Retailers. Lawyers. Sales teams. Musicians. We've helped over 14,000 small business owners of every type succeed with our all-in-one sales and marketing software.
Chances are, you know a lot of things that potential customers would like to learn about. Get that information out of your head and into a useful format on your website. This will help position you as an expert in your field and give you a powerful magnet to attract leads to your website.
A lead-generation magnet is anything valuable you can provide to your prospects in exchange for their contact information, which allows you to develop a relationship. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Lead Magnet #1: Free Reports, White Papers and E-Books
A free report is an excellent and easy way to share your expertise. Start by identifying a topic that you are knowledgeable about and is interesting to your target audience. Then write what you know. If you have the time and inclination, poll your customers and prospects about key topics and share your findings in the report. Once you’ve flexed your writing muscle creating your report, the next natural (but perhaps more Herculean effort) is to write an e-book. Certainly it’s no easy feat, but it’s well worth it.
Lead Magnet #2: Product Demonstrations
If you’re selling a product you can demo online, include a link to it on your website. A demo can be very compelling because it allows people to see how your product works instead of just reading about it.
Lead Magnet #3: Product Samples
If you sell something that can’t be easily depicted through a demo, you can still provide prospects with a taste of your product or service. For example, visitors to the Let’s Play Music website who are interested in becoming music teachers can request a sample lesson plan. This is a powerful magnet because music teachers are always looking for material to add to their curriculum. Think about how you can break off a little taste of your product or service and offer it as a sample.
Lead Magnet #4: Webinars
Webinars are an excellent way to establish thought leadership and attract new leads. Start by selecting a topic that is hot on people’s mind. Then assemble a presentation that is packed with valuable information, best practices and useful tips. If you don’t feel like you can pull it off yourself, interview a customer or industry expert. Don’t forget to make sure that your presentation looks professional. Afterward, post it to slideshare and your website.
Lead Magnet #5: Blog
Starting a blog is easy; keeping it updated with fresh content is much more difficult. Luckily, the benefits outweigh the costs. By blogging on a consistent basis, you provide incentives for your followers to become more engaged with you and your brand. If the idea of writing this much is daunting, check out these tips from a leading social media expert, Jay Baer: 11 Must-Dos for the Serious Blogger. Implement just some of them and you will be well on your way.
