The top 3 lead magnets to launch your email list with bang
Lead magnets may be the secret ingredient in your list-building plan that is missing. This article will explain why they are important and how you can get started with them today.
After a few minutes, listening to those marketers and small business managers discuss the importance of their email lists begins to remind me of that scene, as well as its soundtrack, in The Lion King.
It's too good to be real. 3800% average ROI ? It's not possible. Eighty-nine percent of the professionals claim they prefer email for lead generation? This is a little too much.
But there's a reason for this. Email marketing is not a one-sided affair between businesses and customers. Much like The Lion King, email is loved by everyone within the realm of commerce.
In fact, 73% of people rate email as their preferred channel for receiving emails and other communications.
This isn't the issue you're having trouble with.
Your issue is a lot simpler in the sense that You know that you require an email database But how are you supposed to build it from scratch?
In addition, how do make a list in a hurry without compromising on the quality?
The answer, friend, is as simple as:
You need an effective lead magnet.
Which is what we'll tackle this morning. We'll first explain the reasons and then demonstrate how, and finally top everything off with a done-for-you lead magnet solution to energize your list building within 10 minutes.
Let's get started.
What is an effective lead magnet?
One of the main differences in a lead magnet from any other type of content marketing -- we'll get into the subject in a momentit is the fact that lead magnets come paired with a particular reward contingent upon the user taking an decision (e.g. sign up for your email list).
Also, the subscription box on Backlinko's homepage does not not a lead-generating tool. The tips and tricks might be unique for Brian Dean, they are not provided in as a specific resource as a reward for signing up.
In contrast, this case study found on the bottom of the same page can be considered an effective lead-generator since the information is locked by an email address field. Users only have to take the desired action and sign up to be subscribers they are able to access the study.
Both buttons lead users to the same location that Brian's list of email addresses however it's the second one that rewards new subscribers to sign up with an event-based incentive.
As a rule of thumb one of the best ways to keep track of what is an lead magnet and the ones that are not is to employ the "if you want to, and then" formula.
If the user takes an action that is desired If the user takes the desired action, they will be awarded xyz in exchange.
If a user fails to take the desired action If the user does not take the desired action, they will not receive xyz in exchange.
But that's enough dictionary-diving. Beyond the above definition What is the process (and how and why) do lead magnets work?
The process behind lead magnets typically looks like this:
The steps can vary -Users may be able to start at the lead magnet's landing page However, the relation between reward and action is otherwise constant.
That brings us back to the 'why' behind lead magnets.
They provide your customers with the reason right then and then, to hand over their details and convert into leads immediately. (The really excellent lead magnets are, in fact. More on this in the next paragraph, as well.)
These lead magnets address the biggest problem in marketing faced by the majority of professionals around the world by creating leads as well as leads in one one swoop.
A different way of thinking about this is to think of it in terms of the differences between texting someone using a dating app and engaging them with funny jokes or inviting the similar person to dine with you when you're both already at the restaurant.
Do it right and you'll be able to have an email subscription in just a tiny less time than you'll need to implement your official content strategy. Do it wrong and the users will immediately flinch, just that is, and will not return.
This isn't a supposition It's true, in fact.
At least 70% the users that leave your site immediately after their first visit will never make their way back again.
So getting the lead magnet right isn't just about generating additional leads. It's about creating the most powerful first impression when people actually convert into leads.
The short answer: by using the appropriate touch points at the right time with the right people.
To find out the answer to this question for the long answer, continue reading.
The best lead magnets are targeted and address problems
Before diving into an endless hole of despair, trying to figure out when, where, and how you'll create an effective lead magnet that will entice people, be encouraged.
What well-performing lead magnets all share isn't the duration of the time to develop them, nor the budgets behind them or even the talent of the creator It's all in the way they are targeted.
Put simply it's that the more compatible and useful the content of your lead magnet to your target audience that you're trying to connect with, the more effective your lead magnet will perform for both your company and your customers.
Remember, your goal with every type of contentbe it a lead magnet, a blog post or webinar -- must not be to appeal to large majority of the population.
Instead, your golden rule should always be appealing to your particular market.
In the end, 71.7% of users who reported information as being irrelevant declared it to be to general.
In comparison, just 2.9% of the same people who surveyed said the information did not matter due to its sophisticated or specific.
