Laurie has been working to build her business for about two months now, and things are going pretty well. She’s set up her website and priced her coaching packages, but she doesn’t seem to be drumming up much interest, which makes her a bit nervous and frustrated.

She hops online to visit some of her colleagues’ websites and notices that some of her fellow graduates have offers on their website for a free recipe or a free 5-day meal plan, but Laurie doesn’t offer anything like that.

She has worked hard on preparing great quality material for her clients, so why would she give any of it away for free? After all, she needs to run a business and can’t be giving away some of her signature material, right?!

Wrong!

These small, free items that Laurie’s colleagues are giving away are called lead magnets, and they can be an incredibly valuable tool when it comes to building your client base and creating interest in your business!

A good lead magnet is simple, actionable, and of course, unique to you and your business. It also needs to be 100% your own material!

Lead magnets (also known as freebies or opt-ins) help you establish trust with your audience and are a great way to show them that what you do actually works, set the foundation for a partnership, and share your message while giving you credibility.

They are also a great way to build your email list and build that know, like, and trust factor! Let’s explore how a lead magnet will help your business thrive and why you should be offering one!

WHAT SHOULD I USE AS MY LEAD MAGNET?

Your lead magnet could be a chapter from a book you wrote, a worksheet, a video, a podcast you recorded, a special report, a quiz, a recipe, or even something physical like a copy of your book or one of your products.

Keep it simple and repurpose what you already have!

Maybe you’re really well-known for your Paleo fudge, and that’s the recipe that will get your business out into the world. Put that on your website as a lead magnet! Maybe even create a collection of recipes to share with them. (See how easy it is to take one piece of content and spruce it up?)

It’s entirely up to you to decide what kind of lead magnet you want to use. The important part here is that you understand why lead magnets can be such a powerful tool for your business.

7 REASONS YOU SHOULD BE USING LEAD MAGNETS RIGHT NOW

Lead magnets help you do each of the following with your clients:

1. ESTABLISH TRUST

First of all, lead magnets help you establish trust with your audience. And as we all know, having your audiences trust is muy importanté! (There’s that know, like, and trust factor again!)

When they feel like they trust you, they feel like they can work with you, and eventually buy from you. Trust is invaluable when it comes to building a successful business.

Earning the trust of your audience is something money can never buy, and lead magnets are a simple way to get there!

2. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Lead magnets help you build a relationship with your audience before you even meet them. It’s a chance for them to see if they like your style, like what you have to say, and can picture themselves working with you.

You’d be surprised at how well people feel they know you simply by following your social media accounts and singing up for your opt-in!

3. GIVES THEM EARLY WINS

Lead magnets tend to be short, practical, and actionable!

If someone is looking to get quick results, you can help them achieve this by giving them some of your best tips and tricks via your lead magnet.

For example, if you coach individuals on weight loss, you can give them a five-day detox or a five-day smoothie cleanse that they can follow quickly and easily and when they see results, that’s an early win!

They’re going to want to come back and see more of what you have to offer because clearly, it works! By giving them your most valuable content up front, they will be lining up to work with you to see whatelse you have to offer!

4. MAKES THEM WANT TO GIVE BACK

When you give something of value to someone, they are going to want to pay it back. Think about when someone does something nice for you, don’t you want to do something nice for them? That’s what lead magnets do with your audience.

Often times, because of your wonderful freebie, clients will come back for more and start to move through your funnel, resulting in income and a new client for YOU!

5. SHARES YOUR MESSAGE

You have an important message that you want to share, and there’s a reason you do what you do!

You’re passionate about something in particular around health, and transformation, and nutrition, and these lead magnets can get that out into the world.

People will come to your website, they will opt-in for your free item, they’ll hear what you have to say, what you do, why you’re so passionate about it, and that will connect them to you. With minimal work, you now have a new, loyal client! (Not to mention that you’re making a difference in the life of so many with your message and lead magnet!)

6. LETS POTENTIAL CLIENTS TEST THE WATERS

Imagine walking into a bakery to buy the wedding cake of your dreams, but there isn’t one example of their work, only the price they want you to pay. Would you go ahead and order the cake or would you continue to shop around for another bakery?

If someone comes to your website and you don’t have any free information for them, like a lead magnet, all they see is how much you are asking them to pay for a service they know nothing about.

Your audience has no idea if you do what you say you can. But, if you give your audience a lead magnet, you’re giving them an example of your abilities, your expertise, and confidence in your skills.

Plus, it’s a great way to show them that it’s not only about getting them to sign up!

7. SETS VISITORS UP TO BUY YOUR OFFERINGS

People love to try before they buy, so give them something of value to try. Aren’t you so much likelier to buy a new product if you’re able to try it out and see the quality and value in it? This is what lead magnets are all about, and why it is so important to give them to potential clients!

IN CONCLUSION

If you want to learn more in-depth information about the different types of lead magnets, or how to use them effectively, check out the Business Building lessons of our CTNC course here at ITN!

What was the first lead magnet you used? Share with us in the comments below!