It doesn’t matter if you sell real estate, offer cleaning services, make homemade jellies, or write books for a living – if you have a business, you need email subscribers and the best way to grow that email list is to offer an effective lead magnet.
Lead magnets are downloadable and/or printable gifts given in exchange for a person’s contact information. A potential customer visits your website, a little pop-up box offers them the opportunity to download a free ebook, template, newsletter, etc, they enter their email address and BAM! They are now on your email list.
What Makes a Lead Magnet Effective?
Think about what it would take for you to offer up your own personal email address. Sifting through junk mail and unsubscribing from companies who spam us definitely takes up too much of our time, so you want to be sure to offer your subscribers quality content that:
- Solves a problem
- Establishes you and your company as subject matter experts
- Offers immediate access to the promised gift
- Delivers high value content
If you can meet your customers’ needs, demonstrate your expertise, deliver on your promises promptly, and wow them with quality products and information, your web visitors will be well on their way to becoming lifelong customers. And it all starts with a simple lead magnet.
‘Tis the Season
The holiday season is the perfect time to stand out from your competitors by adding a personal touch to your business interactions. Here are a few ideas for adding a little holiday flare to some of the most effective lead magnet ideas in the world of marketing.
- New Year Calendar
This is the perfect time to offer a calendar of ideas for the new year. Are you a mom blogger? Offer a calendar of weekly date night ideas for staying connected to your spouse in the new year. Do you sell real estate? Create a calendar of upcoming events in your community. Do you run a non-profit? Provide a calendar of national days related to your cause, highlight upcoming events and service opportunities, and suggest ways families can support your cause throughout the year. The sky is the limit!
Calendars are also a great way to offer daily/weekly journal prompts, meal ideas, social media prompts, self-care ideas, educational activities, and more.
- Holiday Checklist
There are so many great possibilities here. Create a checklist for last minute Christmas gift ideas, people (beyond friends/family) to buy gifts for, cookie supplies, Christmas movies to watch, a family Christmas bucket list, etc…
You can also think of ways to incorporate your business in that checklist to establish yourself as an expert. If you work in the automotive industry, maybe you’ll want to offer a checklist for winterizing your car before travelling this holiday season. If you are a photographer, you can provide a list of do’s and don’ts for capturing the most magical holiday photos.
Checklists are the most popular and most effective lead magnets because they are quick for marketers to create and simple for consumers to use. Plus, they are easy to change up when seasons, products, and trends change throughout the year.
- Recipes
This isn’t just for the food bloggers out there! Everyone loves a good tried-and-true holiday recipe. Help your clientele feel like part of the family by offering a roundup of your employees’ favorite family recipes. Be sure to include the famous catchphrases “From our Family to Yours” or “From Our Kitchen to Yours”. The holidays really do bring people together and feeling like part of the family converts viewers/followers to loyal customers.
- Video Tutorial
Create a video tutorial showing how to do that exercise, bake those cookies, utilize that template, or download that software. Bonus points if you’re wearing a Santa hat, playing Jingle Bells in the background, or eating a candy cane throughout the video.
Your business and your brand are important, so give your clients a face to associate with that company they’ve come to know and trust. The holidays are the perfect time to make things personal and welcome your followers into your world.
- Give “One Free…”
Everyone loves to get something for free, especially at Christmas. So, give away your greatest holiday gifts such as the first chapter of your book, a free coaching session, a free consultation, or a free sample of something you sell. Give them a little taste for free and they’ll be coming back for more as a paying customer.