Sometimes, customers just need a little push in the right direction. Whether they’re browsing your site or looking for something specific, you can always sweeten the deal to bring them closer to conversion with the help of lead magnets. A lead magnet is exactly what it sounds like: something that attracts leads like a magnet!
More specifically, lead magnets are tools used in email marketing and lead generation. Lead magnets are part of nearly every field, including B2C and B2B, and even highly specialized areas like marketing for law firms. Organizations offer these incentives to audiences in exchange for their contact information, typically an email address.
Let’s look at effective lead magnet tips that will hook new audiences and win them over to your email list.
How Do Lead Magnets Work?
Say someone searches for a solution to a specific problem; they’re likely browsing online for the answer. When they visit a website that could help, they’re shown a product (like an e-book, checklist, or guide) that can solve an issue like getting started with estate planning.
This product (like the estate planning e-book) is your lead magnet. To claim it, users must fill out a lead capture form asking for their email address. After filling that out, they receive the lead magnet in their inbox with a confirmation email thanking them for subscribing.
Now that you have your lead’s email address, you can nurture these leads by offering personalized content, additional offers, or regular follow-ups. Every interaction is a chance to move them along the sales funnel.
Types of Lead Magnets
A lead magnet is all about being creative and personal; as long as it’s valuable to the reader and gets them to convert, it has done its job. Some commonly used lead magnets include:
- Checklists
- E-books
- Cheat Sheets
- Courses
- Spreadsheets
- Videos
- Coupons and deals
- Webinars
- Templates
- Quizzes
- Worksheets
- Podcasts
- Case studies
4 Tips to Enhance Your Lead Magnet Strategy
Here are four tips to remember when using lead magnets to bulk up your email list.
1. Understand Your Audience
Knowing who will use your lead magnet is key to creating the perfect one. Narrow down your target audience by asking these questions:
- What problems are they facing?
- What are they trying to achieve?
- What’s preventing them from solving their problem?
- Will this solve their problem?
- Does it relieve their pain points?
(Customer Relationship Management) CRM software or social media can gather demographic information (age, gender, interests, behaviors, and more) to create the ideal lead profile. This puts you in the shoes of your target and gives a clearer idea of their challenges and pain points.
The better you know your audience, the easier and more personalized your lead magnet strategy will be. Target audience research can be complex; it’s more than just people in your area. For example, a marketing team for a workers’ compensation firm might target people of a certain profession. Family law marketing might try to identify middle to upper-middle-class families with significant assets. It all depends on the firm’s (or company’s) objectives, services, and goals.
2. Define Your Unique Value Proposition
A unique value proposition (UVP) is a statement that clearly explains how your product, service, or content solves a pain point (a specific issue) commonly held by your target audience. At the same time, a UVP highlights what makes your organization different — better — than those of competitors.
At its best, a UVP helps you stand out for all the right reasons.
Promote your UVP across all touchpoints. Consistency is key here, whether you’re using site pop-ups, social media, or PPC advertising. Concise yet effective copy is key here, especially when writing a compelling call to action (CTA).
Maybe you’re closing out an email with a CTA. You might write something like, “Book a free consultation with our legal team to learn if you have a case!”
For headers, creating a sense of urgency or interest is vital to getting people to actually open and read your mail. Headers for emails with urgency could look like “Limited Time: Get Our Exclusive Guide to Getting More Law Firm Clients” or something like “Join Our Insurance Review Webinar and Get a Free Explanation of Benefits.”
Social proof is one of the best ways to showcase your credibility, whether through reviews, testimonials, or achievements. Adding these to your lead magnet’s landing page builds trust and encourages people to sign up in the form of testimonials. Testimonials can also convey a UVP with snippets about how your law firm supported them during a difficult time or won their case.
3. Use an Engaging, Easy-to-Consume Format
Lead magnets offer substantial solutions in a concise and easily consumable manner. Remember, less is more. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm your audience.
For example, if you’re offering a series of video tutorials, limit each video to a few minutes. If you’re offering an e-book, limit it to a few pages (you’re not writing a novel here).
Additionally, interactive lead magnets are both fun and engaging, including quizzes, worksheets, and templates. These keep users active and even allow them to add their own personal touches.
A classic PDF format is effective as well because of its practicality. PDF-format lead magnets, like cheat sheets and guides, are easy to download on a computer or smartphone. Users can even write their own notes and highlight key information.
Podcasts, interviews, and audio guides are great for users who prefer auditory content. The added benefit of hearing someone’s voice makes the content relatable and easier to follow. Users can even take it on the go.
4. Create a Compelling Squeeze Page
A squeeze page is a landing page designed with a single goal: to collect visitors’ contact information (usually in an email opt-in form). In return for this contact information, companies offer something people want or need.
For example, a law firm might link to a free resource (like an eBook on what to do after a car accident to file a claim) or a link to a free consultation. Let them know you get their pain and that your law firm is the perfect fix.
Wrap it up with a simple call to action. Keep this short and sweet while also letting them know what’s in it for them. Use social proof like testimonials from prior clients to appear even more credible.
- Pro tip: A squeeze page can be written in many ways, so test, test, and test again. A/B testing allows you to experiment with different copy, images, layouts, CTA buttons, and so on to see what drives the most qualified leads.
Perfecting Your Lead Magnet Strategy
Lead magnets benefit both your business and the consumer; consumers receive helpful information that could solve specific problems, and you receive a new subscriber in your email list. It’s a win-win!
As long as you personalize and prioritize your audience’s needs, you’ll continue to receive new leads who recognize your expertise and are willing to learn more.
This article was written by Pranjal Bora, who works as a fractional law firm CMO at Digital Authority Partners.