Remember: an effective lead magnet isn’t about giving it all away!
Lead magnets. Those weird things branders and marketers tell you, the entrepreneur, to create and then give away. For free. This probably sparks a litany of responses. What am I doing with these? Why are these important? I HATE WRITING. We understand these questions, and realize that, sometimes, the purpose of a lead magnet is lost in the shuffle of writing, picking images, and distributing. An effective lead magnet is actually quite simple at its core: it’s a free incentive offered to a potential target audience in exchange for contact information. It has one primary function: to build an email list for potential “leads” (or buyers) of your revenue-generating offers. You know, the stuff people buy from you.
But let’s be clear: a lead magnet is NOT an encyclopedia of your knowledge and expertise. You are NOT giving away everything you know. We certainly don’t encourage that!
This doesn’t mean that you send out meaningless drivel. There are specific things to remember that make an effective lead magnet.
1. Remember your brand platform.
This is an obvious fact for branders, so we’ll start here. We’ve seen a number of entrepreneurs provide highly relevant content…. But then forget all of their hard work in building a brand platform. A strong brand platform makes creating a lead magnet much easier. That’s where you identify key messaging. A verbal identity and brand vocabulary. A personality. A visual identity that includes images, font, and color. You’ve established your guidelines up front, which means that implementing your brand, even in the design of a lead magnet, is that much easier.
This is also where you identify your target audience. THAT helps you know what is relevant to them, which leads us to TIP #2.
2. Provide Something Of Value To Your Target Audience.
Yes, we just said don’t give it all away for free. Still, you need to provide some value in the lead magnet and most frequently takes the form of written content. It establishes your credibility as an expert. It may introduce your brand to your target audience. It shows that you know your stuff AND gives you a chance to connect.
Need ideas? Remember your target audience. What solution do you provide them? What problem do you solve? Focus on something relevant to your audience. Do you provide a 5-step process for solving problems? Write about one. Do you coach others into change and action? Write about one of the problematic hurdles that your clients face. Do you sell organic products? Write about one of the more frequently asked questions your target audience has about that industry.
As you brainstorm topics, you’ll find several opportunities to create free incentives that work in a lead magnet.
3. Keep It Simple.
Effective lead magnets can be as simple as a one-page worksheet. The length of content does not matter, so long as it provides some valuable nugget of information for your target audience. Whet their appetite for more. Know some amazing exercises for releasing back pain? Share one exercise you recommend each morning. Are you great at organizing and helping businesses streamline? Provide a checklist for cleaning a closet. An organic gardener? Offer tricks on keeping a green thumb during a summer heat wave.
You don’t have to provide the blueprint for a space shuttle to create an effective lead magnet.
4. Publish & Promote.
Don’t post it on your website to sit idly, waiting for random traffic to drop by. Just because you build it does NOT mean that everyone will come. That worked for Kevin Costner, but it does not work for lead magnets.
Ask your affiliate partners to share. Guest blogs may provide an opportunity for linking a relevant lead magnet. Create ads for the lead magnet on Facebook and social media. Offer it during speaking engagements and trade shows through well-branded text messaging.
An effective lead magnet must be shared.
5. Deliver.
Don’t forget the delivery. You’ve earned the trust of your target audience with their contact information. Send the lead magnet by email, whether as an attachment or as a downloadable link. Remember that the delivery email, along with any other follow-up contact, is an additional touchpoint that contributes to your target audience’s overall customer experience. Don’t abuse the email list, and be consistent with your voice.
Effective lead magnets are a great tool to build your email list and connect with your target audience. Your brand platform keeps that task easier, so that you can focus on your revenue offerings and selling those to your growing number of targets.
It makes common sense to hire a branding agency … for branding. And, you can do that in just 2-days with our “Branding Intensive“.
