How I Built a Lead Magnet That Doesn’t Suck (And Why You Should Too)
Estimated read time: 7 minutes (or less if you skim like a pro).
- Step 1: Why Even Bother With a Lead Magnet?
- Step 2: The Brainstorm (AKA Me vs. AI)
- Step 3: Why a Quiz? (Because Engagement, Baby)
- Step 4: Building the Quiz (No Fancy Tools Required)
- Step 5: The Techy Stuff (Pop-Ups and Triggers)
- Step 6: Lessons Learned (AKA What I’d Do Differently)
- Step 7: What’s Next? (Spoiler: Email Sequences)
- TL;DR (For the Skimmers)
- Your Turn: What’s Your Lead Magnet?
Alright, let’s talk lead magnets. You know, those shiny little freebies you dangle in front of potential customers to get their email addresses. Everyone’s doing it, but let’s be real, most lead magnets are about as exciting as watching paint dry. Another eBook? Hard pass. A PDF checklist? Meh.
So, when I set out to create a lead magnet for my new service offering, I knew I had to do something different. Something engaging. Something that wouldn’t just sit in someone’s inbox collecting digital dust. And because I’m all about building in public (or marketing in public—still workshopping the name), I’m taking you along for the ride. Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Why Even Bother With a Lead Magnet?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s address the elephant in the room: Why do you even need a lead magnet? Simple. It’s the gateway drug to your email list. And your email list? That’s your golden ticket to building relationships, nurturing leads, and eventually making sales.
But here’s the catch: Your lead magnet has to be GOOD. Like, “I can’t believe this is free” good. Otherwise, people will just ghost you faster than a bad Tinder date.
Step 2: The Brainstorm (AKA Me vs. AI)
When it came time to decide what kind of lead magnet to create, I did what any self-respecting marketer would do: I asked AI. Specifically, I used you.com (because why not switch it up from ChatGPT?) and gave it a detailed prompt. Here’s the gist of what I asked:
- “Hey AI, give me six lead magnet ideas that align with my ideal customer profile (ICP).”
- “Now, get creative and think outside the box. No boring eBooks, please.”
And let me tell you, AI delivered. It spits out the usual suspects—eBooks, checklists, templates—but then it hit me with something that made my marketing brain light up like a Christmas tree: an interactive quiz.
Step 3: Why a Quiz? (Because Engagement, Baby)
Here’s the thing about quizzes: They’re fun. They’re interactive. And they’re sneaky-good at getting people to self-identify their pain points.
Think about it. When someone takes a quiz, they’re not just passively consuming content—they’re actively engaging with it. And if you frame your questions right, you can guide them to realize, “Oh crap, I do have this problem, and maybe this person (ahem, me) can help solve it.”
For my quiz, I wanted to focus on lead follow-up processes. The title? “Is Your Follow-Up Process Failing Your Sales? Take the Quiz.” Boom. A question and a call-to-action all rolled into one.
Step 4: Building the Quiz (No Fancy Tools Required)
Now, let’s talk execution. You don’t need to drop a ton of cash on fancy software to build a quiz. Here are a few options:
- Google Forms: The OG of free tools. Simple, effective, and gets the job done.
- JotForm: A step up if you want more customization.
- Fluent Forms: My personal pick because it integrates seamlessly with my website.
I used Fluent Forms to create a quiz that not only collects emails upfront (because let’s be honest, people WILL drop off halfway through) but also scores responses to qualify leads. Here’s how it works:
- Capture Emails First: Before they even start the quiz, I grab their email. That way, if they abandon halfway through, I can hit them with a friendly “Hey, don’t forget to finish your quiz!” email.
- Scoring System: The quiz isn’t about right or wrong answers. It’s about figuring out if someone is a good fit for my service. High scorers? They’re already crushing it but could use a little extra help. Low scorers? They might not be ready for what I offer. Middle scorers? That’s my sweet spot—clients who are making an effort but need a time-saving solution.
- Conditional Confirmation Pages: Based on their score, they get a tailored message. For example:
- High scorers: “Congrats, you’re a Lead Follow-Up Champion! But hey, there’s always room for improvement. Book a free consult.”
- Middle scorers: “You’re on the right track, but let’s take it to the next level. Book a free consult.”
- Low scorers: “You’ve got some work to do, but don’t worry—I’ve got your back. Book a free consult.”
Step 5: The Techy Stuff (Pop-Ups and Triggers)
To make sure people actually SEE the quiz, I’m using two types of pop-ups on my landing page:
- Scroll-Triggered Pop-Up: After they’ve scrolled a certain percentage down the page, the quiz slides in like, “Hey, don’t forget about me!”
The goal here is to catch people’s attention without being obnoxious. (Because let’s face it, no one likes a pop-up that feels like it’s yelling at them.)
Step 6: Lessons Learned (AKA What I’d Do Differently)
Look, no project is perfect, and this one’s no exception. Here’s what I’m tweaking:
- Quiz Completion Rate: I’m keeping an eye on how many people actually finish the quiz. If the drop-off rate is high, I’ll simplify the questions or shorten the quiz.
Step 7: What’s Next? (Spoiler: Email Sequences)
Now that the quiz is live, the next step is creating a killer welcome email sequence. I’m taking a page out of Liz Wilcox’s playbook (seriously, check her out if you love 90s nostalgia and no-BS email marketing advice). Her $9/month membership is a goldmine, and I’m using her strategies to build trust and nurture leads right out of the gate.
TL;DR (For the Skimmers)
- Lead magnets are essential for building your email list, but they need to be engaging.
- I chose an interactive quiz over a boring eBook because it’s fun, engaging, and helps qualify leads.
- Tools like Fluent Forms or even Google Forms make it easy to build a quiz without breaking the bank.
- Use pop-ups and triggers to make sure people actually see your lead magnet.
- Always be tweaking. Your first version won’t be perfect, and that’s okay.
Your Turn: What’s Your Lead Magnet?
So, what’s your go-to lead magnet? Are you team eBook, or are you ready to jump on the quiz bandwagon? Drop a comment below or hit me up on [insert social platform of choice]. Let’s swap ideas and level up together.
And hey, if you’re curious about how your follow-up process stacks up, you know what to do: Take the quiz. 😉