Create a Lead Magnet in One Day

Did you ever wish you could get ALL your marketing done in ONE day?

Me too, but that’s not how marketing works! 

(Sorry, friends – you know I’ll always give it to you straight.)

Even though you can’t get all your marketing done in a day, you CAN create the top piece of your marketing funnel in one day. My challenge to you is to start today. When you’ve finished reading this blog, you’ll have 5 actionable steps for creating a lead magnet (i.e, the top piece in your marketing funnel). You can complete these 5 steps in less than 5 hours.

That’s right – 5 steps in 5 hours (or less) to open the floodgates of success. 🌊 

Think I’m exaggerating? Well friend, just keep reading and let me know. If you get stuck, I’m just an *email* away. Otherwise, let’s keep this marketing train rolling with all the deets about how to market with a lead magnet. 

But first, what’s a marketing funnel and why should you care?

What is a Marketing Funnel?

The concept of a marketing funnel (also called a sales funnel) is a lot like the concept of a real funnel. Wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, funnels help to direct or channel potential patients from point A to point B.

At point A in the marketing funnel, they become aware of your product or business. At point B, potential clients become loyal customers. There are many different types of marketing funnels, but the bottom line is this: marketing funnels convert prospects into patients.

Sounds great, right? So how do you do it?  

You start by having a great “lead magnet!”  

What is a Lead Magnet?

Potential clients (or patients) are often referred to as leads. When you know that every lead = a potential prospect, the concept of a lead magnet becomes pretty intuitive. In simple terms, a lead magnet is something designed to attract the types of customers you want to serve. Specifically, it’s a free resource you offer in exchange for their name and email address.  

Now, stick with me, because I know you want to schedule more patients, not collect email addresses.  

But remember, this is a funnel. We’re moving them from point A to point B over time. A marketing funnel is the first step of a tried-and-true method for attracting your perfect patients and growing your business. 

New business owners often think paid ads are the key to bringing in new business, but this isn’t exactly true. Businesses can make quick revenue with paid ads, but studies show creating funnels & nurturing relationships with potential clients over time yields better results at a fraction of the cost. And email is one of – if not THE – most powerful & profitable marketing tools you can use to grow your business.  

In case you don’t believe me, check out these fast facts about email marketing.  

Ten Facts About Email Marketing

1. 99% of people check their email inbox every day 
2. 98% of people open autoresponder emails 
3. More than 80% of people open welcome emails² 
4. Nearly 60% of people say emails have influenced their purchasing decisions
5. 50% of people make monthly purchases from emails³ 
6. Most consumers prefer email to other forms of marketing 
7. Email marketing has an average ROI (return on investment) of 3600% – that means you get $36 back for every $1 you invest 
8. If you perform A/B email testing, you can increase your ROI up to 28%⁵ 
9. Segmenting your email campaigns can increase your revenue by as much as 760% 
10. 80% of professional marketers would rather give up social media than email marketing 

Okay, now that we’ve established that you do, in fact, want those email addresses, let’s get back to the business of getting business! 😂

How to Create a Lead Magnet

Friends, grab a pen & paper or open up a new digital page. We’re going to create an outline for your lead magnet, and I’m going to walk you through the whole darn thing. 

Step 1: Identify Your Ideal Client

The premise behind a lead magnet is that you offer your potential client something they really want or need in exchange for their email address. If you don’t know who your ideal client is, you can’t identify their needs and wants so you’ll be able to entice them.

So take a moment to get really clear on the client population you want to serve. This is key to creating an effective lead magnet. And if you haven’t already, check out my previous post on the importance of choosing a niche. 

Even if your business serves multiple customer personas, your lead magnet should only target ONE of them. This is KEY! 🔑 

When you’ve identified your ideal patient, see if you can narrow your focus even more. If, for example, you’ve identified women as your target population, keep going. Do you want to serve women with fertility issues, thyroid issues, menopausal issues, or something else?  

Got it? Great! Let’s keep moving.

Step 2: Identify 5 Problems Your Ideal Client Has

Take a few minutes and brainstorm 5 problems your ideal patient might be facing. Your lead magnet is going to help them solve one of these problems.

