Lead Magnet Ideas To Grow Your Email List (& How To ACTUALLY Get 100’s of Downloads Every Month)
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In this blog, you’ll learn everything you need to know to grow your email list, using Lead Magnets!
In this blog post, we will cover...
What is List Building
What are Lead Magnets?
The Importance of Building & Growing Your Email List If You Have a Business
Mindset Matters!
Understanding the Art and Science of a Lead Magnet
13 Lead Magnet Ideas That You Can Steal Right Away!
Let’s Dive In To List Building & Lead Magnets!
You’ve likely heard this phrase a million times from business coaches, online marketing experts and all of the most successful online entrepreneurs– “you MUST grow an email list!”
Jenna Kutcher says that “Email marketing is BY FAR the best form of “social media” and that you can earn $42 for every $1 you spend to be exact.
And Amy Porterfield says… “The return on investment on an email is so much bigger than social media—122 percent, to be exact—when you do it right.”
However, I want to start by saying that what works for one business won’t necessarily work the same for another (and doesn’t always generate the same return financially)
It’s also important to mention that from year to year, email list building strategies (and their effectiveness) will continue to shift… because marketing is always changing!
Therefore, it’s vital to keep a keen eye on Marketing Trends and to analyze the current state of affairs.
In Gary Vaynerchuk's newest book called Day Trading Attention, he talks about the importance of ‘creating content and getting visible where there is ALREADY attention’ or said another way ‘going where the attention is’.
Therefore, if your email marketing campaigns are getting less attention than your Instagram Stories and your Webinars, then you should choose to reduce your energy towards your Email List if time is limited and to focus on what’s producing the most return on your time and energy.
Marketing Tip!
Double down on what’s already working with your Marketing Strategy, and where there’s already return on investment (and return on attention!)
The Importance of Building & Growing Your Email List
Are you new to the concept of email lists and questioning their relevance to your business?
If you’re looking for reasons why an email list should be a cornerstone of your marketing strategy, this section is for you.
In my own business as a Marketing Consultant, there are a few key reasons why I have prioritized growing my email list over the past seven years:
Direct Access Without Algorithm Dependence: An email list guarantees direct entry into your audience's inboxes, unlike social media platforms that depend on fluctuating algorithms.
Nurturing Prospective Clients: Your email list facilitates nurturing relationships with individuals who discover you via social media or your website and wish to remain connected. This process is often referred to as managing the "middle of the funnel."
Crucial for Launching Campaigns: An email list is an integral asset when launching new products or services, ensuring your offer reaches a well-engaged audience.
By strategically growing and utilizing your email list for sales and marketing, you can nurture potential clients, and effectively launch new offers.
Mindset Matters!
Before we begin chatting about Freebie Ideas and List Building Strategies, I want to remind you that your Mindset Matters when it comes to growing a massive list!
Start by reflecting on some of these questions…
Why do some email lists grow from Zero to 5,000 really quickly?
Why are some email open rates 40% while others are 2%
Why are some businesses able to drive income from their email lists, and others aren’t making a penny?
It often boils down to the mindset of the entrepreneur, and whether they truly see potential in creating remarkable content for subscribers inboxes.
Yes, I said “remarkable”.
And if your emails are anything less than that, expect to have zero subscribers.
Personal Note From Kelsey:
I was once listening to a podcast and the host said something along the lines of… “Are you trying to ‘grow a list’ or are you trying to ‘change the way people think’
It really resonated with me, because I think too many people are brainwashed into thinking they just have to ‘get subscribers’ without reconnecting with why they want subscribers in the first place!
Make an impact. Don’t make crappy content.
Understanding the Concept of a Lead Magnet
Now that you know what an email list is and why it’s important, let’s talk about Lead Magnets!
P.s.
When I use the words freebie, lead magnet and opt in, I am using these words interchangeably and I may fumble between the 3 unique words in the blog– but essentially they all mean the same thing!
A lead magnet is a strategic asset (often digital) that you create and offer to your target audience in exchange for their email address.
When you develop a valuable resource, such as a Free Recipe Guide or anything tailored to your industry expertise, it significantly increases the likelihood of prospects sharing their contact information with you!
13 Lead Magnet Ideas That You Can Steal Right Away!
With so many businesses vying for people's attention, it can be challenging to stand out and persuade potential customers to share their email with you! We are SO sensitive to ‘marketing’ and ‘sales’ these days, as consumers. I am sure you would agree!
