The small business guide to capturing leads

The leads you worked so hard to attract are now clicking around your website, thinking about whether or not they should become a client.

And then, many of them vanish without a trace. If those website visitors don’t turn into buyers, you may never know who they are, how to contact them, and what you could have done to follow up and earn their business.

That’s why it’s important not only to attract leads but also to capture them—ideally, by using a lead magnet.

A lead magnet is an offer compelling enough that a prospective client would provide their contact information in order to receive it. It could be a piece of valuable content (like a case study). Or it could be a free trial, a discount, an entry to a contest, or any other offer that your prospective clients would find valuable.

Lead magnets are a win-win for your business and your prospective clients. A lead magnet assists prospects with the problem that brought them to your business, whether it’s a tutorial video that helps them develop a skill, a quiz that helps them determine what to buy, or a sample of a product they want to experience before purchasing.

And in return, your business receives a prized possession: access to the email inbox.

Getting contact information allows you to start the conversation that can turn a stranger into a client and fan of your business. The real value of the lead magnet is in the follow-up, just as it is in networking. It’s great to meet people at an event, but the relationship can only continue if you get their business cards—and then actually call or email.

But if you emailed the lead magnet to each prospect individually and later followed up with them one-by-one, those tasks could start to consume your day. That’s why lead magnets are used most effectively and efficiently when paired with marketing automation software.

A tool like Keap, which combines marketing automation with customer relationship management (CRM), allows you to deliver and follow up on lead magnets without having to think about doing so. When someone completes a form on your website to request the lead magnet, the software automatically sends the asset via email—while also storing the information in the prospect’s CRM contact record for future reference.

In the following days, the software can then send automated emails in which “you” ask the prospect for her thoughts and questions. Meanwhile, the software tracks her behavior, recording which emails she opened and links she clicked—allowing you to evaluate her interest and determine your next move.

Any small business can use a lead magnet to capture leads, especially with the added help of automation. In this guide, we’ll explore how to choose a lead magnet offer, share 20 ideas for lead magnets, and explain how automation can help you convert those new leads into clients.

Your lead magnet should do more than collect email addresses. It should also offer just as much benefit for the person downloading it, whether the lead magnet consists of content, a freebie, experience, or valuable information. Here are 20 ideas for lead magnets to use in your business.

Content

1. Ebook or guide

   

   Create a guide or ebook that will help people understand a specific topic related to a problem your business can solve. Content helps illustrate your business' expertise while providing the information people need to make an educated purchase. Create it as a PDF to ensure readers can’t make accidental changes and that the design and fonts remain consistent across devices.

   How to create it:

   Use a tool like Canva to design an ebook with free photos and graphics. (If it doesn’t need to look pretty, simply convert a Microsoft Word document into a PDF.)

   For help with writing, consider hiring a freelancer from services like Upwork or Freelancer.com.

2. Checklist

   Starting a new endeavor—like working with your business—might involve a to-do list for prospective clients. Help with the homework by creating a downloadable checklist that educates them on the tasks ahead. A completed checklist can help in your sales process, too. For example, a financial planner could offer a checklist that outlines documents to prepare and goals to identify before the initial consultation.

3. Cheat sheet

   Got a list of tips worth saving for future reference? Compile them into a cheat sheet that can serve as a preview of your services or the downloadable companion to another content piece. For example, a nutrition specialist could offer a cheat sheet about calorie counts, meal timing, and healthy snack ideas that prospective clients could save and reference on a regular basis.

   

4. Case study

   No matter how compelling your website and marketing materials are, some people will always wonder, “But how would you help someone like me?” Show them through a case study on one or some of your clients. Describe in detail how the client solved a problem by working with your business, including any pertinent statistics that illustrate her success. Create a PDF or video requiring an email address to download, then follow up to ask for questions and feedback.

5. White paper

   You’re an expert in your field. Prove it by creating a downloadable white paper, an in-depth report on an issue facing your industry. Isn’t that an ebook, you ask? A white paper is more detailed and research-oriented—the marketing equivalent of an academic paper. Use this lead magnet if your goal is presenting yourself as a subject-matter expert while helping prospective clients understand a complex topic.

   

6. Quiz

   A good quiz is irresistible. When asked engaging, thought-provoking questions, people can’t help but click until they reach their results. That’s why a quiz is also an effective lead magnet. With a hosted quiz, participants must enter an email address to see the outcome. Not only are quizzes fun, they can also be educational for you and prospecitve clients when they help both parties learn whether your business is the right fit. The answers from quizzes can assist your sales people by providing valuable qualifying information without having to ask.

   How to create it:

   Use a platform like like LeadQuizzes or Qzzr to create a custom quiz that also captures email addresses.

