Lead magnets come in many different shapes and forms, from competitions through to freebies, webinars and seminars. In this blog, I thought I’d get into the nitty gritty of how you create a free download lead magnet – they’re one of the most popular types of lead magnet.
Before I begin, if you’re unsure what lead magnets are, take a read of my blog here first, then head back here and get started with your free download lead magnet.
What’s a free download lead magnet?
In its simplest form, a free download lead magnet will direct people to a web page called a landing page. They complete their details, and in return they receive a downloadable document. It’s a way for you to capture your audience’s email addresses so that you can regularly contact them again in the future. And what’s more, they’re an opportunity for you to demonstrate your expertise, building your audience’s knowledge of your business and allowing them to trust you.
How should I get started?
Start with thinking about what you’d like to achieve with your lead magnet. Yes, you want to get more people onto your email marketing database, but what sort of people? Are they just starting to discover who you are and what you do? Do they know your business well and you’d like to re-engage with them? Are they likely to be making a purchase decision soon or do they need some time to get to know more about what you offer?
Answering these questions will mean that when you start to look at ideas for your lead magnet, you’ll have an idea of what to include.
Brainstorm time
What is the subject of your free download going to be? I love this part. I grab some pens and paper and start coming up with ideas of what I’d like to include, what the lead magnet could look like, how useful people will find it. I come up with some wacky ideas just to make it a little more fun…because you never know, that could be a good idea!
Another way to come up with ideas is to see what others have done and research ideas. When you come to refine your ideas and pick one for your lead magnet, ask yourself:
‘will this help me achieve what I am setting out to do?’ and
‘will it appeal to the people I am trying to reach?’
If the answer to both of these questions is ‘Yes’, then you’re on to a winner!
Get creating
Now is your opportunity to get writing the content for your lead magnet. If you’re using tips, keep them short and sweet and easy to read. If it’s a guide, map out what you’re planning to include. When it comes to creating the download, how can you make it fit with your brand? Can you use software such as Canva to create it, or if you have budget, can you engage the services of a graphic designer who can help you bring your free download to life?
Your lead magnet has been created…what’s next?
You might need some technical help at this point, as it’s time to create your landing page. This is a web page, usually hosted by your email marketing software. This is where you’ll point people to in order to get access to your download. Here is an example of one of mine:
Which social media tool is best for your business?
Here I’ve described what the contact is going to get in return for their email address. I’ve hosted this on Mailchimp as that’s the software that I use for my email marketing. Most email marketing tools offer this as an option.
How do they get the free download then?
When you set up the landing page, the software will give you an option for you to decide what happens once an email address has been completed. You can repoint the contact to a web page (which hosts your download). You may need to ask your web developer or manager to create this page for you. You can also send the contact an email with a link on for them to access the download.
Don’t forget automation
Now they’ve signed up to your email marketing list, don’t forget to set an automation welcome series, so that they know what to expect from you and your emails.
Ready to get started with your free download lead magnet?
I’ve broken down the steps here to creating a download lead magnet. I hope you’ve found them useful.
If you’d like more information about email marketing, take a read of my blog here.
If you’d like more tips like this in your inbox, you can subscribe to my newsletter.
Let me know how you get on with your lead magnets!
Gill