This is where creating a compelling lead magnet comes into play. But coming up with unique and effective lead magnet ideas can be daunting.
Steal these ideas and see your email list soar!
1. Create a Challenge (ex: 5 Day Hydration Challenge)
2. Who doesn’t love a good challenge to get them motivated and to exercise consistency?
3. Masterclass / Webinar (Automated or Live) - ex: The #1 Thing You Need To Know Before Starting Med School
If you excel at teaching and educating, this is a great option for you!
4. Free Training - How To Train Your Puppy Using Positive Reinforcement
Something as short as a 10 minute training can showcase how much of an expert you are! Give a sneak peak of yourself in action, teaching a mini training.
5. Video Series - 3 Part Money Manifestation Series
Feel confident teaching on camera? Record a series of videos that help to build trust, day after day.
6. Guidebook / Workbook - The Wheel Of Life, monthly workbook
If your material is best delivered in a Google Doc, a PDF or Workbook style this can be a fun interactive way for your audience to get to know you
7. Mini Course - Preparing for Tax Season as a Naturopathic Doctor, 2 hour course
Similar to a free training, but can act as a micro version of your full size course
8. Quiz - What’s causing your bloating?
After someone completes the quiz, they have to input their email to get the result - this is good because they’re already bought in!
9. Exclusive Interviews - watch my exclusive interview with the Top Sales Rep in Canada
10. Free Audit - Instagram Bio Audits
11. Templates, Tools, Resources - 5 Podcasts That Will Teach You How To Have a 10k launch
12. Summit / Panel - 6 CEO Mama’s Share Their Secrets for Time Management
13. Step By Step / How To’s - 5 Steps To Your Dream Squarespace Website
14. In some cases, promo code / discount - 10% off all Baby CPR Courses
Personal Note From Kelsey!
Stop here!
Before you create your Lead Magnet, I want you to ask… “Does my dream client really (really!) want this?”
If yes, go ahead and create it!
If no, keep brainstorming and figure out the most compelling free offer that you can create!
Once the offer is created, you can move onto Step 2.
Build a High Converting Landing Page to Promote your Lead Magnet and collect Names and Emails.
A landing page is a short web page that you create that collects name and emails!
They should be…
Simple, succinct and easy to navigate
Visually appealing (keep it simple!)
Format:
Headline / Hook
3 Key Benefits of the Freebie
Email Capture
If you don’t already have a website where you can build your landing page, try software like FloDesk, MailChimp, ConvertKit, Kajabi, Active Campaign or another Email Marketing Software!
Here’s an example of a High Converting Landing Page:
Now that you’ve created your Lead Magnet and the Landing Page, it’s time to promote it and get 100’s or maybe 1000’s of downloads in order to Grow Your Email List!
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You go to all of the effort to create your Lead Magnet and to promote it to your initial community, but then what?
What should you do when you’re no longer growing your email list and feel like your Online Lead Generation is at a standstill (yet you have BIG growth goals in mind!).
This is a common concern that my Marketing Coaching Clients come to me with, so you’re certainly not alone! It’s common for our lead magnets to go stale after a few months and to stop producing the results that they once did, inside of our Marketing Funnels, but that’s simply an indication to us that we need to revive them!
Instead of burning it all down each time your Lead Magnet loses steam (and wasting time creating something NEW every 90 days) I recommend that we simply OPTIMIZE & IMPROVE the lead magnets that we’ve already got in circulation, and refresh the marketing plan too.
In the remainder of this post, I am going to share a few ways to get (more) downloads on your lead magnets and breathe new life into them.
1. Brainstorm a New Title!
One of the main reasons why nobody is downloading your Lead Magnet is because they are not compelled enough after reading the title. You could create the best, more valuable lead magnet in the world - but if the title doesn’t captivate your dream client, then you’ve missed out on growing your email list.
I was once told by my own Marketing Mentor that ‘you can’t bore people into paying attention to your content’ and that’s true with lead magnets, also! The name of your Lead Magnet is the differentiating factor between one that stands out and gets 1000’s of downloads, and one that blends in with the crowd.
