. Why is that? When you show your product to people online, only 3% will buy it right away (according to Alan Dib in his book The One Page Marketing Plan).
97% are either not interested at all or not interested right now. The good news is that a lead magnet funnel solves this problem. It helps you attract leads and convert them into customers.
But to do this, your lead magnet has to be powerful.
97% are either not interested at all or not interested right now. The good news is that a lead magnet funnel solves this problem. It helps you attract leads and convert them into customers.
But to do this, your lead magnet has to be powerful.
What you will learn:
→ What a lead magnet is
→ What the best lead magnets are
→ How to build a lead magnet that attracts people to your business
Let's dive in!
→ What the best lead magnets are
→ How to build a lead magnet that attracts people to your business
Let's dive in!
What is a lead magnet?
A lead magnet is something valuable that you show website visitors that they can download for free - in exchange for their email address. The most common lead magnets are ebooks, worksheets, cheatsheets or even a free demo of your service.
The goal is to get people's email address and send them more valuable content later, until they trust you and are ready to buy from you. This is a typical lead magnet funnel. The advantage is that you can nurture your leads. You can build a relationship and reach those people who don't yet trust you or know about your product.
The goal is to get people's email address and send them more valuable content later, until they trust you and are ready to buy from you. This is a typical lead magnet funnel. The advantage is that you can nurture your leads. You can build a relationship and reach those people who don't yet trust you or know about your product.
Why is a lead magnet important?
60% of your market is not interested in your product at all, 30% are interested, but not right now. And that is the key - the 30%. Because these people are interested in general, but they don't have time right now. They may bookmark your product and come back to it later.
With a lead magnet, you can reach those people who are not interested right now because you can provide more value and stay in their minds. This is the main benefit of a lead magnet funnel.
But there are a few more benefits:
With a lead magnet, you can reach those people who are not interested right now because you can provide more value and stay in their minds. This is the main benefit of a lead magnet funnel.
But there are a few more benefits:
1. Lead generation
Your growth funnel starts with attracting and capturing leads. No leads, no customers, no successful business. A compelling lead magnet helps you do this. No cold calls, no cold outreach - people come to your website on their own, see that you offer something valuable for free and download it. That's what your lead magnet is for.
2. Showing value and building trust
Giving away something valuable for free gives potential customers a taste of what you have to offer. It shows what you and your business are capable of. It builds trust and credibility. When prospects see your lead magnet and the immense value you provide, they will naturally check out your main offer.
And remember, this does not require any additional investment, such as a sales call or follow-up meeting. It all happens by itself.
And remember, this does not require any additional investment, such as a sales call or follow-up meeting. It all happens by itself.
3. Segmentation
This is one of my favourite benefits of a lead magnet. With a lead magnet you can gain deep insights into your target audience. You can better understand what they want to achieve and what they value. You can use this information later to segment your audience and personalize your marketing.
Worksheets to build a successful business
What are the best lead magnets in 2024?
The best lead magnets are the ones with the highest conversion rate - the ones that get downloaded the most. But hey - a quick word of caution. Even though some types of lead magnets get downloaded more than others, it's important that you choose the type that makes the most sense for your business and your Personas.
Don't pick one blindly, but really think about what will add the most value and help your target audience get a quick win.
Don't pick one blindly, but really think about what will add the most value and help your target audience get a quick win.
1. Ebooks
Ebooks have always been one of the most powerful lead magnets out there. They provide in-depth information on a specific topic and therefore offer significant value to readers. The key to a successful ebook as a lead magnet is to ensure that you address a specific pain point or need of your target audience.
Think about what they want to achieve and what quick win you can help them get with your ebook. The big advantage of an ebook is that you can always expand it, and once you have a comprehensive book, you gain additional authority in your field. You could even market it later as a real book and sell it on its own.
This may not be the original purpose of the ebook (as a lead magnet), but you should be repurposing your content anyway, so this is an excellent strategy.
Think about what they want to achieve and what quick win you can help them get with your ebook. The big advantage of an ebook is that you can always expand it, and once you have a comprehensive book, you gain additional authority in your field. You could even market it later as a real book and sell it on its own.
This may not be the original purpose of the ebook (as a lead magnet), but you should be repurposing your content anyway, so this is an excellent strategy.
2. Worksheets
One of my favourite lead magnets is worksheets. They help people apply concepts or strategies in a tangible way. Worksheets often come in the form of templates, guides or step-by-step instructions. The big advantage over ebooks is this: No long reading, no big learning curve. It's applicable.
And that's what people love about worksheets: They help them get results quickly, step by step. My first lead magnet was also a worksheet and it has brought me 20,000 leads to date.
