Your sales lead list is your most important marketing tool. The people on the list gave you their contact information. That means they already have some knowledge of your business and interest that is compatible with your products or services. It makes your job easier when it is time to close the deal. So how do you build a quality list of potential customers? You do it using lead magnets.
What is a Lead Magnet
A lead magnet is a product or service given away in exchange for contact details to create a list of sales leads. A lead magnet can be many things, including a percent-off coupon, an e-book, or a free sample. Once you have the person’s contact information, you will attempt to convert them into a paying customer. Good marketing practices dictate that you’re upfront about using their information for sales purposes.
Elements of a Good Lead Magnet
People don’t give away their email addresses or phone number for nothing. Your lead magnet has to offer a real benefit.
Relevant – Your lead magnet should be relevant to your audience. You need to match it to their interests. You wouldn’t market a guide about helping your teen gain admission to their college of choice to a target audience of parents with newborns.
Fulfills a Need – Try to fulfill a need, provide a solution or give an answer to a question your audience has. For example, those parents of newborns would probably jump at a guide about getting their baby to sleep through the night.
Has Perceived Value – It needs to have a perceived value. Your lead magnet should be something they can’t find somewhere else, or that might cost them money otherwise. You can accomplish this by offering expert advice only you can give. Another option is giving away something tangible such as a sample size of your product, an e-book download, or a free five-minute consultation.
Leaves Them Wanting More – Your lead magnet should leave them wanting more. If you solve all their problems or give them all the answers, they won’t need your product or service. Teach them a beginner technique they can implement successfully. They’ll come back to you when they need something more advanced.
Lead Magnet Ideas that Work
Guide, Whitepaper or Tip Sheet – Use your expertise to give your audience information that helps them understand your niche or teaches them applicable skills. Try to make it something applicable that they can’t easily find with Google search.
Survey or Quiz – The subject of your quiz will depend on your niche. You could test your audience’s knowledge about a relevant topic. You could also ask questions assessing how healthy their diet is.
Webinar – Host a webinar. You can give the same kind of information as you would in a guide or whitepaper, but in presentation form. This gives you an opportunity to pull people in with video and splashy graphics.
Ebook – A free ebook download will have instant value for many people in your audience. Choose a topic that you can expand on enough to fill a book. If you already have a guide or a whitepaper that relates to your niche, use that as a jumping-off point instead of starting from scratch.
Template – A template is a great option if your niche is in marketing or design. It could be a template for a sales email or a social media graphic. Your audience will see value in it since it saves them time and effort.
Samples or Free Trial – Businesses have been using samples and free trials to hook customers long before the internet arrived on the scene. It can be an investment if your product is a tangible item. But it may make a lifelong customer out of someone if they try your product and love it.
Consultation – Offer potential clients a brief consultation. Do it over the phone or via video conference. Text, Facebook Messenger, or email are other options. To make it hassle-free, create an A.I. program for your website that can give people an evaluation based on a series of questions and answers. While it’s an investment upfront, the benefits would likely outweigh the cost.
Training Videos – If you have training videos for your clients, consider offering free access to a few for prospective customers. It’s a great way to give them an opportunity for them to see what you offer, and you don’t have to create anything new.
Case Studies – If you’ve done case studies that highlight your work with other clients, offer access. It’s educational while it showcasing your success at the same time.
Workbook – Create a workbook that people can download. It should guide them through a step-by-step process like writing a business plan.
Email Course – Use an email course to teach your audience an in-depth lesson over several days. For example, a camera shop could cover several basic photography techniques.
Private Online Group – Give people access to a private online group such as a Facebook group. This allows them to network with other people in your niche. It also gives you a way to stay in daily contact with them.
Include a Call to Action
An effective lead magnet will help you build a list of potential sales leads. You can reach out to them using the contact information you collected. But it’s even better if they come back to you on their own. To make this happen, include a strong call to action in your lead magnet. You’ll need to think about what steps you want potential customers to take next, then give them clear direction.
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