Here are some general tips for you, if you’re brainstorming a new title for your Lead Magnet
Make them scream “I have to know more” after reading the title
Provoke curiosity in your title, so that they are compelled to want to learn more by joining/signing up (leave an open loop)
Use numbers and listicles (ex. 4 ways to OR Top 10 Methods for…)
How “not to” do something can be a cheeky way of educating on your topic
People love “best kept secrets” and “behind the scenes access”
Put them at ease when they read your title, and have them feel like they’ve finally found comfort in a solution or knowing they’re not alone
Example:
Instead of calling your masterclass”The Meal Prep Masterclass” you could call it…
Incredible Meal Prep Hack - How I Prepped a Week's Worth of Food in 1 Hour!
MEAL PREP HACK: Prep One Week Of Meals in 60 Minutes - Behind The Scenes Look
MEAL PREP MASTERCLASS: How To Get A Week Of Healthy Meals Done In Just 1 Hour!
Time Saving Meal Prep Secret Revealed - 1 Week of Food Prepared in Under an Hour!
Notice the difference?
Now, it’s your turn. What’s your new Lead Magnet Title?
2. SEO Optimize Your Lead Magnet
How epic would it be for your Lead Magnet to be showing up in Google search results? This requires good SEO!
Not familiar with SEO?
SEO = Search Engine Optimization.
To get search engines familiar with your Lead Magnet Content, make sure you are optimizing your lead magnet title and description on your website with the proper keywords, SEO titles and descriptions and so much more. It can feel overwhelming to know where to begin, which is why I created a course called Everyday SEO™ to provide you with the precise foundations you need to Get Googled!
Learn more about Everyday SEO™ >>> https://www.kelseyreidl.com/seo
When someone searches for a query like…
SIBO-Friendly Dessert Recipes
How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Or Best Yoga Studios in Toronto, Canada…
We want YOUR lead magnet to be returned as a search result. Afterall, your dream clients are most definitely looking to google for answers to the problem that your lead magnet solves!
In fact, according to marketing platform Semrush
And yes, it’s possible to rank in the search engines WITHOUT becoming an expert in Google Algorithms.
Note from Kelsey:
I don’t want to overstate the benefits of SEO or have you thinking this is a Get Rich Quick Strategy - but SEO is now responsible for $100,000+ in annual revenue for my business. I believe deeply in the POWER of SEO.
Getting traction on Google isn’t something that happens overnight, that being said it’s still worthwhile to put in time and effort, particularly if you want to eventually stop relying on Social Media Marketing.
Take a pen and paper and write out the words, phrases and questions that you believe your client avatar is typing into Google.
If you’re an interior designer, you might write:
Interior Decorating Services
How to design a bathroom that is modern, and on a budget
Ikea bedroom set ideas
How much does interior design cost Toronto
interior design near me
Etc.
Now, scan your lead magnet and your website to ensure these keywords and key phrases are incorporated.
Not familiar with keywords?
They simply act as a bridge between your website and someone searching on Google
Invest 10 minutes to develop a plan for these keywords and I promise it will significantly improve your Google Rankings over time.
Your lead magnet is probably hiding in the vortex of other lead magnets after a few months, which means that it’s time to revamp the content (freshen it up to make it relevant to what’s going on in the world) and give the descriptions, images and lead magnet title a little makeover.
3. Makeover The Lead Magnet Landing Page to Increase Conversions
You’ve got just a few seconds to persuade someone to enter their name and email to download your lead magnet or to remain in your landing page.
That means that every word, image and button needs to be strategically added (or removed!) to increase conversions and to encourage someone to stay on the page long enough to download whatever you are offering!
Most landing pages are simply not compelling enough, which is why the conversion rates are low. Often between 5 and 20%.
However, with some simple language and design tweaks - you can boost that conversion rate significantly!
Here’s an example of a landing page that converts at a high %.
Having a well-written, easy to navigate and WORKING landing page (you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who have broken links or inactive buttons!) is vital to getting more downloads.
Keep your sentences short.
Write your sentences at a Grade 6 Level to increase reading comprehension
Be solutions focused (is it really obvious what problem your lead magnet solves? Is it clear what will happen to them if they don’t opt in to your solution)
Add statistics, data or relevant numbers if possible
Don’t be so vague (avoid jargon like “want to improve your marketing” or “ready to level up your health & wellness” (instead… “Want to double the amount of leads you generate in the next 30 days?” or “are you ready to beat the sugar addiction & lose the last 10 lbs?”