So if you take nothing else away from this article today, let it be that:
Whatever product you choose to sell, lead magnets included, designed to please everybody may be admired by a small number of people, but forgotten by many.
With that soapbox gone, how do you ensure that your lead magnet is relevant to your target audience? In addition to nailing your research on customers down, it's helpful to analyze your audience's problems.
Pain points, if you've not heard the phrase before, refer specifically to problems your users are facing that are relevant to your company. They are not the solutions to those issues.
The comic created by Ceralytics nicely demonstrates the difference between pain points and solutions .
The problems could be
I need to compress my files with no risk of the quality being affected.
I need to create an appealing logo for my company.
I'm trying to cut back on my time between pitch and deliverable.
They would not, however they would not constitute:
I need to save files with .PNG format.
I need a color palette to help my client.
I need an automated workflow.
Why? because the first half is issues that aren't solved yet. solutions. While the second half is the (possible) solution to these problems.
However, while pain points are a helpful method to focus the attention of your lead magnet not all pain points make good content.
There's an array of pain points that customers encounter throughout their day. If they're not something users are passionate about solving --- i.e. looking for solutions to -- then even if they're important the lead magnet you've chosen won't make the waves you're hoping to achieve.
An effective lead magnet has to be both passion-fueled and profitable.
It's not a bad idea to consider if the issue is a area that people would love to resolve -it's a pain point that people are passionate about addressing - i.e. there's a chance to see Reddit threads in need of assistance and a market for similar premium items -- it will fit in the upper right corner and will produce an audience-relevant and relevant lead attraction.
If, on the other hand the issue is one which users aren't yet eager to solve or willing to be willing to pay for it to disappear, then the issue would fall into the left side of the matrix, and shouldn't be your next lead magnet.
As an example, this is the way I would sort out my readers' problems within the realm of content strategy:
Otherwise, this is what is at stake:
Lead magnets that are successful have relevance to the intended audience and address specific issues.
(Coincidence? It's probably (Probably not.)
Therefore, if you want to take things easy you can try opening our downloader in a brand new tab and following along. Whatever way you decide to create your lead magnet, apply these tips and tricks to make it shine above the rest.
3 easy lead magnets to create and how to get them to stand out
We'll be focusing on three different formats todaythe three formats we consider our top choices for lead magnets and those that have been most successful for us. But If you're looking to explore different forms, Blogging Wizard has an exhaustive guide on lead magnets which I highly recommend.
Otherwise, these are the kinds of formats we'll tackling for the rest of the article:
Sound good? Now, with no further delay Let's get started.
#1. Make your checklists visually appealing to make a lasting impression
Checklists are, hopefully, fairly self-explanatory and include anything that users can interact with through the process of completing items either on a computer or by using pen. They're generally less visually-intensive as other types of kinds of.
Note, however, that I'm saying less visually-intensive, but not totally visual-free. On the whole, marketers working within content marketing prefer content that incorporates visual appeal This is the case with checklists.
Why? There are a few reasons that checklists should contain visuals. However, the most notable is the effect it has on brand awareness. After three days of exposure, users could retain about 65percent of what they see in conjunction with a photo.
Or, put in some more pragmatic terms, including images to your checklists make them more memorable and distinct that helps keep your company top of mind whenever users use your checklist to work.
However, you don't need to be a master of visual design to be able to create an impact with the checklist. Even just small visual touches are a great way to make a difference.
For instance, take the time to look over this (abbreviated) blog writing checklist created by CoSchedule.
If you look at it objectively, it's not a particularly sophisticated graphic yet it incorporates icons, colors and visual hierarchy to help the contents such as the 21-item list -- stand out compared to competitors and increase the perceived worth of the product.
You see a similar approach in this Content Checklist for Editors from Vertical Measures.
Does the content in this checklist useful and relevant to readers? Absolutely. However, would anyone remember it came from Vertical Measures or look them up as a trusted source of blog post content if it did not have branded colors or the logo?
Possibly, but not likely, and not easily.
Simple, no matter the type of marketing that you're doing, is always the goal.
Bottom line:
Checklists must incorporate color and the logo of your company for them to be memorable and improve their overall appeal. The main content may be the copy, but even an excellent steak can benefit by a properly-positioned accessory.
#2. Make sure that your lists are wide margins and line spacing
Sequential lists, whether they're indented or numbered with bullets, are subject to similar needs to checklists but there's one thing they must have above all other things:
Blank empty space.
