So, you’ve heard about lead magnets – those freebies that businesses offer to their customers in exchange for their contact information. But what exactly is a lead magnet and how can you create one that’s perfect for your business?

Let’s break it down.

A lead magnet is essentially a free resource or special deal that you offer to your customers/followers in exchange for their contact information. The idea behind it is that only those who are genuinely interested in what you’re offering will take the bait, sign up, and end up on your list. This means that you’re attracting your ideal client – someone who’s actually interested in what you have to offer.

But here’s the thing – you need to make sure that your lead magnet is targeted towards the right people. For example, if you have a website that’s all about decluttering and you offer a lead magnet about meal planning, it might not necessarily attract the right people to your email list. You want to create a lead magnet that’s targeted towards the people you want to serve.

So, what can your lead magnet be?

The possibilities are endless! Some options you might want to consider are:

• A PDF guide for something– any kind of value-added printable

• A Webinar about your main topic

• A template for something ( could be email swipe files, canva graphics templates, etc.)

• Checklists

• Schedule/Timeline / planner– anything that will help your ideal client get from point A to point B with a defined timeline

• Video tutorial about something

• Quiz

• Ebooks

• Case Study (particularly for health/wellness or business coaches)

• Mini course or challenge – 3 day or 5 day challenge – you could even stream this out over email, and let this serve as an introductory nurture sequence at the same time

And the best part is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be free. You can charge a small fee for your lead magnet, which can actually help you attract more interested buyers.

When creating your lead magnet, make sure to address a specific pain point or problem that your target audience faces. Offer immediate value and something that gives them an actionable result. Use attention-grabbing headlines and titles to make it more appealing, and make sure that it’s easy to digest and implement.

It’s also important to make your lead magnet visually attractive.

You can use a tool like Canva to create your own designs or hire a designer on Fiverr to help you out.

One mistake to avoid is to resist the urge to give them ‘too much’ – when you give too much information, or when the task is too hard, your ideal client could think one of two things:

• “This is too hard – I can’t do this – if this is what I’m getting for free, I’m sure I could never implement the whole program or a paid offering’ or

• “I’ve got everything I need here – I don’t’ need anything more. I can solve all my issues without any paid offerings.”

Also, make sure that what you’re giving your user leads them to realize there are more steps in the process, and leads them to delve into your offerings and content.

You don’t want your lead magnet to be a ‘dead end.’

One way to do this is to make sure that your lead magnet is part of a larger funnel. For example, let's say you offer a lead magnet that's a checklist for setting up a website. Once the user has completed the checklist, you can offer them a paid course that goes into more depth on website design or an email series that provides additional tips and tricks for website optimization.

Another way to keep the momentum going is to include a call-to-action (CTA) in your lead magnet. A CTA is a prompt that encourages the user to take a specific action. For example, at the end of your lead magnet, you could include a CTA that says something like, "Want to learn more? Check out our website for additional resources and courses."

Ultimately, the goal is to create a lead magnet that not only solves a pain point but also leads the user to realize there's more value to be had by engaging with your brand. By crafting a lead magnet that's part of a larger funnel and including CTAs, you can help guide your audience towards deeper engagement with your brand. Take the time to make it great, and you’ll see results in no time!