The Steps to Creating an Amazing Lead Magnet that Converts Leads to Customers

Natalia Kuna Author

Mar 14, 2023 |

Comprehensive step-by-step guide to create a high quality lead magnet, from inception to finished product that you offer online to attract leads.

If you're looking to grow your email list, generate leads, and increase sales for your business (that should be you), creating a high-converting lead magnet is an essential strategy and quite honestly the one solid way that works, as well as builds over time.

In this comprehensive blog, no stone will be left unturned. We will take you through the key steps to create a lead magnet that not only attracts your target audience, but also converts them into loyal subscribers or customers, which is what we are all aiming for. There are also examples to help you get a good grasp of each one and how they can be used, so you can see what is right for you.

First, Understanding the Terms

Before we get started, let's just take a quick look at the terms we are talking about. If you already know them, move on further below.

What is a Lead Magnet?

A 'lead magnet', in case you didn't know, is the term used for a valuable resource of any kind that you offer your audience in exchange for their contact information, usually their email address. 

The lead magnet is a valuable resource or offer that you provide to your audience to attract and capture leads. The purpose of creating a lead magnet is to build your email list and generate leads for your business, which you can then nurture and convert into paying customers over time.

What's a 'Lead'?

A 'lead' refers to a person who opts into your lead magnet offer and joins your 'list' - they are now a potential new customer that you can nurture through your email sequence and future communications.

Read my related blog: "Why You Should Create a Lead Magnet for Your Online Business"

What are the Steps to Creating a Great Lead Magnet?

1. Define Your Ideal Customer

The first step in creating a high-converting lead magnet is to define your 

ideal customer, otherwise known as your avatar.

Consider:

Who is your target audience?

What are their needs, challenges, and pain points?

What information or resources are they searching for online?

By understanding your audience, you can create a lead magnet that is tailored to their specific needs and interests.

Let's put this into perspective:

Imagine you're a fitness coach who specializes in helping busy moms lose weight and improve their health. Your ideal customer avatar is a busy mom in her 30s or 40s, who has little time for herself and struggles with balancing her family, work, and health. Her pain point is feeling tired, stressed, and overweight, and she's searching for practical and sustainable solutions to get back in shape. There you go, that's your ideal customer to a tea, and you can even get more specific.

Let's visualize another scenario:

Let's say you are a coach who specializes in productivity and time management. Your ideal customer is likely a busy professional who is looking to optimize their daily routine and get more done in less time. Their pain point is feeling overwhelmed and stressed, and they're searching for tips and strategies to improve their productivity.

2. Research & Brainstorm Ideas

Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience, it's time to brainstorm lead magnet ideas. Your lead magnet should provide a solution to your ideal customer's pain point or challenge and offer them something of value in exchange for their valuable email address.

As a productivity coach, you could create a lead magnet that talks to

people's pain points of feeling drowned in lack of time. You could offer a free eBook or list on "10 Time-Saving Hacks for Busy Professionals" or even a downloadable template for a daily productivity planner. These are small, helpful things that solve an issue and get them moving along with their goals. 

How do you think of ideas for a lead magnet? To think of ideas for a lead magnet, you need to understand the pain points, desires, and motivations of your target audience, and be open to a wide range of lead magnet types. 

Here are some ways to come up with ideas for a lead magnet:

Customer Feedback

This is the most useful, but less done by content creators. Don't be shy to ask your current and past customers for feedback on what they liked and disliked about your products or services, and what other things they are wanting. This can give you very specific, direct, relevant insight into their pain points and desires, which can help you create a lead magnet that addresses those specific needs that meet your target market.

Keyword Research

Use keyword research tools to identify popular search terms related to your business or industry. This can give you insight into the topics and questions that your target audience is searching for, which can help you create a lead magnet that addresses those specific topics. My favorite is Answer the Public, where you enter your topic and it will spurt out a list or spreadsheet you can download. 

Competitor Research

Hope around the net and social media and analyze

your competitors' lead magnets and marketing strategies to see what's out there and obviously working for them. This can give you inspiration for creating a similar lead magnet that addresses a similar pain point or desire. You can add your own unique input and offer something extra that you know would add value.

Social Media Listening

Monitor social media platforms and forums related to your industry to see what your target audience is talking about. This can give you insight into the questions and topics that they are interested in, which can help you create a lead magnet that addresses those specific topics. You can also post and ask what people are struggling with and interested in. 

Content Audit

Review your existing content, such as blog posts, whitepapers, and ebooks, to see which topics and formats are most popular with your target audience. This can give you insight into the types of lead magnets that are likely to be successful with your audience.

