A strategic approach to creating a lead magnet that attracts and converts
Before you create your lead magnet to attract new coaching clients, you need to ask a few honest questions. Ok so grab what you need and get ready to reflect (with a pen and paper if you’re like me).
Questions to ask before creating your lead magnet
Acting strategically means asking questions before taking action to save wasted effort.
Here are the questions you need to ask yourself before creating a lead magnet:
We’re covering the best formats next.
The best lead magnet formats:
A question I get all the time is what format should I use for my freebie? By formats I mean is it written or video or something interactive like a quiz.
The best lead magnet formats to consider for coaches and professional service providers are:
Speaking of which have you taken my quiz to identify what's holding back your email marketing from converting?
Which lead magnet format do I suggest?
It depends on your business stage, and what data you have. Yes, that’s my former science training coming through. It’s served me well as it means less wasted effort.
If you reach out to me I'm happy to brainstorm ideas. Or you can scroll down and use the tool I created below to help.
Best format for your first lead magnet
The easiest solution for your first lead magnet is a doc or pdf. Now I know a PDF feels a little cliche and boring.
You might wonder if docs and downloads even work as lead magnets?
Yes in many cases they still work. If it’s valuable and helps people solve a problem. If it isn’t full of jargon or position you as the smartest person in New Zealand.
The goal is to create a quick win that doesn’t overwhelm. If you can do something like a quiz, and I think they’re great, but I’d save that for something you’ve validated first.
Coming from a science background, I believe in testing and validating. Which is why using something text-based like Google Docs or Notion is the easiest solution when you’re developing your first lead magnet.
Once you’ve identified a winner that gets attention and subscribers then you can upgrade to a more technical or pretty format. Whether you outsource it or get your DIY founder hat on.
Best format for your next lead magnet
You’ve been growing your list and noticed that somethings changed. Once you’ve ruled out other reasons for creating a new lead magnet (like your messaging has changed) then it may be time to re-evaluate.
If you’re target audience has changed because your rebranding then that’s a great opportunity to find a new lead magnet that works.
If you haven’t changed anything but your current lead magnet isn’t working and it’s not anything else then a practical lead magnet is a good idea. You’ve validated what they’re interested in and can take that simple checklist and create an interactive lead magnet like a tree of life assessment or diagnostic quiz.
TryInteract (affiliate link) is one software I’ve used. Score app, Typeform and Fillout are other options. Quizzes can be a little complicated so test them out first if you can. Although, AI has made it much easier.
Another great reason to set up a quiz for your new lead magnet is if you want more information on your audience to send better emails.
Identify the best email format for your lead magnet
You may have noticed I'm a systems person.
Here is a questionnaire I’ve created to help you decide the best format for your lead magnet. I’ve focused on the simple versions. I’ll go into more detail with other formats (like quizzes) in other future articles.
Does picking the right format make my lead magnet effective?
Yes, and no. It depends.
An effective lead magnet get's leads. But it also starts conversations and builds relationships.
The format matters that's only part of the strategy. If you have the right lead magnet format but the lead magnet doesn't solve a problem it wont help. Or worse if it's not valuable and clearly designed to get emails and nothing more it will do more harm than good to your brand. I wrote more about what makes an effective lead magnet in this article.
Sound too hard or have lots of questions? No problem. If you'd like to get my professional opinion on what your lead magnet should be and plan it out then please book a call and we can talk next steps.
Note: I've included an affiliate link in this article. If you purchase an account using that link I will receive a small reward. I only recommend tools I've used. But always do your due diligence and make your own decisions.
