How to use lead magnets to attract the right humans in 2023

Thankfully my brothers and I are close now, but that hasn't always been the case.

One time my brother used me to sneak candy from the pantry when we were kids. I wanted the candy too so I complied. Guess what happened? I got caught red handed with a face full of month-old Easter candy.

Not only did I get in trouble, but I also got banned from candy for like a month. It sucked. He sat behind a curtain silently enjoying his Oreos while I had no choice but to take the fall.

But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part about the whole thing was my own brother saw me as a means to an end.?

He used me. I was nothing more than a pawn in his game to get more candy. I guess that made us even for all the times I blamed him for the grass mysteriously forgetting to be mowed.

Touché, brother. Touché.

Whether you’re a kid or a grown adult like some of us, being seen as a means to someone else’s end isn’t cool.

When we see people as “leads” or just a means to revenue it not only cheapens their human existence and value, but it lowers ours too.

I believe that we can actually have a greater impact on our businesses and the world when we stop seeing people as leads, SQLS, or MQLS. Instead, let’s see them as people. What if we used our businesses, products, offerings, and technology to help humans make their lives better? What if our marketing teams and sales reps saw what they did through that lens?

How much more full would our lives and our pipelines be if we approached work that way?

I have always been a nonconformist to the corporate establishment by simply trying to look for people to help, not leads to sell to. Maybe it’s because I have always been a more right-brained creative person. Maybe it’s because I see the world differently. I think it’s simply because I view business, technology, marketing, and branding as a means to add beauty to the world and elevate humanity. For me it’s all about helping people.

Helping the right humans at the right time

That being said, one of the best ways to find the people who need your help are by using lead magnets in your brand and marketing tactics.?

I don’t like getting this tactical with newsletter content, but I have been getting a lot of questions lately about how to use lead generation assets the right way and wanted to address the subject in depth.

Years ago my first ever project as a creative professional was an eBook. If I’m being honest, I had never made an eBook before. When I was asked by my client, “Can you help us make an eBook?” I pulled a fake-it-till-you-make-it and told them yes. What I meant by, “yes,” was, “No, but I am going to learn and make the most amazing eBook the world has ever seen.” The eBook ended up being a wild success that generated leads for several years until we revamped it. I spent the next ten years mastering lead magnets of all kinds, from design, to formatting, to even helping write them and implement them into funnels and campaigns. I have created thousands of lead magnets over the past decade and I will tell you that lead magnets are one of the easiest ways to amplify your message and elevate your brand.?

In this week’s newsletter I am not going to cover three things:

1. Different kinds of lead magnets
2. Different stages of awareness and and how it relates to lead magnets
3. High vs Low intent lead magnets

01 The Different Kinds of Lead Magnets

There are hundreds of different kinds of lead magnet. Technically, anything can be used to generate leads. But there are different kinds of leads and different kinds of lead magnets that we’ll talk about more in a sec.

The anatomy of a great lead magnet is simple: It should be extremely valuable, and it should be something that people WANT to give you their contact information in exchange for. A great lead magnet is never a sales pitch to buy your offering or solution. It’s never pushy. It always highlights you and your brand as the guide, not the hero.

Here’s a list of some of the different kinds of lead magnets that you can experiment with.

1. Ebooks
2. Checklists
3. Templates
4. Infographics
5. Case studies
6. Webinars
7. Free trials or demos
8. Quizzes or assessments
9. Industry reports
10. Email courses or challenges
11. Toolkits or resource guides
12. Consultation or strategy sessions
13. Free training or certification programs
14. Industry event passes or discounts
15. Product samples or swag
16. White papers
17. Research reports
18. Industry surveys or data studies
19. Podcast episodes or transcripts
20. Virtual workshops or masterclasses
21. Free courses

?? In 2023, how can your team get a little “weird” with lead magnets? Here are some uncommon types of lead magnets that you could experiment with:

1. Customized reports or assessments
2. Personalized product recommendations
3. Virtual reality or augmented reality experiences
4. Interactive calculators or tools
5. Personalized video content
6. Subscription box of product samples or swag
7. Coaching or consulting sessions
8. Training sessions
9. Industry research or surveys (this one works really well for us)
10. Industry event passes or discounts
11. Product demonstrations or consultations
12. Virtual events or experiences
13. Newsletters or content recommendations
14. Career resources
15. Free trials of products
16. Discovery tools
17. Networking opportunities
18. Industry research or data reports

?? Lead magnets don’t have to get boring. Weird stands out! Be weird! ??