Industry Trends

Stay up-to-date with industry trends and news to see what's happening in your industry. This can give you inspiration for creating a lead magnet that addresses a new or emerging pain point or desire. This would be more relevant to certain industries which turn over in trends as opposed to others which take longer to change, or where it is less relevant. You could also see what topics are trending on You Tube within your industry.

3. Choose a High-Value Lead Magnet Type 

Once you have a clear understanding of your ideal customer avatar and done your research, it's time to choose a high-value lead magnet type that aligns with both the content you want to create as well as your niche and audience. There are so many lead magnet types to choose from, such as eBooks, guides checklists, cheat sheets, video tutorials, webinars, and more. 

Check out the types in my blog: "Comprehensive Guide to the Different Types of Lead Magnets You Can Create". 

The key is to choose a lead magnet type that solves a specific problem or fulfills a specific desire for your ideal customer avatar, while at the same time providing them with instant gratification and actionable insights.

If you are a fitness coach for busy moms, you could choose a lead magnet type that provides a quick and easy workout plan that can be done at home in 20 minutes or less, or a healthy meal prep guide that includes shopping lists and recipes for busy weekdays. 

But if you are creating content to help Entrepreneurs with time management, you would want something short, helpful and snappy such as a checklist or planner.

4. Create Your Lead Magnet

With your lead magnet idea etched firmly in mind, it's time to create your lead magnet. 

Plan it Out

Now it's time to turn your idea into implementation. Get going on creating a clear outline and plan to ensure your lead magnet hits all aforementioned targets, and then start the process of pumping it out. 

Use Tools to Maximize the Quality & Look of your Freebie

Use the software and online tools relevant to the type of lead magnet you are creating to make it look and sound the best it can be. 

There are so many online resources to help in this area, including content creation tools of all media types, and pre-made templates. 

Let's say you decide to create a short e-guide: "10 Time-Saving Hacks for Busy Professionals." You could initially draft it out on Word or a Google doc, and then upload it to Canva to add professional quality branding and design.

Create a Compelling Headline & Sub-headline 

Make sure before creating the finished product that you have really thought through a compelling headline and sub-headline that grab the attention of your target audience and communicate the benefits of your lead magnet. Your headline should be clear, concise, and specific, and your sub-headline should provide more details and urgency.

Example: Your headline could be "20-Minute Home Workout Plan for Busy Moms: Get Fit and Energized in Just 3 Weeks!" and your sub-headline could be "Discover the Proven Workout Plan that Fits Your Busy Schedule and Boosts Your Health and Confidence!"

Together, they convey the idea of getting energized and fit quickly in small amount of time and input. All elements that addresses the problems and fit the criteria of the ideal avatar.

Write a Clear, Savvy Description

When it comes to creating a high-converting lead magnet, the description is just as important as the content itself. Your description should clearly and succinctly communicate the benefits of your lead magnet, while also building excitement and urgency around the offer. You can also use aspects of that copy in your marketing of your lead magnet in emails and social media. 

Here are some tips for writing a clear, savvy description for your lead magnet:

Highlight the Benefits

Your description should clearly communicate the benefits of your lead magnet, including what your audience will learn or gain from it.

Use Power Words

Use power words and phrases to create excitement and urgency around your offer. Examples include "limited time offer," "must-have guide," and "instant access."

Keep it Concise

Your description should be short and to the point, ideally no more than a few sentences. Use bullet points or numbered lists to make it easy to read and scan.

Address Objections

Consider including language in your description that addresses common objections or concerns your audience may have. For example, if your lead magnet is a free trial of your software, you could include language like "no credit card required" to ease any fears about being charged.

Make it Visually Appealing

Use bold or italicized text, different font sizes or colors, and other formatting elements to make your description stand out and catch the reader's attention.

By writing a clear, savvy description for your lead magnet, you can increase its perceived value and make it more likely that your audience will opt-in. Remember to test different descriptions and see what resonates best with your audience.

5. Create a Landing Page

Design a Visually Appealing Landing Page

Once you have everything together, it's time to design a visually appealing landing page that showcases your lead magnet and encourages visitors to provide their contact information in exchange for it.

Your landing page should have a clean and simple layout, with a clear and prominent call-to-action (CTA) button that stands out from the rest of the page. It should also include social proof elements, such as testimonials, reviews, or trust badges, to increase credibility and trust.

For example, your landing page could include a hero image of a happy and fit mom doing a workout at home, with a brief but savvy description of your lead magnet, a form for visitors to enter their name and email address, and optional extra add-ons such as social proof elements (for example testimonials from happy clients or logos of media outlets where you've been featured that showcase your expert status).

