What is a Lead Magnet and Why Do I Need One?

What is a Lead Magnet and Why Do I Need One?

If you have tried to stick a magnet on a non-metal surface and then tried to stick it to a metal one then you already know how a lead magnet works. The connection is quick, and you don’t have to force it. A lead is a potential customer and the magnet is what draws them to you. A magnet isn’t pushy and your lead magnet shouldn’t be either. A lead magnet should be an offering that attracts a customer because it includes something of value they were already trying to find. And it should be valuable enough for them to want to give you their e-mail address to get it since getting e-mail addresses is the goal when creating a lead magnet.

Why do I need a lead magnet when I’m already on social media?

Despite what you may have heard about just how often social media converts mere lookers into customers, you should know that the real gold is in your list of e-mail addresses. When you land in someone’s inbox, you increase the chances that they will buy your product or employ you to provide them with a service, and a lead magnet is how you get those e-mail addresses.
A lead magnet is often content, but it can also be a discount (possibly no-cost or reduced-price content such as an online class). Here are some ways to draw in customers:

Text-only

• Brief PDF (one page): What a lead magnet Is and Isn’t
• E-book: The Definitive Guide to Lead Magnets
• Checklist: The 10 Most Important Elements You Need in Your Lead Magnet
• Cheat Sheet: Quick Tips for Lead Magnets That Get Read

Fill-in

• Calendar: The Quarterly Lead Magnet Generator
• Workbook: Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Lead Magnet Calendar

Multimedia

• Video: My TED Talk on Creating Lead Magnets
• Webinar: Lead Magnets that Generate Sales
• Audio file: Lead Magnet Pep Talk
• Slideshow: Five Lead Magnets that Worked
  
  

What kind of topic do I use for a lead magnet?

To find what will draw your ideal customer, research what problems they have that you can solve. You can do this by going to the online forums your customers frequent and reading their complaints and issues they may have. You can also use the e-mail addresses you already have to ask questions about consumer pain points.

Once you have this information, you can use it to generate specific lead magnets that address the concerns of the customers you want to reach.

Now that I have my lead magnet, how do I promote it?

You can let the people who are already on your e-mail list using the newsletters or e-mail blasts that you already send. Since these people already trusted you with their e-mail addresses, they are already a captive audience.

While we mentioned that social media isn’t the only way to get customers, it certainly is one way. Go ahead and promote your lead magnet on all of your social media platforms.
You can also create a landing page and a signup form for your lead magnet to draw in even more people.