Pro Tip: Think about “mini-problems” & “easy wins” – things you can help them achieve quickly (e.g. without your 1:1 support). 

Step 3: Decide on a Lead Magnet Topic and Format

Now that you’ve identified your ideal client and some problems they might be facing, pick one problem from your list. This isn’t necessarily a problem you have to help them within the context of a clinician-patient relationship – although it can be. It can also be something much simpler.  

Let’s say you’ve chosen to market your lead magnet to expectant mothers. Your lead magnet could be a checklist or “ultimate guide” to packing a hospital “go” bag. Orrrr, it could be access to a free mini-class that you pre-record, teaching them helpful stretches to relieve pregnancy-related back pain & other common symptoms.

The possibilities are endless, but remember… you want your lead magnet to offer something that is (1) easy to consume, (2) highly valuable & (3) actionable. 

The underlying idea here is to give potential clients a sneak peek at what sets you apart as a clinician or business owner. Once people see the value of your free offer, they’ll be curious about the information you’re keeping a secret behind the paywall. 👏   

Here are ten ways you can provide a compelling lead magnet:

1. Live webinar
2. Pre-recorded class
3. Mini-training
4. Product giveaway
5. Resource list
6. Meal plan
7. Supplement guide
8. Fun quiz 
9. Cheat sheet
10. Health challenge (something like a 5-day challenge delivered by email is a great way to get prospective clients in the habit of looking forward to and reading your emails)

And remember, these should be free! 

Step 4: Decide How To Promote Your Lead Magnet

OK, now that you’ve created a lead magnet, it’s time to make sure people see it! Here are a few ways to promote your lead magnet:

Ten Places to Promote Your Lead Magnet

1. On your website – as a popup, banner, sidebar, etc.
2. On your podcast – mention it during the show & link in the show notes
3. On your blog – sidebar, at the end of the post, etc.
4. On Instagram – in posts, stories, ads, and in your bio
5. On Facebook – in posts, ads, and in your banner image 
6. On LinkedIn – in posts, your banner image & your profile 
7. On Twitter – in tweets and in your bio
8. On YouTube – mention it in your videos and link to it below 
9. In real life – at events, interviews, and day-to-day conversation
10. And don’t forget to ask people to share your offer with others!

Step 5: Knuckle Down!

Because I know you took my advice earlier and grabbed that pen and paper, you’re halfway done. Now all you have to do is knuckle down. Set aside some time to create your lead magnet – no more than 5 hours. Hide your phone, close the chat windows & enter into ghost mode 👻. 

You have 5 hours – ready, set, go!

Once you’ve created your lead magnet, set it aside for a few days. When you revisit it, allow yourself ONE revision – no more. Your clients aren’t looking for perfection – they’re looking for someone who understands them and has valuable information to share.

And that’s how you create a lead magnet! CONGRATS! 🎉

For more lead magnet ideas, check out my recent podcast on the same topic. 

And friends, if you can’t quite figure out your niche or you’re not sure what your perfect lead magnet might be, send me an email. I’d love to hear from you!

Questions About Lead Magnets & Other Support? 

Ever wish you had someone cheering you on from the sidelines?  

How about a friend and business coach in your inbox? 

Every week I share free business advice with my subscribers, & I’d love to add your name to my list! 

No spam, I promise — just simple, actionable advice with a generous side of support! 💌

I’ve helped hundreds of practitioners build businesses they love & earn incomes they deserve — & I can help you, too!

RESOURCES:

1. https://optinmonster.com/is-email-marketing-dead-heres-what-the-statistics-show/
2. https://www.getresponse.com/resources/reports/email-marketing-benchmarks#location-industry
3. https://www.salecycle.com/blog/stats/18-essential-email-marketing-statistics/
4. https://bluecoreweb.wpengine.com/resources/millennials-engage-brands-report-2016/
5. https://www.litmus.com/resources/email-marketing-roi/
6. https://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marketing/using-list-segmentation/#:~:text=Data%20from%20the%20DMA%20indicates,of%20their%20email%20marketing%20strategy.
7. https://www.litmus.com/resources/2020-state-of-email-report-fall-edition/