7. Video

   If your product or service could benefit from visual learning, shoot a video showing your top tips, a tutorial, or a demonstration of what you do. Videos also introduce people to you and your staff, helping you build a relationship as you encourage them to become clients. To make a video into a lead magnet, use a hosting platform that captures email addresses, or send prospective clients a link to the video after they request it.

   How to create it:

   Use a tool like Animoto to turn photos and video clips into professional-looking videos. By uploading them to a video hosting platform like Wistia, you can control where your videos are watched and capture email addresses from viewers.

8. Webinar

   If only you could give a real-time presentation to clients outside your local area or even on the other side of the world. With a webinar, you can. Webinars are an effective way to share a tutorial, presentation, or interview with an expert—valuable content worth trading for an email address. After learning about you and your business through a webinar, people may be more ready and inclined to buy—especially when you send follow-up content.

   To learn webinar basics, read our blog, "How to Host a Successful Webinar".

   How to create it:

   Use a platform like join.me or GoToWebinar host a webinar with audio and screen-sharing.

9. Course/content series

   If the information you want to share in your lead magnet would require thousands of words or hours of video, consider organizing the content into a course or series that’s easier and less overwhelming for people to consume. Using automation software, you can automatically email content in installments over the course of days or weeks. Each installment can cover a different topic or become increasingly advanced.

   Free Stuff

10. Discount

    

    It’s the bribe that works on practically everyone: an email address in exchange for a promo code. But beware: Some consumers might immediately cash in on the discount—only to unsubscribe from the very email in which it arrived, never to be heard from again. In that email containing the discount, be sure to explain what your future emails will entail (like exclusive offers or helpful tips) so that clients understand the value of staying on your list.

    How to create it:

    Using an ecommerce platform like Keap, create a promo code for a discount that can be applied to a specific product or to any product.

11. Free sample

    Think of the ice cream shop employee standing on the sidewalk with a tray of free samples. Some people will grab one and continue down the street, but others will be drawn inside for more. Free samples can turn into sales, especially when you collect clients’ email addresses and follow up with an enticing offer when you know the sample is spent.

    

12. Contest entry

    If you can’t afford to give a discount or freebie to everyone, give it to one lucky winner. Host a giveaway, entering those who provide an email address. You make the rules, so you might as well ask for more, like a social media follow or demographic information that informs your future marketing efforts. While some entrants will bail once they don’t win, others will decide the giveaway offer is one worth paying for.

    How to create it:

    If you don’t want to draw a winner manually, a tool like Rafflecopter or Woobox can host your contest, collecting entries through social media actions in addition to entry forms.

    Experience

13. Free consultation

    

    For service-based businesses, the relationship with a new client might begin with a little free advice. An accountant might offer a free consultation, a personal trainer can provide a free one-on-one session, and a digital marketing firm could perform a free website audit. In each case, the prospective client learns something from the business—but she’ll have to become a paying client in order to make lasting improvements.

14. Free event

    

    Some products and services are best sold in person. Invite potential clients to sign up for a free event, like a class, seminar, or open house. If your business doesn’t naturally lend itself to related events, host a social outing like a happy hour or dinner where you can start getting to know your prospective clients.

15. Free trial

    The best way to experience something new is simply to try it. Give prospective clients a shot, whether you’re a gym offering a free class or a subscription service offering the first month free. Consider following up at the end of the trial with a time-sensitive offer that encourages them to commit to more.

    

16. Demo

    If people need to see a demonstration to understand the potential of your products or services, ask for an email address before you show them how it’s done in a screen-sharing call, video, or interactive experience.

    Information

17. Gated information

    You likely have information all clients need to see before they buy, like pricing or a schedule. Rather than display it on your website for all to see, consider “gating” it so website visitors must enter an email address to access the information. This move might discourage casual browsers from becoming buyers—but if you’re looking to weed out unqualified prospects, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

    

18. Work samples

    In some businesses, prospective clients will want to check out your previous work before deciding whether to become a client. Create a collection of your best stuff—whether it involves photos, presentations, or content—combined with testimonials from former clients, and make it available for downloading in exchange for an email address.

19. Printed materials

    Got a book, brochure, catalog, or other printed item best experienced offline? Ask for email addresses in addition to mailing addresses, then follow up via email to see what thoughts and questions your prospective clients have after receiving the materials.

Attracting leads to your website is great; capturing their information is even better. But most people who visit your website won’t give you their email addresses just because you want them. People are more willing to share their contact information if they receive something in return, like a piece of content, a discount, or an experience.

These lead magnets serve as the bridge between attracting leads and converting them into customers. A lead magnet allows you to further introduce yourself to your prospective clients and follow up with the kind of information, questions, and offers that encourage them to buy.