What is an Optin, Freebie or Lead Magnet FOR?
So you’re building an email list. Way to go – as you know, that’s the #1 thing every business needs!
We need to talk about how you’re going to get people on that email list.
People protect their email addresses more now than ever. Gone are the days when we loved hearing, “You’ve got mail!” Now, people wade through their email inboxes deleting things with abandon.
If you want someone to give you their email address, you need to offer them something really spectacular. Something that they can’t wait to get their hands on. Something they would pay to receive. And you’re going to give it to them free.
The Difference Between an Optin, a Freebie or a Lead Magnet
This free thing we’re talking about? It’s got lots of names, opt-in offer, freebie or lead magnet are some of the more common ones you may have heard.
Why so many names for the same thing? Well because people tend to call it by what it does…
- It’s called an opt-in because people “opt in” to be on your email list…
- It’s called a freebie because it’s something you’re giving away for free (in exchange for their email address)
- It’s called a lead magnet because it’s SUPER attractive to new leads for your business.
Types of Lead Magnets
To confuse matters even more, there are many different types of lead magnets. Depending on your audience and the way they like to consume content, you will want to offer something delivered in a way that is attractive to them.
- If your audience is young and visual they might be attracted to a lead magnet that is a short video addressing a pain point.
- If your audience prefers reading over video, then they may opt in for a brief article that addresses their pain point. Topics like “5 Things You Didn’t Know About….” or “The Number One Mistake Most People Make When Thinking About…” make great topics for short articles.
- If your audience is filled with action takers, a PDF freebie that is a checklist or infographic may be just the thing they need. One way to create pdf freebies is by using Canva.
- If your audience is looking for training on a subject, a free webinar can make a great freebie as well.
No matter what type of lead magnet you create, you want to make sure it gives them a quick win. You want them to be able to consume it and have a terrific result so that they get to know, like and trust you. For that reason, long and involved digital freebies like chapters from books or multi-video training series don’t often convert well. They require too much time, energy and commitment.
Examples of Optins That Work
Nothing explains an idea better than a good example. Here are a few examples of different freebies that work:
Jill’s people are often stuck in a relationship that isn’t working – and this PDF “decision tree” lead magnet can help them decide if they should hang on or let go.
As a Storybrand expert, Sandrine helps people nail their messaging to make sure their using the right language in their marketing. One of the first things she does is help clients to nail their Avatar. Here’s the beginning of her freebie:
Delivering the Freebie
Once you’ve created your free offer, you’ll have to set up an opt in form and landing page so you can collect email addresses. If you’d like more information on landing pages and opt in forms, you’ll want to check out this blog post: Landing Pages & Squeeze Pages & Opt in Forms: What They Are
Giving away something free is definitely a solid strategy for adding people to your email list. Whether you call it a lead magnet, opt-in, freebie or free offer, you want to be sure it is high quality and represents you in a positive light. This will be the first interaction most people will have with you and your brand. Make sure it’s a memorable one.
