Building an audience for your online course or coaching business can be challenging. Actually, building an audience for any product or service can seem like a daunting, almost impossible task. But there is a powerful tool you can use to help – a lead magnet!
Sometimes called a freebie, a lead magnet is a valuable piece of information related to your course (or product or service offering) that you offer in exchange for someone’s email address.
It’s a win-win situation – your ideal client gets something they want, and you get a way to connect with them and build your email list.
Now, here’s the thing: your lead magnet is often the first introduction your ideal client has to you and your offering.
So, it’s essential that you make it good!
You want to create something that makes them think, “Wow, if the free stuff is this good, I can’t imagine how amazing the paid stuff will be!”
This is the first stage of their journey with you, and it’s crucial to make a great first impression.
A great lead magnet will captivate your perspective buyer audience. It’ll grab hold of your visitor and prepare him or her for the next stage in your customer journey.
Your lead magnet must be so potent, so powerful, and so profoundly put together that it will speak to a cold audience that you’re targeting, people who are looking for a solution to a problem and may not even know what they need.
They may have stumbled upon your landing page and something has connected with them, prompting them to take a closer look at what you’re offering.
You have a solution to their unique problem. You understand them and can help!
Before you create your lead magnet, it’s important to be crystal clear on your ideal customer. This way, you can create something that speaks directly to them and their needs.
If you’re not clear on your audience, you risk attracting the wrong people to your email list.
And while it may look like your list is growing, it will likely be full of people who aren’t interested in buying from you. And that can tank your open rates and cost you money.
But if you do it right, your lead magnet can be a powerful tool to grab your audience’s attention and explode your growth.
Not Just Any Audience Will Do
Sure, having an audience is crucial for growth and success.
However, not just any audience will do.
It’s a common myth that you need a large audience to sell your course or coaching, but the truth is that having a large audience of the wrong people will only waste time and money.
You must attract the right audience.
By focusing on the people who you want to serve and whose problems you solve, you’ll be more likely to make sales.
In fact, research shows that targeted marketing can result in a 50% higher conversion rate compared to untargeted marketing.
What Exactly Is A Lead Magnet?
A lead magnet is a free resource that you offer in exchange for someone’s contact information, such as their email address.
It can be anything from an ebook, action guide or checklist, all the way to a free video course or even a free consultation call.
The key is to make sure that it’s aligned with your course or coaching offer and provides value to your audience.
By creating a lead magnet that speaks directly to your ideal audience, you’ll be more likely to attract people who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.
And when the time comes to sell your course or coaching, these people will be much more likely to become customers.
Your Natural Entry Point Can Help You Craft A Powerful Lead Magnet
Let’s talk about the natural entry point for your online course or coaching business. It’s where your problem and solution meet.
This is the point where your ideal client realizes they have a problem and that your course or coaching can help them solve it.
And the first step they need to take to get there is often the hardest.
That’s where your course comes in.
Your course is designed to solve a specific problem, to provide a solution that your ideal client is looking for.
And the first step toward that solution is crucial. It’s the step that can make or break your client’s success in your course.
So, what is the overall problem that your course solves?
This is the critical question to answer before you create any course or coaching program.
You need to be crystal clear on the problem you’re solving and who you’re solving it for.
Your ideal client needs to feel like you understand their problem intimately, that you’ve been in their shoes, and that you have the expertise to help them overcome it.
And once you’ve nailed down the problem, what solution does your course provide?
What’s the step-by-step process that you’ll guide your clients through to get them to their desired outcome?
Your solution needs to be clear and actionable, something your ideal client can follow and implement.
Remember, the natural entry point for your course or coaching is where the problem and solution meet. It’s where your ideal client realizes they need help and that you have the solution.
And the first step they take toward that solution is critical. Make it easy for them to take that step, and you’ll be well on your way to helping them achieve their goals.
But what does this have to do with my lead magnet?
Understanding the natural entry point for your course or coaching business is key to creating a valuable and converting lead magnet.