Be succinct & clear (don’t go on and on and on…)
Here is an example of a well-written landing page for a recipe ebook:
Title:
7 Nutrient-Dense & Kid-Approved Recipes The Whole Family Can Enjoy (& Are Budget Friendly)
Subtitle:
Take a sneak peak inside of The Kid-Sized Cookbook, which has been called ‘The Go-To Cookbook For Kid-Approved Recipes (Even Picky Eaters Love These 7 Recipes!)
Bonus Tip From Kelsey:
Make it EASY for visitors to enter their name and email, and to get access to your lead magnet.
Don’t make them jump through too many hoops!
Have 5 friends test the process and give you feedback on the landing page, before publishing!
4. Give Your Lead Magnet a Fresh Marketing Angle, and make it RELEVANT to the current times
The Almanac of Relevance™ is a strategy that I teach to my clients to help ensure that any content they publishing is piggybacking on current events, important dates, and relevant themes.
It is a simple and underutilized strategy that can help you get WAY more downloads to your Lead Magnet!
Using The Almanac of Relevance™ allows you to tap into the conversation that’s already happening in your dream client's mind, which is why it’s such a successful strategy!
Part of our job as marketers is to keep up with what’s going on in the world, so that we can position our expertise against these themes.
Start by asking yourself the following questions…
Is there something coming up with the change of Seasons or a New Month that relates to your Lead Magnet? (ex: Instead of a weight loss guidebook → 5 Ways To Get Bikini Ready This Summer)
What’s going on in Pop Culture that you can incorporate into your marketing (ex: Instead of 3 Must-Try Marketing Strategies → Revealed! Taylor Swift’s GENIUS Marketing Plan (Breaking It ALL Down So You Can Steal Her Strategies!)
What is EVERYONE talking about as it relates to your lead magnet (ex: if you’re a nutritionist, we know that right now food prices are SOARING and most families are trying to save money on grocery bills!)
Take a fresh angle when you promote your lead magnet, and watch as downloads start increasing!
Without relevant messaging, marketing campaigns for lead magnets kind of just go in one ear and out the other.
5. Promote Your Lead Magnet with CONSISTENCY across ALL platforms and Track KPI’s!
When we are promoting a lead magnet it can be tempting to try ALL of the marketing and promotional efforts without tracking any Marketing KPI’s, but if we do that we don’t know where we are TRULY getting the results.
Instead, choose 3-5 efforts to test at the TOP of your funnel.
(Top of Funnel): TOFU is the initial stage of the marketing funnel, where the goal is to attract your dream clients and generate awareness. It focuses on capturing the attention of potential customers who may not be familiar with your brand or product. This is where we consider speaking at events, creating content, having a website, organic SEO, and paid advertising to reach a wide audience.
This could be:
Posting 2x Instagram Reels each week
Hosting 1 community working each month
Running paid ads for $25 / day
Sharing business cards at local networking / connection events
To put in perspective, how often have you heard of a brand but you didn’t shop there until you were met with multi touch points such as an AD, heard the founder on a podcast, got an email and then got a black friday sale.
I go even farther with my private clients as we got a level deeper with a SWOT analysis. If you are interested in having a Mini Marketing Overhaul with me. Click here to find out more.
Here is some basic funnel lingo ⤵️
These 3 stages work together to guide potential customers through the purchasing journey, from awareness to consideration to conversion.
Once your funnel is up and running, it's vital to track progress!
Do you know what marketing and visibility strategies are your real MVPs for getting downloads to your Lead Magnets? If you don’t, you are NOT the only one.
Most business owners don’t track what strategies are performing well and which ones are NOT.
It’s so essential to identify your star performers when it comes to marketing and lead generation, so that you can cut what’s NOT working!
You only have so many hours in a day, so it’s important to double down on strategies that are working.
I have an entire blog where I share Marketing KPI’s that you need to track!
ACTIONABLE TIP
Use Google Sheets to track all of your monthly metrics, so that you can see month over month comparisons on where growth is happening.
I support all of my Private 1:1 Clients with this. Click to learn more → https://www.kelseyreidl.com/visionary-marketing-coaching
In summary, I want to remind you that so many business coaches and online marketing experts emphasize the critical need to grow an email list.
While the CRAZY claims like ‘you can make $42.00 for every 1 subscriber’ can be true for some businesses, individual experiences with email list growth and monetization can vary significantly - and in my own experience, I’ve found strategies that work FAR better for my Online Business.
For some businesses, growing an email list may not be a priority, especially if other strategies yield better results. This is why tracking is vital!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out and chat. I’m @kelseyreidl on Instagram.