15 Ways to Use Lead Magnets to Grow Your Business

You can’t typically get something for free, and businesses that successfully use lead magnets understand this. A lead magnet is just a fancy term for a freebie that your business is willing to give in exchange for the contact information of your prospective client or lead. Then you can move them down your marketing funnel. Using lead magnets is a great way to connect with an audience who is genuinely interested in your service(s) and/or product(s). They also give you access to an ever-expanding group of potential customers for all of your existing offerings and those you create in the future. Additionally, they are a great way to showcase your expertise in a given field, boosting your credibility.

Ways to Use Lead Magnets

You can use lead magnets in many ways. So, don’t be afraid to get creative with them. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ways you can use lead magnets to grow your business!

1. Case Studies

Case studies are relatable to prospective clients because they showcase how a service, product, or process has positively impacted another individual or business. If you have a success story that is worth sharing, entice your new website or landing page visitors by offering them a snippet and then gating the remainder of the case study behind a form that asks them to fill out their contact information.

2. Cheat Sheets

Let’s face it, everybody is looking for a quick fix! If you’ve identified your audience’s pain point(s), you might consider creating a cheat sheet that can quickly alleviate some of the discomfort they are experiencing in relation to it. Cheat sheets offer no-nonsense directives to get your audience feeling better fast.

3. Checklists

Similar to a cheat sheet, a checklist will offer prospective clients a step-by-step process to achieve a measurable result quickly. Checklists have the highest conversion rates of all lead magnets primarily because they are so simple and direct. The extra added bonus is that they are super easy and fast to create!

4. Contests

Running a contest on any of your social media platforms is another great way to expand your audience. Go solo or partner with another business to offer a grand prize that will have your target market salivating! Ask them to provide their contact information, like your business page and to share your post and tag a certain number of friends in it in order to be entered to win! Voila…just like that you have gotten your existing audience to grow your contact list for you and you get to thank them by rewarding them with a stellar prize!

5. E-Books

Where a checklist or cheat sheet gives your audience a quick snippet of data, an e-book gives your prospects access to a boatload of valuable information. Your free e-book will be able to thoroughly educate your audience on something relatable to your area of expertise. For example, a health and wellness coach might create an e-book to walk their prospective clients through a preparatory cleanse and fill it with simple recipes and exercise tips. A marketing company might create an e-book that teaches its visitors how to create their own marketing plan from scratch.

6. Educational Videos

Video tutorials and/or webinars are also great lead magnets! If you or one of your team members shines in front of the camera, cash in on your magnanimous personality by broadcasting it out to your leads! Make sure your message is unique and worth your viewers’ time! Create a video that will stand the test of time and remain relevant indefinitely and you’ll be able to use it for years to come! Video on your landing page can increase conversion as much as 34%, showcasing how powerful it is!

7. Free Trials

If you are selling a product or service, offering your audience a free trial period, coupon or demo is another valuable lead magnet. Simply collect your contact information in exchange for a deep discount that your lead will see as a huge benefit.

8. How-To Guides

A how-to guide will add value to your prospective clients by walking them step-by-step through a process that will help them solve a common problem. They are similar to checklists and cheat sheets, but a how-to guide will offer a lot more information. It will also thoroughly detail each step within the process (as opposed to offering simple, quick snippets).

 

Are you enjoying this post? If so, be sure to subscribe for occasional email updates from our team!

 

9. Infographics

According to Forbes, 65% of people are visual learners, meaning you will want to include some visual elements in your lead magnets as well! Infographics are easy to create on apps like Canva, Venngage and Picmonkey. They offer the same step-by-step guidelines to your audience in picture form!

10. Live Online Demos

An online demo not only acts as a lead magnet to collect contact information, but it’s also a great way to further educate your audience about why they need your product or service and how it will best benefit their lives. For this reason, they are extremely valuable when it comes to converting your leads into purchasing customers.

11. Quizzes

People love to learn about what makes them tick! You can literally create a quiz for anything and everything, regardless of your industry. Create a catchy title to engage your visitors and remember to speak to their pain points. Also, stay within the realm of your area of expertise. A professional salon, for example, might create a quiz called, “Find the Perfect Hair Style for Your Personality.” Or, a cable company might have a quiz entitled, “Determine the Right Cable Package for Your Family.” There are ample websites and apps available to make free or low-cost quizzes. The added bonus here is that you get to learn a lot more about your prospective clients in the process!

12. Templates

If your business revolves around educating your audience, you might consider offering a template in exchange for contact information. Templates allow your audience to put the information they have learned from your company to the test by putting it into practice for themselves.

13. Tool Kits

A tool kit goes a step beyond a traditional how-to guide by also providing specific information on the best tools and resources to get the job done! Toolkits can also have a positive financial impact on your business if you choose to promote products and/or services. This is called affiliate marketing.

14. Video Courses

Again, we can’t stress enough the importance of visual media in your marketing campaigns! Site visitors will jump at the opportunity to learn something valuable to them for free! If you have a wealth of information on a particular subject, offer a mini video-course on it to give your visitors a little taste of what expanding their working relationship with you might look like.

15. Workbooks

Lastly, create a downloadable workbook your site visitors can complete on their own. The workbook should help them achieve a particular goal through answering a series of questions or taking a series of steps and documenting the process. Upon completing the workbook, they should be left wanting more!

Understanding the Lead Magnet Process

There is a specific path your audience will take when they embark on the journey to potentially become your active client/buyer. First, they will see your CTA (call to action) button. They can click on through your blog, email, website or social media page to instantly access your offering. Clicking on this button will redirect them to a landing page. This will request their name, email address, and/or phone number, as well as any other information that you deem pertinent. Once they submit this information, they will be moved to a thank-you page. This is where they can officially access your offering. Or, they can be informed that the offering has been emailed to them directly. Lastly, shortly after your interaction with them, your email marketing campaign will begin to keep them engaged and interested in your products or services.

Use Lead Magnets in Your Marketing Strategy

Ultimately, your job is to create content your ideal clientele will find valuable enough to give you access to their personal information. No matter which avenue you take to create your lead magnet, if you start with this concept in mind, your efforts are sure to be rewarded!