Create an epic Lead Magnet to attract your dream clients

You’ve probably heard about list building, right?

You can have the biggest following on social media, and you can network like a MOFO, but the real power is actually in your email list.

There are many ways to fill your list with dream potential clients, but one of my favourites (because it’s easy, and it’s working!) is to create a LEAD MAGNET.

This is something that you give away for FREE in exchange for an email address.

The aim is for that freebie to be so valuable that you get feedback like this:

“I would have paid some money for it, that is how good i think it is” – Norina

Your get a new lead for your list, and that person gets something really cool and helpful.

And then you can build a relationship with those leads over emails and other components of your marketing funnel.

BECAUSE…

You can’t really build that deep, trusting relationship just over social media posts.

Social media is a wonderful INTRODUCTION to you and your brand, but it’s only the first step.

That’s why a lead magnet is so valuable and why they are essential for any business using online marketing to attract new clients.

It’s the start of a deeper relationship with your future clients.

If you haven’t seen it already, click here to see an example of my current lead magnet (42 Ideas to Shine on Social Media)

Here’s some of the key criteria to create an effective and valuable LEAD MAGNET:

It must be something that solves a SIMPLE problem for your Avatar. Honestly, do NOT overcomplicate this. Solve a simple small problem, not the bigger underlying issue (that’s what your paid offers will do). FYI “Avatar” = your dream client, and it’s ONE person.

They must be able to use it/learn it straight away – instant gratification. It should be quick to read and understand, and they should be able to get started immediately.

They must be able to do it WITHOUT help from anyone else – including you! You have to offer them something they can do on their own, without needing to employ someone, call you for more information or buy more stuff.

It must be related to what you eventually want them to buy. Your freebie must follow a logical sequence. Now that you’ve helped them solve this little problem, you can educate them over email and along the journey about the deeper underlying problem that you really love to solve (and that’s your bigger, paid offer).

It is NOT a sales pitch – this first step is giving value, building trust and the start of your relationship. If you offer something free, and then sneakily add in a sales pitch or a shameless promotion for your services, your “dream leads” will simply unsubscribe because they will see straight through the ploy!

Some great lead magnets I have seen:

A huge list of ideas for social media content

A 365-day calendar of video topic ideas

Short at-home workouts for specific results

Email nurture sequence templates for webinars

Canva designs/templates for social posts

Databases and industry resources lists

What’s a crappy lead magnet idea that will probably flop?

A crappy lead magnet is anything that you could have written about in a blog post. Generic information, or anything your avatar can just google.

Here’s some poor ideas, and ways to make it better…

“10 tips for creating a lead magnet”

Better = “20 Lead Magnet Ideas and Templates for Health and Fitness Coaches”

(templates so they don’t need to think, and industry-specific)

“10 Reasons Why You Need an Accountant”

Better = “5 Secret Xero Hacks to Save Time and Money”

(specific software advice they can use now)

“How to Use a Wedding Planner”

Better = “Your Ultimate 2021 Suppliers List (with reviews!) for Wedding Providers in Sydney”

(combined resources all in one place so they don’t need to search)

Just think… what does your avatar get stuck on? What do they need to solve before they realise they need your bigger offer? Solve that problem, build trust, and invest in a long-term relationship.

Final tip: DO NOT SPEND TIME MAKING IT PRETTY

At least, not until you know it works.

The honest truth is, no one might want it. (It took me about 8 attempts before one started working!)

So, before spending hours on Canva or $$$ on copywriters and designers, just write your lead magnet in Word, put some kind of colour or images into it, save it as a PDF, and leave it at that (for now).

More important than how your lead magnet looks, is getting people to download it. And that’s where your landing pages and facebook ads come in. (Even if you’re not using facebook ads, you’ve still got to describe it in a way that gets people to visit the landing page.)