What is Lead Magnet?

A lead magnet is something valuable you give away for free (usually in exchange for an email address)—like a template, guide, calculator, or checklist. The goal is to attract your ideal customers and build an email list you can nurture over time. Good lead magnets solve a specific problem quickly, bad ones are generic ebooks nobody reads.

When Should You Use This?

Use lead magnets when you need to build an email list, have a longer sales cycle (people won't buy immediately), or want to prove value before asking for money. They work best when you can create something quick-to-consume that demonstrates your expertise. Not necessary if you're doing direct B2B sales with warm intros.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• •Making it too broad—"Complete Guide to Marketing" vs "Cold Email Template for SaaS Founders"
• •Requiring too much effort—40-page PDF vs 1-page checklist
• •Not related to your product—free content should lead naturally to paid solution
• •Too salesy—provide pure value, not a disguised pitch
• •No follow-up—collecting emails without a nurture sequence wastes the lead

Real-World Examples

• •SaaS tool: Free calculator/assessment that shows their problem severity
• •Consulting: Industry-specific template or framework you use with clients
• •Info product: Free mini-course (3 emails) teaching your methodology
• •Agency: Swipe file of winning examples in their niche