When you know where your problem and solution meet, you can create a lead magnet that speaks directly to your ideal client’s pain points and offers them a solution.
Your lead magnet should be designed to attract your ideal client and provide them with a taste of what’s to come. It should be valuable enough to make them want more, but not so comprehensive that it gives away everything.
Your lead magnet should be the perfect introduction to your course or coaching program, the first step in their journey with you.
By focusing on the natural entry point for your course, you can create a lead magnet that provides a solution to the problem your ideal client is facing.
You can offer them a taste of your expertise and show them that you understand their pain points. And by doing so, you’ll be building trust and credibility with your potential clients.
But creating a valuable and converting lead magnet isn’t just about attracting the right people to your list. It’s also about increasing your sales.
A lead magnet that speaks directly to your ideal client’s pain points and offers them a solution is more likely to convert into sales down the line.
By providing a taste of what’s to come, you’re giving your potential clients a reason to invest in your course or coaching program.
In short, understanding and knowing the natural entry point for your course is critical to creating a valuable and converting lead magnet.
By offering a solution to your ideal client’s problem and providing them with a taste of your expertise, you’re building trust and credibility with your potential clients, and increasing the chances that they’ll invest in your course or coaching program.
Your lead magnet should...
- Solve a specific problem: Your lead magnet should offer a solution to a specific problem your ideal client is facing. It should be focused and targeted, rather than broad and generic.
- Demonstrate your expertise: Your lead magnet should showcase your expertise and knowledge in your field. This can help build trust and credibility with your potential clients.
- Provide a unique perspective: Your lead magnet should offer a unique perspective or approach to solving the problem at hand. This can differentiate you from competitors and make your offer more compelling.
- Align with your course content: Your lead magnet should align with the content and messaging of your course or coaching program. This can help ensure that the people who opt-in to your list are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.
- Be easily shareable: Your lead magnet should be easy to share with others. This can help increase the reach of your offer and attract new potential clients to your list.
- Leave them wanting more: Your lead magnet should provide a quick win or solution to a specific problem, but also leave your potential clients wanting more. This can increase the likelihood that they’ll invest in your course or coaching program to continue their journey with you.
Remember, your lead magnet is the first step in your potential client’s journey with you.
By creating a valuable and compelling lead magnet, you can attract the right people to your list and increase the chances that they’ll invest in your course or coaching program down the line.
Things to ask as you brainstorm your lead magnet:
- Common questions you get around your topic.
- Pain points and desires of your ideal client.
- What could give them a quick win as part of a first step that leads to your paid offer and proves your expertise.
- What part of your message do they need to understand or believe about you or your offer.
Quick Topic Checkup Checklist
- Will it give them a quick win?
- Does it make them want more from you?
- Is it specific?
- Is it timeless?
- Is it helpful?
- Is it convenient for the recipient and for you to create?
- Is it closely related to your course topic?
Selecting Your Lead Magnet Format
Once you have your topic for your lead magnet, the next step is to determine the best way to package it.
Choosing the right type of lead magnet is crucial, as it needs to resonate with your audience and the content you are teaching.
For instance, if your course is about creating YouTube videos, then it’s most likely that a video-based lead magnet would be more appropriate. On the other hand, if your topic is more theoretical in nature, a written guide or ebook might work better.
While PDFs and ebooks are still highly effective, it’s recommended to add some flair to the title to make it more compelling to your audience.
Try calling it a guide, blueprint, toolkit, playbook, workbook, or strategy instead of just a PDF. This will make your lead magnet more appealing to your audience and increase the likelihood of conversions.
It’s important to note that while you may prefer a specific type of lead magnet, ultimately, it’s the needs and preferences of your audience that should guide your decision.
By understanding your audience and what they want, you can create a lead magnet that resonates with them and provides them with the value they are looking for.
Click here to learn more about lead magnet formats, including a complete breakdown of the most popular types and why.
