How to Use Lead Magnets to Attract Leads

Have you ever shared your email address with a brand in exchange for, say, free shipping or access to an exclusive video? Tell you what — you’ve just fallen for the irresistible charm of a lead magnet.

Also known as an ethical bribe, lead magnets are one of the best lead generation strategies to help grow your email list, gain authority, and attract potential customers.

If you're looking to draw more people to your product or service — just like what happened to you — make sure to follow these tips on how to use lead magnets to attract leads.

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Create a Lead Magnet Through Useful Data

Data-driven lead magnets are a favorite among business owners because they help you build authority while driving qualified leads to your website.

Presenting basic information unfortunately won't do the trick. You need to deliver something compelling to your prospects for them to push through. But if you don't have the time or money to generate this kind of data, you can use your specialization as a lead magnet.

For example, if you run a real estate company, you could attract more visitors by providing free appraisals or a helpful report. It’s valuable to prospective home sellers, because this information can help them decide on the price, necessary upgrades, their ideal buyer, and whatnot.

You'll need a landing page. Use LeadPages to get yours up and running.

Use Books to Boost Email Lists

Another great way to get more leads and establish your credibility and reputation simultaneously is by using books as lead magnets. It’s perfect for those in the coaching and consultancy industries, as books instantly cement your trustworthiness.

Whether you offer an ebook, audiobook, or paperback, think of it as a sort of business card. It’s the perfect introduction to who you are as a business, what you do, and how you can help. Basically, you’re saying "I have this content you could use for your personal or business growth.”

And while most people think of this lead magnet as giving away money, it's not. It's an investment that can spur sales. I’ve built my 45,000 strong email list of prospects using my book, so I know it works.

But here’s a little insider tip, include various calls to action throughout your book for readers to connect. I mention resources they can download through my website, but they have to opt-in to access them.

You can even use accompanying workbooks as tripwire offers to ascend your customers to the next stage of their buyer’s journey. So a book is a very powerful way to acquire high-value prospects.

Earn More Leads with an Informative Course

Thing is, no client is the same. While some love to read a book, others prefer to learn through a formal experience that only courses can bring.

Although this lead magnet may seem labor intensive — you need to create lectures, videos, and worksheets, after all — it's actually easier than you think. If you already have existing e-books, presentations, and videos, you can always compile and repurpose them as an actionable course.

Courses are excellent lead magnets as they can drive clients to sign up for another class. It's like an addiction.

As long as your clients enjoy your content, they’ll pay for it.

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Magnet a Lead with a Free Guide

People love free things, especially when it comes to great content. That said, you can draw customers to your website by offering a free guide.

Since guides are shorter than e-books, a free guide can offer comprehensive yet compact information. Customers love guides because they’re quick reads, and you can implement what you learned right away.

But if you want your free guide to be a success, it needs to be specific and solves a problem. You need to target the pain.

So instead of creating content for how to set up a landing page, it's better to make it more specific, like, "How to set up a landing page with Program X in under 10 minutes."

Offer a Free Trial as a Form of Lead Generation

When people get things for free, they’re more open to giving something of value in return, like their email address.

What makes the free trial a good lead generation tool is the low cost that comes with it. It can greatly help clients in the consideration part of the buying process.

By giving your leads a bird's eye view of how your products work, you'll get more than just their contact information. They might even sign up for your basic package right away!

To make your free trial irresistible, add a bit of scarcity. If the client doesn't proceed with the offer right away, he/she will lose access to this content upgrade.

And when you know you're about to lose something that has a lot of value, you'll do everything to hold onto it, even if you have to pay a certain amount.

Give a Framework or Template in Exchange of Email Addresses​

Just like a free guide, a framework or template can make people's lives so much easier as it simplifies what they need to do. Frameworks also work great as  your new leads and get them to become your customers right away.

The best example for this is the one-page digital marketing plan, which is a sort of one-stop-shop for businesses in need. This lead magnet helps writers gather specific ideas for their marketing plan, like:

Know That Cheat Sheets Can't Be Beat

If finding a spare moment in your day to put together a lead magnet is virtually impossible, go for cheat sheets.

Whether it's a checklist for building out a business plan or using social media, you can readily offer it as an easy download. Promoting it is effortless, too, as you can always append this lead magnet to your website or blog posts.

Lead magnets are tried-and-tested ways to grow your customer base. By investing in any of these methods, you're guaranteed to attract more quality leads more often.

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