There are many lead magnet examples, from tempting freebies and informational e-books to comprehensive courses and expert-hosted webinars. Varied as they may be, all of them are designed for one specific purpose: to woo passers-by into surrendering their contact information.
But did you know that your choice of lead magnet can make or break your chances of generating leads? The best lead magnets come in formats that resonate with your target audience, and our guide walks you through the best types, with pro tips on making the most of each.
1. Samples
Freebies offer instant gratification and an opportunity for potential customers to try out a product – and they might be the only nudge they need to convert into a buying customer.
Pro tip: If you’re looking to attract highly-qualified leads, offer samples with caution as they tend to attract low-converting freebie hunters who have no intention of making a purchase. Samples are more effective when the lead has already been qualified or when trying the product effectively sells it.
2. Coupons and discount codes
Coupons or discount codes help position your business in front of an audience hunting for a better deal, and they offer an excellent incentive to purchase. You may also consider offering discounts to first-time customers or other incentives such as free shipping or giveaways.
Pro tip: To increase your revenue, consider including a minimum purchase amount in your offer. For example, your leads must buy at least $50 worth of products to use the discount.
3. E-books, guides, or infographics
Over 70% of consumers purchase to solve a problem, which is why e-books, guides, and infographics make excellent lead magnets. Offering educational content that provides fast solutions to challenges mirrors the value of your product or service, helping push leads further down the funnel.
Pro-tip: Educational lead magnets are excellent in targeting people who are in the awareness and consideration phases of the buyers’ journey. Use your material to educate those with limited knowledge about how your product or service can offer solutions to their problems.
4. Quizzes
Quizzes become effective lead magnets when they solve an audience’s specific problem. For example, a company selling skincare can develop a quiz that leads customers to the right products based on their skin type. The suggestions can link to each product’s respective page to help boost sales.
Pro-tip: Keep your quiz and survey concise and easy to answer to increase your response rates. Consider adding an offer to make the quiz more attractive, such as a discount or a free e-book.
5. Templates
Templates are one of the best lead magnet examples because they help users save time and streamline their processes. They can come in an outline, or any type of starting point, allowing the user to simply fill in the blanks.
Pro-tip: Consider giving out an entire collection of templates for free to make your offer even more irresistible. For example, you can offer a suite of product packaging templates for designers or content creation templates for copywriters.
6. Webinars
In a webinar, you can engage your audience, offer valuable insights, and give live or pre-recorded presentations. Since webinars typically require a set date and time, customers who sign up are genuinely interested in your brand and are highly-qualified leads who are more likely to convert.
Pro-tip: Your webinar doesn’t have to be long and complex with multiple important guests. Try to think of a specific topic in your repertoire of blogs, get one expert on the field to discuss with, and host your live talk. Make sure to be more in-depth and add bonus information your audience wouldn’t have learned from just reading your blog.
7. Free Trials
Software companies often use free trials or demos to get users to try before they buy. They allow prospects to test your product and see its value before purchasing.
Pro-tip: Free trials often do not ask the user to purchase until the very end, but know that it’s fine to ask for a sale as soon as they realize the product’s value. For example, if you’re offering a time tracking and invoicing tool for freelancers, the first moment of value could be after the first invoice is sent. This is a great time to ask your users to make a purchase.
8. Case Studies
Case studies are real-life examples that show how your customers have benefited from using your product or service. These make terrific lead magnets as prospective customers want the blueprint of how you helped other people achieve their goals so they can apply it to their own businesses.
Pro-tip: Instead of making your product the hero of your case study lead magnet, focus on your customer. When you shift the focus to your customer’s pain points, you’ll avoid coming across as a hard sell, and your readers will be more engaged after identifying with the customer.
9. Checklists
Unsurprisingly, checklists attract leads because they improve productivity and help people stay on top of their tasks. Apart from being easy to apply, they also offer instant gratification. When brainstorming for checklist ideas, think of best practices, to-do lists, essential requirements, or steps of a complex process.
Pro-tip: Looking for a quick checklist to offer as lead magnets? Instructional blog posts provide excellent inspiration. Simplify them into a series of bullet points, filter out irrelevant advice, and present them in a printable format.
10. Gated Content
Viewers interested in gated content will have to complete a specific action before they can access it. The New York Times is an excellent example of this, where you get a few articles for free, but you have to pay to access more. This can also be turned into a lead magnet by requiring your visitors to surrender their email addresses to unlock the article’s entirety.
Pro-tip: Try locking a portion of your most visited blog posts as a starting point. Be aware, however, that this could negatively impact your SEO performance, so weigh the pros and cons carefully!
How to Choose the Best Lead Magnet
The best lead magnet for your business is one that aligns with your buyer personas. Discover how to brainstorm compelling lead magnets for your business. Once you’re armed with an idea, follow our ultimate step-by-step guide to creating lead magnets that attract customers.
Alternatively, you can trust us in setting up your eCommerce business. Take advantage of IcebergBuilder’s 14-day free trial and see how our powerful digital marketing and selling tools can give your e-commerce business a much-needed boost.