And that's what people love about worksheets: They help them get results quickly, step by step. My first lead magnet was also a worksheet and it has brought me 20,000 leads to date.
3. Checklists
Checklists are concise and straightforward, which makes them perfect when your audience wants quick wins. The best checklists promise to simplify complex processes or ensure that nothing is overlooked.
The upside of checklists is that they are easy to consume and can be incredibly useful for structuring tasks. The big downside of checklists is that they require your audience to have some knowledge of the subject, as they're short and usually don't explain much.
However, if your target audience has to deal with complex or expensive topics, checklists could be an interesting approach as a lead magnet.
The upside of checklists is that they are easy to consume and can be incredibly useful for structuring tasks. The big downside of checklists is that they require your audience to have some knowledge of the subject, as they're short and usually don't explain much.
However, if your target audience has to deal with complex or expensive topics, checklists could be an interesting approach as a lead magnet.
4. Free demos
Free demos are probably the most powerful lead magnets, especially for software and service-based businesses. The strategy is simple - people can try your software for free in exchange for their email address. Your service essentially becomes the lead magnet.
Now here is the big advantage: You can build a customer base early on. People come to your website, sign up for your product for free, and if they like it, they upgrade to a paid plan. The reason free demos work so well as a lead magnet is because people like to try things for free.
I mean, who wants to buy a pig in a poke anyway?
Prospects can experience your product first hand without any commitment. This hands-on approach lets users see the value of your product, which dramatically increases the likelihood that they will become paying customers.
Now here is the big advantage: You can build a customer base early on. People come to your website, sign up for your product for free, and if they like it, they upgrade to a paid plan. The reason free demos work so well as a lead magnet is because people like to try things for free.
I mean, who wants to buy a pig in a poke anyway?
Prospects can experience your product first hand without any commitment. This hands-on approach lets users see the value of your product, which dramatically increases the likelihood that they will become paying customers.
5. Webinars
Webinars have become increasingly popular in recent years. And it makes sense. They create a personal connection. You can talk to your prospects in real time, help them with a problem, answer their questions in a Q&A session - all of which builds trust. It's the combination of valuable content and direct engagement that makes webinars so compelling.
The downside of webinars is that they require you to sit in front of your computer, which makes them difficult to scale. Yes, you can record and promote your webinars online, but you would lose the face-to-face interaction.
Here is what I recommend if you want to use webinars as a lead magnet:
Create a powerful webinar, record it and put it on your website as a lead magnet. It has to be a super interesting and valuable topic for your audience where you share something exclusive.
At the same time, promote valuable video clips of this webinar on social media to generate interest and drive people to your website. Create regular live webinars and once you have a series of webinars recorded, create a section on your website where people can watch them all (again, by providing their email address).
The downside of webinars is that they require you to sit in front of your computer, which makes them difficult to scale. Yes, you can record and promote your webinars online, but you would lose the face-to-face interaction.
Here is what I recommend if you want to use webinars as a lead magnet:
Create a powerful webinar, record it and put it on your website as a lead magnet. It has to be a super interesting and valuable topic for your audience where you share something exclusive.
At the same time, promote valuable video clips of this webinar on social media to generate interest and drive people to your website. Create regular live webinars and once you have a series of webinars recorded, create a section on your website where people can watch them all (again, by providing their email address).
6. Infographics
Infographics make complex topics easy to understand in a visual way. They are highly shareable and can drive significant traffic to your website. However, I'm personally not a big fan of infographics as a lead magnet.
Most infographics you find are visually appealing, but don't provide as much value as a worksheet or ebook. So people might see your infographic and want to download it, but providing their email address (and confirming it) would be too big a hurdle.
So unless you have a super valuable infographic, this strategy can be challenging.
Most infographics you find are visually appealing, but don't provide as much value as a worksheet or ebook. So people might see your infographic and want to download it, but providing their email address (and confirming it) would be too big a hurdle.
So unless you have a super valuable infographic, this strategy can be challenging.
7. Access to private groups
Private group or membership sites are also excellent lead magnets. Like free demos of your service, you can build a community immediately and create a sense of exclusivity and community. It also allows you to interact directly with your audience, answer questions and gather valuable customer feedback.
In my experience, lead magnets that directly create a community, such as access to private groups or free demos, are super powerful because, unlike worksheets or checklists, they immediately close the gap to your main offer.
So these are the top 7 proven lead magnets you can use. Remember, first understand your audience and find out what your potential customers value most.
• Is it an ebook with deep insights and pro tips?
• A worksheet to help them get quick results?
