Lead magnets are currently indispensable for successful digital sales. It is particularly worthwhile to use this with regard to the B2B environment, as the decision-making process for potential customers can be quite lengthy. In this article you will find out what is meant by a lead magnet and how it can be implemented.
Lead magnets are free assets that are offered to potential customers. In exchange, the provider receives the email address or similar contact details. This results in lists of individuals that are interested in your offer and might become your customers in the future. Lead magnets are therefore primarily used for so-called “list building”.
The 8 ultimate lead magnets in B2B online marketing
In the last few years, certain formats of lead magnet generation have emerged as efficient. It is particularly important that the content offered gives the user a high level of added value. The following is a selection of the top 8 lead magnets that will help your company successfully generate leads:
1. Calculator, quiz, surveys or similar.
What percentage of my expenses can I save with correct license management? How high does my marketing budget have to be to increase my sales by 20 percent? - Interactive lead magnets such as calculators or short surveys are particularly useful. If your service or your company makes it possible, it is a good idea to implement such a lead magnet on your homepage. This helps interested parties to access important information in a playful way, including a gamification approach, and to inquire about meaningful results at a glance. It is important at this point that the questions or key data to be entered are not too complicated and that the filling process only takes a few minutes.
2. Checklists
Many people use checklists, especially in stressful phases. Information is needed quickly and at hand, but nobody has the time to summarize it briefly and at a glance. In precisely such cases, many checklists are the salvation in an emergency. In the hope of quick help, potential customers register and become part of your lead list.
3. Trial versions
Nobody likes to buy a pig in a poke. Usually this is the reason why companies do not invest in helpful and new tools. In order to remove doubts from potential customers and generate leads at the same time, it makes sense, especially in the IT industry, to offer test versions or free demos. In this way, the prospect minimizes the risk of purchasing an unsuitable product and you maximize the chance of attracting a new customer.
4. Case Study
There is hardly a better way to present your work or approach than by means of a case study. In this case, you show what your company can actually achieve and implement or what it already has. Tell your success story, how you approached a certain problem or issue and specifically address your strategy and innovative approaches. This not only shows you your skills, but also shows whether your way of working is compatible with that of the potential customer. In such cases, the lead magnet has a positive effect on the prospective business relationship.
5. Webinar
Whether on-demand or live webinars, both types of webinars are ideal for lead generation. So offer your knowledge or data in the form of a presentation, give your target group an insight into your product or your way of working. Leads gained through webinars are particularly valuable in the B2B environment. Only those who can derive added value from it will take part, as these usually take up a lot of time. Accordingly, participating users are mostly on the home stretch of the customer journey.
6. eBooks, white papers and cheat sheets
The three variants mentioned have one thing in common: All of them provide your potential leads with information in the form of a fairly classic continuous text. In comparison, the cheat sheet is the shortest. It presents information compactly, mostly on one page, and serves as an accelerator in the workflow or "cheat sheet", which is often shared due to its visual appeal. The whitepaper requires a little more writing effort, but in principle pursues the same goal. Similar to the variants mentioned above, the eBook also contains many design elements and links, but is much more extensive.
Regardless of which of the three lead magnets you choose, the most important rule at this point is: The content must be precisely tailored to the target group and the format. This is the only way to make a positive impression.
7. Industry report
Can you convince with special expertise in your industry? Then the industry report is the right lead magnet for you. This compresses and clarifies developments in industries or industry-specific trends. These can often provide crucial information for companies and therefore they are also happy to provide your contact details in exchange for the information.
Of course, creating this format takes a lot of time, but it pays off. Industry reports are ideal as core content for a utilization chain, so that the content they contain can be used over time for social media, blog posts and infographics. This creates a recycling chain, which is associated with constantly decreasing effort and makes you an expert in this topic.
8. Guides
Does your target group have a recurring problem and you have the solution? Whether as a step-by-step guide or an appealing guide, these forms arouse user sympathy for your company or your product. This free asset is usually distributed in a clearly structured PDF file. They are one of the most popular forms of lead magnets, as they require relatively little effort.
Conclusion
All in all, lead magnets are an efficient means of effectively generating leads and constantly increasing them. Try to empathize with your buyer persona and focus on possible questions that may arise. If you offer the right answers to a specific question or topic, lead magnets will be created that will be highly valued by your target group. In no time at all, your business will be in a completely different league because you now know what it means to do successful list building.