The Different Stages of Awareness

You have to think about using different lead magnets during different stages of awareness. Doing so will be the key to helping those humans, and converting them into paying customers.

First, let's define the stages of awareness. There are three main ones that I want to highlight for the sake of lead magnets:

So, what kind of lead magnets work best for each stage of awareness?

For the unaware stage, a great lead magnet might be an educational guide or white paper. This gives the lead valuable information and helps them understand their problem better. These are usually low intent lead magnets (LILMS…more on these later).

For the aware stage, a lead magnet such as a free trial or demo can be very effective. This gives the lead the opportunity to try out your product or service and see if it can solve their problem. These lead magnets (high intent lead magnets) usually reveal higher levels of intent.?

For the consideration stage, a lead magnet such as a case study or customer testimonial can be very persuasive. Seeing how others have successfully used your product or service to solve their problem can help lead the customer to make a decision. If you use these at the right time in the funnel, to the right person who is considering buying from you, this kind of lead magnet can also reveal high intent.

When you create lead magnets in 2023, think about where your leads are in the awareness stage and choose a lead magnet that will speak to their needs. With the right lead magnet, you'll be well on your way to building enough trust to turn those humans into paying customers, and helping them with your product, offering, or solution. Remember, it’s all about helping humans.

The most important kind of lead magnet (that you’re not using to fill your pipeline)

When it comes to lead magnets, digital campaigns, and actually producing pipeline for your business there is one kind of lead magnet that not many are talking about.

I’m talking about high intent lead magnets, also known as an HILM.

A high intent lead magnet is a special kind of lead magnet that does just that – reveals when someone has high intent towards a product or service. HLMS are likely to attract potential leads who are more ready to buy your product or service. When used the right way, these come in really handy for attributing marketing tactics to actual pipeline, and creating effective campaigns that actually put smiles back in the sales room. However, not all lead magnets are high intent lead magnets.?

For a b2b technology consulting firm, some high intent lead magnet ideas might include:

1. Free trials or demos of software or tools that are relevant to the consulting services you offer. This can be a powerful way to give potential leads a taste of what you can do and how you can help them. The more detailed the demo around solving a specific issue, the more it will reveal high intent for those who choose to watch it.
2. Free assessments can work wonders. Offering a super specific assessment that helps a target persona measure something really important to them can reveal high intent in a lot of cases. Assessments also show that you are willing to invest time and resources in understanding the specific needs of each potential client.
3. Free Consultation to solve a very specific issue. These can be a powerful incentive for potential leads who are considering hiring a consultant but may be on the fence about whether to do so. If someone opts in to receive some free advice or problem solving from your team, I would definitely consider this a person with high intent.
4. Super Detailed case studies or success stories. Sharing detailed examples of how you have helped other companies succeed can be a powerful way to demonstrate your expertise and value proposition to potential leads. The more specific and targeted, the more likely this lead magnet is to reveal high intent in the people who download it.
5. Educational resources, such as webinars or ebooks, that provide detailed information on specific topics or technologies. These must be valuable to professionals who are looking to learn more about a particular subject and are therefore more likely to be interested in hiring a consultant to help them. Heck, even free courses are really great high-intent lead magnets and not something b2b tech firms are utilizing yet (but should).

Knowing what to make is half the battle. You have to also know WHEN to use high intent lead magnets. If you use a HILM at the wrong time, you could scare people off for good.?

When to offer a HILM

• If you’re targeting a specific audience that is likely to be super interested in your product or service, it might make sense to use a high intent lead magnet right away. For example, if you are targeting CTOs, a personalized assessment that helps them measure something super specific might be an effective way to get their attention.
• If your goal is to generate leads that are likely to convert into paying customers, a high intent lead magnet might be the way to go.
• To someone who has opted into a newsletter and is clearly engaging and asking questions. This shows they are more than just a tire kicker.
• To someone who joins a webinar and engages throughout the entire webinar.
• From the start of a campaign if you have a shorter sales cycle and potential leads tend to make decisions more quickly
• They’ve been consistently engaging with your content and have shown a strong interest in your product or service.
• They’ve reached the consideration stage of the sales funnel and are actively considering solutions to their problem.
• They’ve requested more information or a demo of your product or service.