If you are sourcing a hosting platform for lead magnet landing pages, funnels and email automations, look at what Thrivecart or ActiveCampaign provides, or all in one course platforms like New Zenler and Techmatix.

Optimize Your Landing Page

Once you have your lead magnet created, it's time to optimize your landing page to ensure maximum conversions. Your landing page should be simple, visually appealing, and clearly communicate the benefits of your lead magnet. It should also include a strong call-to-action (CTA) that encourages visitors to provide their contact information in exchange for your lead magnet.

For example, your landing page could include a headline that reads: "Get More Done in Less Time: Download our Free eBook Now!" followed by a brief, savvy description of the eBook and a form where visitors can enter their name and email address.

6. Promote & Drive Traffic to Your Lead Magnet

With your landing page optimized, it's time to promote your lead magnet to your target audience and drive traffic. There are so many ways these days to promote your lead magnet, including email marketing, all the different social media outlets, paid advertising such as Facebook Ads, and content marketing such as through blogs.

You can even collaberate with another professional in your industry and offer to share it with your audience, or have it as a freebie when you give talks or share content with others.

Here are some effective ways to drive traffic to your landing page:

Social Media Marketing

Share your lead magnet on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Use targeted hashtags and engage with your followers to increase visibility.

Email Marketing 

Send a promotional email to your email subscribers and include a link to your landing page. Highlight the benefits of your lead magnet and encourage them to download it.

Paid Advertising 

Use paid advertising platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads to reach a wider audience. Choose relevant keywords and demographics to target your ideal audience.

Guest Blogging 

Write guest blog posts for other websites in your industry and include a link to your landing page in your author bio. This can help increase your credibility and drive traffic to your landing page.

Influencer Marketing 

Partner with influencers in your industry to promote your lead magnet to their followers. Choose influencers with a strong following and credibility in your niche.

SEO 

Optimize your landing page for search engines by using relevant keywords in your page titles, headings, and content. This can help increase organic traffic to your landing page.

By implementing these traffic-driving strategies, you can ensure that your lead magnet reaches a wider audience and generates more leads for your business. Remember to track your results and make adjustments as needed to improve your conversion rates."

7. Make Revisions & Tweak Over Time

Creating a lead magnet is not necessarily a one-and-done process. Just like any marketing asset, for that what it is - a highly valuable asset - your lead magnet should be revised and tweaked over time to ensure it continues to perform well and meet the needs of your audience. 

Here are some tips for making revisions and tweaks to your lead magnet over time:

Track Performance Metrics 

It's important to track and measure the results of your lead magnet to determine its effectiveness. Use analytics tools such as Google Analytics or your email marketing platform's tracking features to monitor your landing page's conversion rate, as well as the open and click-through rates of your follow-up emails.

For example, after a few weeks of promoting your lead magnet, check the performance of your landing page and follow-up emails to see if they are converting well. If not, consider making changes to your landing page, CTAs, or follow-up emails to improve your conversion rates. Use tools like Google Analytics or your email marketing platform to track metrics like conversion rates, open rates, and click-through rates. Use this data to identify areas where your lead magnet could be improved.

Solicit Feedback

Reach out to your audience and ask for their feedback on your lead magnet. What did they find helpful? What could be improved? Use this feedback to make targeted improvements.

Test Different Elements

Consider testing different elements of your lead magnet, such as the title, the cover image, or the length of the content. Use A/B testing to compare different versions and see what performs best.

Stay Up-to-date

Make sure your lead magnet is current and relevant to your audience. If your industry or audience needs have changed, update your lead magnet accordingly.

Continuously Iterate

Remember that creating a high-converting lead magnet is an iterative process. Continuously make small tweaks and improvements to ensure your lead magnet is always performing at its best.

By making revisions and tweaks to your lead magnet over time, you can ensure it continues to provide value to your audience and help drive conversions for your business. Keep an open mind and be willing to try new things to keep your lead magnet fresh and effective.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating a high-converting lead magnet requires careful planning and execution. By defining your ideal customer, brainstorming lead magnet ideas, creating your lead magnet, optimizing your landing page, promoting your lead magnet, and tracking your results, you can create a valuable resource that provides value to your target audience and helps you grow your email list and generate leads for your business. With these steps in mind, you can create a lead magnet that converts and helps you achieve your business goals.

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Categories: : Content Creation, Course Creation, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurs, Funnels, Lead Magnets, Online Business