• A checklist that simplifies complex issues?
Depending on what your audience values most, build your lead magnet.
Powerful business resources for youIn my experience, lead magnets that directly create a community, such as access to private groups or free demos, are super powerful because, unlike worksheets or checklists, they immediately close the gap to your main offer.
So these are the top 7 proven lead magnets you can use. Remember, first understand your audience and find out what your potential customers value most.
• Is it an ebook with deep insights and pro tips?
• A worksheet to help them get quick results?
• A checklist that simplifies complex issues?
Depending on what your audience values most, build your lead magnet.
How to promote your lead magnet
Having a lead magnet is crucial to converting leads into customers. But if your lead magnet sits on your website and you have no traffic, then all your efforts have been futile.
One of the best ways - and my personal favourite - to promote a lead magnet is through content marketing. Content marketing is a strategy that I have been using for over 5 years and I am very happy with the results so far.
It means means creating valuable content for your audience - for example, through blog posts, YouTube videos or organic social media. And then you simply lead people directly to your lead magnet.
So the user journey is simple - like this.
One of the best ways - and my personal favourite - to promote a lead magnet is through content marketing. Content marketing is a strategy that I have been using for over 5 years and I am very happy with the results so far.
It means means creating valuable content for your audience - for example, through blog posts, YouTube videos or organic social media. And then you simply lead people directly to your lead magnet.
So the user journey is simple - like this.
People find your content through Google search, YouTube or social media. Then they visit your website, see your lead magnet and download it.
The reason content marketing works so well is because you are already providing value - and then you simply link to more value (your lead magnet). Here and now you can share the link to your lead magnet directly, but most of the time I recommend providing a valuable asset (image, video) first.
The reason content marketing works so well is because you are already providing value - and then you simply link to more value (your lead magnet). Here and now you can share the link to your lead magnet directly, but most of the time I recommend providing a valuable asset (image, video) first.
How to measure the success of your lead magnet
The best lead magnets are the ones that are downloaded the most. So the metric we look at is conversion rate. Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who provide their contact information in exchange for the lead magnet. If 100 people see your lead magnet and 20 download it, your CR is 20%.
You can measure this with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.
A high conversion rate shows that you have understood your audience well and that your lead magnet is very valuable. A low CR shows that either the lead magnet is not valuable or your copy does not communicate the true value of your lead magnet. To solve this problem, remember to always show people the benefit they will get if they download.
Here is a quick example of how to show the benefit, instead of the feature:
❌ 34 ebook pages
✅ Learn how to find the best marketing channels for your business without
wasting money
Another important metric when you evaluate your lead magnet is the click-through rate (CTR) of the promotional content that leads to your lead magnet. The CTR shows how many people clicked on your asset (that you posted for example on social media) and visited the lead magnet.
This includes email campaigns, social media posts and ads. A high CTR means that your promotional content is compelling enough to generate interest.
Worksheets to build a successful businessYou can measure this with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.
A high conversion rate shows that you have understood your audience well and that your lead magnet is very valuable. A low CR shows that either the lead magnet is not valuable or your copy does not communicate the true value of your lead magnet. To solve this problem, remember to always show people the benefit they will get if they download.
Here is a quick example of how to show the benefit, instead of the feature:
❌ 34 ebook pages
✅ Learn how to find the best marketing channels for your business without
wasting money
Another important metric when you evaluate your lead magnet is the click-through rate (CTR) of the promotional content that leads to your lead magnet. The CTR shows how many people clicked on your asset (that you posted for example on social media) and visited the lead magnet.
This includes email campaigns, social media posts and ads. A high CTR means that your promotional content is compelling enough to generate interest.
What's next?
A lead magnet (and a lead magnet funnel) is one of the most powerful ways to convert leads into customers. So if you don't have one, it's time to build one. Understand your target audience, choose the right type of lead magnet, design it and promote it with content marketing.
This is your first step to new customers. You can then create your first lead magnet funnel to nurture those leads and steadily convert them into customers.
But getting new leads is only part of running a successful business. There is so much more to it. And I have something to help you:
My Startup Success Bundle.
A proven system - full of worksheets, cheat sheets and templates to guide you to business success. You will learn everything you need to know to build the thriving, successful business of your dreams.
Check it out.
This is your first step to new customers. You can then create your first lead magnet funnel to nurture those leads and steadily convert them into customers.
But getting new leads is only part of running a successful business. There is so much more to it. And I have something to help you:
My Startup Success Bundle.
A proven system - full of worksheets, cheat sheets and templates to guide you to business success. You will learn everything you need to know to build the thriving, successful business of your dreams.
Check it out.