If you see any of these signs, it's time to break out the high intent lead magnets. These could be things like a free consultation, a discounted trial offer, or even a special promotion. These lead magnets show the lead that you're ready to do business and can be the push they need to make a purchase.

Remember, it’s all about timing and the goals of your business or campaign.?

?? Free Resource Alert ?? Check out this free webinar campaign flow that gives some ideas as to when you could use one of these HILMS in your funnel. We use funnels and campaign flows like this to generate pipeline for tech consultants and digital transformation leaders of all kinds. When done right, it works! Copy, borrow, or use this as a starting point.

Low Intent Lead Magnets (LILMS)

Now that you have a better idea of when to offer a high intent lead magnet, here are some tips for when to offer a lower intent lead magnet (LILM).

Low intent lead magnets (LILMs) are less likely to attract leads who are ready to buy your product or service. LILMs are often used as a way to capture the contact information of people who may not be ready to commit to a purchase, but who may be in the learning phase about what you offer. These people could still buy from you in the future.?

For a technology consulting firm or seller of digital transformation products, some LILM ideas might include:

• Newsletters or email lists. These can be a way to stay in touch with potential leads and keep them informed about your company, but they may not be as effective at attracting leads who are actively interested in hiring a consultant.
• Generic ebooks or whitepapers. While these types of resources can be valuable, they may not be as targeted or relevant to potential leads as more specific, personalized lead magnets.
• Free trials or demos of products that are not directly related to your consulting services. These can be a way to capture the contact information of potential leads, but they may not be as effective at attracting leads who are actively interested in hiring a consultant.
• Social media groups or communities. These can be a way to build your online presence and reach a wider audience, but they may not be as effective at attracting leads who are actively interested in buying from you.
• Blog content or other types of general interest content. While this type of content can be valuable for attracting traffic to your website and establishing your company as a thought leader, it may not be as effective at attracting leads who are actively interested in hiring a consultant.

When to offer a low intent lead magnet (LILM)

• If you have a long sales cycle and it typically takes a while for potential leads to make a purchase decision, it might not make sense to use a high intent lead magnet until later in the process.
• If you’re targeting a broad group of personas
• If your goal is simply to build your email list or get more traffic to your website, a low intent lead magnet might be more appropriate.
• If you’re launching a new product or offering to the world you should start with low intent lead magnets to build some awareness and credibility
• If your brand or business is new and getting off the ground, start with things that build awareness and credibility for your own brand
• Always be creating and giving away LILMs! This will boost your brand significantly?

Remember, information is a commodity. Try to give away LILM’s as often as you can. Don’t gate LILMS or make people give you their contact info in exchange to read or digest them. Gating things creates resistance and lowers trust. Give, give, give! It’s the helpful, human way to sell.

Where the ball gets fumbled

You would not believe how many times we get asked by tech marketers, “When should I let sales follow up with someone?” Or, “Our sales team sees one form fill and they are ready to try and call this person. We don't know if this is right or not. What do we do?” We hear things like this all the time. Most teams usually fumble the ball by allowing their sales people to reach out to someone who has downloaded a low intent lead magnet, mistaking them for someone with high intent. This scares the person off and results in you losing a potential buyer and a potential fan of your brand.?

As the brand and marketing gatekeeper for your firm you need to make sure that sales knows two things regarding leads who come in through digital campaigns:

1. What qualifies them as a lead
2. When to reach out to that lead
3. *Bonus: How to reach out to that lead in a way that doesn’t scare them off (more on this at another time)

This is why one of the most valuable things you can do in 2023 is work WITH salespeople. Collaborate and strategize often.

A low intent lead magnet downloaded reveals a low-intent lead.

A high intent lead magnet downloaded reveals a high-intent lead.

Now you know the different kinds of lead magnets you can experiment with, the stages of awareness that determining when to use them, and you also know the difference between a HILM and a LILM. Way to go!

Digital transformation is all about empowering humanity. See your products, services, and offerings as tools you have been given to help people. When you do so, you’ll use lead magnets much more effectively and ironically, I believe that you’ll sell more in the process.

Remember, Humanity Sells? ??

Spread the word

Do you know someone who’s struggling to grow their digital transformation business or get more of their offerings to the right people? Please like, subscribe, comment, and share this post with them. The world is powered by businesses who are ready for transformation and humanity needs what you’re selling.

Your fellow human,

Brandon