Lead Magnets
Lead Magnets 101: Creative Ways for Brands to Capture Email/SMS
With rising paid ad costs, social media platform risks, and a ruthless Hunger Games-style brawl for consumers’ attention, owning direct lines of communication with your customers has never been more important.
Email and SMS reign as some of the most profitable marketing channels in the game (and the most impactful for retention!), but consumers are becoming increasingly wary of whom they give their contact info. 👀
That’s why DTC brands of all sizes are turning to lead magnets to build their contact lists.
A lead magnet is a marketing tool that entices potential customers to enter their email or phone number in exchange for a benefit (content, discount, reward, etc.) This direct line of communication paves the way for engagement, conversions, and long-term brand loyalty.
The key to a successful lead magnet? Offering super valuable incentives to your audience.
Sure, you could easily throw the standard discount code pop-up, but for a lasting impression and a growing subscriber list, you have to go the extra mile. 🤝
So to get your swipe file going, we’ve highlighted five of our favorite lead magnet strategies to help grow your subscriber list and earn more $$.
📕 Guides and eBooks
We’re all suckers for that quick hit of information that propels us closer to our goals.
Whether perfecting a specific skill or revealing industry secrets, comprehensive guides and eBooks are an effective way to share information and educate consumers about your product while bolstering industry credibility.
That’s why Minimalist Baker rewards email subscribers with a free 49-page eBook packed with over 20+ fan-favorite recipes.
It’s an innovative approach to bundling content that resonates with their audience and encourages product purchases — a win-win!
✨ VIP Access or Early Product Launches
Everyone wants to be a VIP. 💅
Cultivating a VIP segment of your audience evokes feelings of exclusivity, community, and preferential treatment.
Native offers email subscribers first access to new product launches, sales, and exclusive content. With the right drop mechanics, this goes beyond simply boosting email/SMS sign-ups; it builds a loyal customer base eagerly anticipating what you have in store.
💡 Interactive Quizzes
Who can resist a good quiz? 🤓
Interactive, industry, or product-related quizzes are perfect for capturing first-party data while forging meaningful connections with your customers.
Aisling Organics’s 60-second makeup quiz is genuinely enjoyable and packed with fun facts and GIFs. Participants get tailored product recommendations based on their answers by entering their email. This helps brands learn more about their customers while improving the CX by customizing product recommendations to individual needs.
🆓 Product Samples
Costco has made one thing explicitly clear: Everyone loves a free sample.
SnackPerk attracts potential customers with a complimentary sample box filled with treats in return for their contact information. By offering a taste of their products upfront, SnackPerk builds a customer base eager to return for more.
For companies boasting high margins and superior products, this can be an irresistible acquisition strategy, particularly if you have unsold inventory that you’d rather not discount.
If you aren’t confident in your product quality, well, you probably have a few more important problems to solve. 🙃
🎁 Giveaways
Offering customers a chance to win exclusive merchandise, limited edition products, and dream experiences are a surefire way to drive brand engagement.
Of course, the giveaway needs to be something they actually want. Something so valuable that it’s foolish not to share your contact info for a chance to win. 🤑
Ned's website features a lead magnet pop-up that gives everyone a chance to win a month’s supply of their best-sellers.
An email address for a month’s worth of free products? Absolute no-brainer.
Have you experimented with lead magnets for your brand? We’d love to hear about your experience!