Sometimes referred to as white space, or negative space, allowing ample margins and spacing between items in your list improves readability , comprehension, and helps to clarify the connections between different objects.
The difference between a list with space and one that does not might seem insignificant, but the impact on user engagement -- and overall usability -- is anything but subtle.
Here's an illustration of what I'm talking about:
When the list is only four-items long as in the above example, the thin margins and the tight composition can be tolerated however, imagine the same spacing in an array of 20 items.
Better yet, check it out for yourself.
There is only one difference between these two lists is one 0.20 increment in line spacing. However, the capability to scan and sift through the content is a world of differences.
In the event that your numbering list will guide an individual through a procedure, it's not a difference you can afford to skip.
Actually, I mean "afford" to refer to it in the literal sense, by the way.
Increasing white space between items will boost conversion rates during the checkout process by as much as 33 percent , as it did for Xerox, while fostering an improved user experience as well as general engagement levels for users.
This increase in conversion rates and understanding has been demonstrated repeatedly by various research teams and there's no element in your digital presence (or products)which doesn't benefit from well-applied white space , including numbered lists.
The gist of it:
Numbered lists need an aesthetic balance between their components to ensure their value to users. If the reader must strain to look through the lead magnet, it's unlikely to deliver an enjoyable user experience and prove the importance of your company's brand.
It's an effective lead-generator that attracts traffic and then it loses them all in one breath. Ouch.
#3. Keep lead magnet ebooks to the size of 2,000 words or lesser
If the above header seems oddly specific for you, there's a reason for that: this advice only can be used when you're writing ebooks as a form of an lead magnet.
If you're creating an ebook that's formatted to be a lead magnet -- whether it's a case study, an essay, or even a chapter excerpt from a larger book -the goal is to keep the length to about 7 minutes reading time (or 2,000 characters).
The data comes from studies conducted by the blog platform Medium about the optimal length of long-form posts.
The vertical horizontal axis (the bar running from top to bottom) shows the amount of time users spent on the post; the horizontal axis (the bar that runs from right to left) indicates how long the article would take to read in a normal speed.
It is evident that viewers' interest is highest around the 7 minute mark and then begins to fall with the length of the article. While the information is relevant to content on blogs and not lead magnets in particular and the connections are easy to draw, and even more it is obvious:
People don't want to invest many hours looking for a source or even an excellent one.
And as a business you run, it's not beneficial to your customers to are able to spend all day on it regardless of whether your guide of 50,000 words will be the most comprehensive guide about how to crochet adorable sea creatures, it's just not easily digestible and your customers will not be able to read it in one sitting and then peruse your other products anytime soon.
In the end the pleasure of reading is at the all-time lows within the US .
Which likely coincides with the reality that Americans, more than any other group in the world, spend their weekends working.
This is what brings us to the central reason: most people do not have much time to spare.
The purpose of an prospector is to incentivize customers to sign up for your email list in order that you can encourage them to purchase, an ebook that takes them a week to work through (assuming they're able to get it that far) isn't doing your brand or leads any good.
Keep it brief and direct. Everyone wins.
How do the lead magnets get bigger and powerful
In essence, consider the lead magnets you use as multivitamins. They're not going to fix your problems with email marketing in a matter of hours, but they will help you and those who sign-up for your list -- the growth spurt you need to get where you want to get there faster.
In that same spirit of shortness, here's a brief summary of the topics we've discussed today:
Lead magnets are deals typically with the help of download resources, that give users an incentive to sign up for your email newsletter.
The top lead magnets are designed to their intended audiences. The more generic your lead magnet is, the more lukewarm the reception will be.
Lead magnets may be in different formats, but ones that are easiest to begin with is checklists, numbered checklists, or ebooks.
If you're creating your checklists, make sure that you add a few visual components. Without these, your company's image -- even if your list is impressive -it's not memorable.
The lists that are numbered benefit from images and also have visuals, but they require space between elements to make them usable. The fact that you're crowded doesn't make it more impressive but it does make it less understandable.
Lead magnets that are packaged in the form of ebooks must follow the same rules for long-form content -- make it concise and to the point. About 2,000 words or a seven-minute reading time is the ideal.
Perhaps you're interested in line spacing as well as character counting. I'm not going to judge.