You might have heard that email marketing is the IT thing for growing your business and your conversion rate. And you’d be right.
But in order to use email marketing effectively, you need an email list.
After all, if a tree falls in the woods and no one’s around. No one hears it. Yes, you can quote me on that. It is absolutely rock-solid logic.
“But Melissa, how do I even grow my email list?” You may be asking.
Keep reading, I’m getting there.
One of the best ways to grow an email list is to offer a free lead magnet in exchange.
What is a lead magnet?
A lead magnet is a free or very lost cost item that you offer to your audience to get them to trade their email address for the value you will provide them in the freebie.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got an entire folder organized on your desktop full of lead magnets that you’ve downloaded from others.
How to use a lead magnet to build trust in your brand (and eventually convert more clients/sales)
The trick is to create a lead magnet that solves or begins to solve a common client issue. For example, a lot of my clients come to me because they’ve been struggling to write their web copy (hey, you might be one of them!). So I created a lead magnet that breaks down my formula for about pages that convert dream clients into actual clients.
So before you choose one of the great lead magnet ideas below, think about a common problem you can solve for your clients, and then choose a lead magnet that will best provide the information they’re looking for.
And no, you don’t have to provide every little detail of your secret sauce in your lead magnet. But if you want your subscribers to trust you and like you, make sure you provide some real value in your freebie.
Let me see the list of lead magnets already!
Here are 10 lead magnet ideas for converting your dream audience into email subscribers:
➡️ A quiz
Use software like Interact to create a quiz that helps your clients learn something about themselves or their brand. Provide a guide or actionable tips relevant to their final categorization for extra value. Need an example? Check out the quiz I created to help business owners find their brand personality (aka the foundation of their brand voice).
➡️ A how-to guide
Create a guide that walks your audience through a process relevant to your business or industry. This could even be a quick little guide about how to get started in your industry. My About Page formula lead magnet falls into this category.
➡️ A cheat sheet
This lead magnet is great for industries that have a lot of references or complicated processes. If I were to create a cheat sheet, I would create a list of common words and lists of better, conversion-focused alternatives for people to reference while they write.
➡️ A guide that answers burning questions about the industry
Think of this as a place to answer frequently asked questions which will help squash buyer doubts and build trust – a win-win if I do say so myself.
➡️ Your price list
If you don’t openly publish your pricing on your website or social media, this is a great option. Naturally, people want to know your prices and might feel inclined to trade an email address for all the deets. You can also include your package and program details in this guide.
➡️ An e-book
An e-book is similar to a how-to guide but doesn’t necessarily tell your reader how to do something (No doi, Melissa). Your e-book can spill the secrets of your industry, include recipes if you’re a food blogger or recipe creator, wrap your most popular blog posts into one, or any other batch of information you know your clients would love to know.
➡️ A webinar
Come up with an intriguing title for a prerecorded presentation (like “Make 90k in 90 days”, or “Earn more money with these 5 little-known copy tips”) and offer the webinar as a free masterclass. Remember to provide real value in your presentation – don’t just stick to the fluff – if you want your audience to trust you and see you as the go-to-gal in your industry.
➡️ A set of presets or icons
This lead magnet is perfect if you’re a designer or photographer. Create a mini-pack of icons or photo editing presets and build your email list with all that value that you offer.
➡️ A checklist
Create a checklist that walks people through a process or system – how to get from beginning to end. If I created one of these, I might create a final check copy checklist that gave people a few steps to complete once they were done writing their DIY copy so that it’s in top shape for their audience.
➡️ A mini-course
A mini-course through email is an awesome way to get people bought into what you do and for them to experience what it’s like to work with you. IMO they might be one of the best ways to build trust with your audience by providing a lot of value.
➡️ A planner or template
Offer your audience a planner for organizing or a template for getting started. My About Page download falls under this category as well. Other ideas include social media planners or templates, blog planners, content planners, email planners and templates, client pitch templates, and more!
GO OUT and build that email list!
And now for a treat for all you awesome people who read to the bottom of the email 🙂
One lucky reader who sends me their lead magnet will receive a quick and dirty feedback email from me with personalized advice on how to improve your copy!
Want your time back and more money in your bank account?
Hand your copy problems over to me, and I’ll get everything sorted while you focus on why you started your biz in the first place – changing lives!
Reach out to me here about my Signature Web Copy Package, copy audit, and content retainer options.
View comments
+ Leave a comment