Ideas for lead magnets to grow your email list

 

I can personally testify that having an email list is one of the most valuable things you can do as a small business. More than half of my clients have hired me as a result of reading my email newsletters, many of them after receiving them for several months – years in a few cases. But getting those names onto your email list in the first place can be the most difficult part.

That’s where having a good selection of lead magnets can be invaluable. But what on earth are lead magnets, and how do they work? Let’s find out!

What are lead magnets?

In short, a lead magnet is something that you create, for free, in exchange for someone’s email address. In order for them to appeal to your ideal audience (i.e. the kind of people you want on your mailing list, who are the most likely to buy your paid-for products), they should be related to what you sell, and of high value in some way.

This could be as simple as a downloadable information sheet, an eBook, a quiz (where they get instant results they can implement, preferably), a short free course, or a helpful guidance phone call or video chat with you.

The key in creating your lead magnet is to think about the first step someone who might need your product would want to take before committing to spending money. For example, if you were a car garage, you might offer something like a free guide to winter car maintenance that people could use by themselves. If you were a letting agent who wants to appeal to landlords, perhaps an eBook detailing basic laws and guidance they might need to know before letting a property.

In both of those cases, you would be showing your expertise, offering something of high value to your audience, and setting them up for receiving well-timed emails from you in the future. And that’s where you can nurture them and show them how you can further help them with your paid-for products.

How many lead magnets should I have?

My advice here would be to keep things simple. Start with one really great, highly targeted lead magnet. Test it, make changes if it doesn’t get the appeal you want, and monitor your results. Then you can add more, perhaps to appeal to a slightly different audience.

I think once you’ve got into the groove, having 3 or 4 really strong lead magnets that you can share on rotation is a good number. But don’t feel that you need that many – I’ve seen people have great success with just one.

Lead magnet ideas you can create

There are lots of options when it comes to creating lead magnets that will work for your business – here are a few to get you started:

·        Free tool or resource

·        Templates

·        Guides

·        Free trial

·        Webinar

·        Free course

·        Ebook

·        Survey

·        Free consultation

·        Gift card

·        Access to community

·        Quiz

·        Planner

 

After you’ve created your lead magnet, don’t forget to promote it! Share it on your socials, as a pop-up on your website, and on your email footer, for starters.

 

Need help or advice on anything mentioned here today? Feel free to get in touch.

About me

Tereasa Hedges, freelance copywriter for creatives, designers and makers.

I’m a freelance copywriter who specialises in writing content for creative people, helping you to reach larger audiences through blogging, web content, email marketing, and a little bit of social media for good measure.

Want to work with me? Contact me for a chat via shirecopywriting@outlook.com