How To Create A Lead Magnet That Actually Converts
The stark reality of the current online world is that we’re approaching goldfish status as far as low attention span goes. Skepticism is at an all time high as well, shall we mention. Simply put, that means that nobody is signing up for your email list even with that generic free report you’re trying to dangle as bait. (No offense, we’re all guilty) The heat is turning up for service providers to bring more value than ever.
So the question is how do we build our email lists in this online environment? Well, as previously mentioned, value is the name of the game. But what does that mean you ask? Well it means getting creative and providing an online experience that they can’t duplicate with anybody else in your informational space.
Let’s examine more closely what that looks like. The first thing to remember is to take a deeper dive than usual. Get specific and get current. For example, if you’re in real estate and trying to attract buyers, you can create a consumer guide regarding how interest rates will affect loan borrowers in ___(insert year and/or location). For sellers, you can give them access to a video explaining the climate of the local market and what are the key indicators of whether they should sell. Sometimes, just changing the verbiage from free report to consumer guide or even providing a checklist is more attractive.
A highly effective and underrated tool to capture leads is an interactive experience such as a quiz. This takes engagement to another level, creates a unique experience and allows a lead to let down their guard where there otherwise would have been resistance. You can get pretty creative with quizzes. If you run a bar or restaurant, you can deploy a quiz that asks prospects if they want to find out what their favorite drink says about them. Or something like that. Above all, you want your quiz to be fun, invoke curiosity and/or be informative.
The key is getting inside the mind of the customer and analyzing every possible angle around everything that your business and how it relates to them and their shopping or buying cycle. Consider the things and events that have to occur before they even think they need or want your service. Think about the things that happen during the sales process and afterwards. Look for ways you can lend your expertise to the situation.
No matter the tool you’re using, let’s remember to master the basics. That means keeping your offer as non-threatening as possible, digestible and with actual useful information. Attention grabbing titles and headlines are always effective as well as quality, solid copy in every place possible.
Most importantly is to keep testing and tweaking. One of my favorite books of all time, “Steal Like an Artist” suggests that being a fervent student and collector of art is the surest way to gain your own piece of mastery. In this case, the art is a lead magnet and subsequent sales funnel. Observe what others are doing and allow yourself to borrow and implement ideas from a number of sources. Keep persisting and eventually you will find some success until you don’t and you have to change. Such is the nature of the marketplace, especially online. Ultimately, that is how you’re going to throw the lead bait out there that brings in the good catch.
