Not all lead magnets are created equal (and some won’t grow your list)

Here’s the honest to God truth. If you create crapola and you put it out as a lead magnet, nobody is going to opt-in.  Seriously!

Here’s the thing.  Most consumers (unless they live under a rock and haven’t discovered the internet) have become weary of handing out their email addresses to just anyone.  They have been burned in the past (read spammed to heck and back) and they are going to be darn sure that they can control what’s coming in and what’s going out of their inbox.

Which means, you’ve got to deliver the goods and earn your right to show up in their inbox.

In this week’s ACC-TV episode, I teach you the 3 best lead magnets for course creators.  These aren’t just some willy nilly lead magnets I dreamed up.  These are lead generators that I and my clients have used to not only grow their email list but also sell their courses and launch new products.

There are roughly 50 different lead magnets options (at last check) but only five general categories.

In this video, I give up the best advice in choosing the one that will work for you as well as a bonus tip (so be sure to stay tuned until the end.)

1. Know your audience first.

I could jump in here and tell you to create a free download and that will solve all your problems.  But if your audience hates to read, doesn’t have a printer, or is on a tree saving mission – your free PDF download is going to fall flat.  Like your tire in that Alanis Morisette song.  Thinking about your audience before you spend hours, weeks, days or even months creating your masterpiece will not only save you time and frustration, but it will determine:

• How your content performs short and long term
• If your audience likes you enough to stick around and want to get to know you better
• If they take the next action in your sales funnel and actually buy your course.

I CANNOT stress enough how important it is to dig into your audience and figure out what they want and then give it to them.  It sounds simple – but over 90% of businesses and marketers for that matter, don’t do this one thing.  If you do it, you will be miles ahead of the competition.

2. Know your limits.

Here’s the thing.  If you create a lead magnet that is a week-long video series and you hate making videos or are terrified of speaking in front of the camera – how do you think those videos are going to turn out?  The same goes for an ebook.  If you hate writing, how many hours do you think you will procrastinate the project or finally just give up?  Choose something you like to do.  Hey, there’s a concept.  This is YOUR business! Choosing a free download that you enjoy creating, makes it seem like less work and chances are pretty high that your audience will be aligned with your choice.  Because like attracts like.  If you hate doing something – don’t do it.  Choose a lead generator that you are passionate about, that you enjoy creating and your enthusiasm will shine through your work.

3. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Everyone wants you to believe that their lead magnet is the “best one” for your business. But how would they know?  They aren’t in your business.  They don’t know your audience. Frankly, they are taking a stab in the dark when giving you their “best” advice.  The highest converting lead magnet is going to depend 100% on your business and your audience.  Here are the top converting lead magnets overall:

1. Short-form video – this includes tutorials, quick clips and best perform around 10-15 minutes.  The conversion rate for this type of lead magnet is around 73%.
2. Long-form video – this includes longer training like walk-throughs, webinars, video training, and the like.  The conversion rate for this type of lead magnet is around 70%. Not too different from short term, but definitely ringing in at second place.
3. Free download – People love downloads if they are useful.  Coupons, checklists, guides, ebooks, templates – they STILL can’t get enough of them.  The conversion rate for this lead magnet is around 67%.

But, before you choose one of these 3 be sure to do your homework laid out in #1 & #2.  

Don’t miss the bonus which you can find in this video.

I want to hear from you!

What lead magnet has worked best for you as a course creator?  Connect with me over on LinkedIn and let’s talk it out.