By Glenn Allen, Course Launch Strategist and host of the Unstuck and Unstoppable podcast.
If you’re trying to grow your email list with a pdf checklist, ebook, cheat sheet, report, or quiz…
For the love of Pam Beesly…
Just. stop.
Because what I’m about to share is going to change everything you know about email marketing. What I’m about to share will help you avoid my dumb list-building mistakes.
I’ve stumbled upon what I consider the Holy Grail of email list-building freebies. I call it “The Golden Lead Magnet.”
No matter what you call it:
- Ethical Bribe
- Freebie
- List-builder
- Lead Magnet
- White Paper (Yawn)…
…if you’re trying to get your readers to get to know you, open more of your emails, and trust you enough to fork over their hard-earned cash for your course, product, or services…
a one-off downloadable pdf is not going to cut it.
Not convinced? Here’s a quick story:
When I first set out to learn how to grow my Instagram following, all I knew is that hashtags had something to do with it, but I didn’t get how it all worked.
I went on IG and quickly found a few IG marketing experts with downloadable freebies offering to teach me to grow my following using hashtags.
I signed up for their freebies, downloaded their free guides, skimmed through them, didn’t take any action, and went on with my day.
The next day or two I received follow-up emails from each thought leader. Their email subject lines read something like
“Did you use it?”
Or
“In case you missed it…”
Or
“What did you think?”
Predictably, they sent their nurture indoctrination sequences sharing their story and the follow-up services they offer (many of which had nothing to do with their freebie).
I saw their names in the “From:” section, but I couldn’t tell one from another or who sent me what.
I didn’t open any of them.
The days passed and I saw an influx of “The doors are opening,” “time is running out,” and “is my new course right for you?” emails.
I still didn’t open them.
Then one day, I opened each of them, went straight to the bottom of their emails, and clicked “UNSUBSCRIBE.”
However, there was one person who didn’t send me a .pdf guide. She sent me a “free gift.” I was intrigued and clicked the link.
Her freebie was a short video training on finding my trend-worthy hashtags.
I watched it and in minutes, I learned everything I needed to know. The woman was clever, to the point, and gave me one simple, quick win.
I was hooked.
There was one small problem. Now that I knew HOW to find my hashtags, I needed to know HOW to use them.
I needed to learn more from her.
And when her next email came…
I opened it, eager to hear what she had to say.
And when she offered a digital course that would teach me how to use my hashtags strategically to grow my audience and build my business by turning those followers into customers, I couldn’t get my credit card out fast enough.
That’s when I got the idea for the Golden Lead Magnet.
I call it the Golden Lead Magnet because it checks so many digital marketing boxes:
- Has a high opt-in rate
- Gets your readers to open more than just the welcome email
- Which decreases the likelihood of your emails landing in the Promotions tab or junk folder
- Helps your audience get to know, like, and trust you QUICKLY
- Makes your content addictive to your audience
- Gets your audience ready and willing to buy your paid offers
What is “The Golden Lead Magnet?”
A Golden Lead Magnet is a short series of free video trainings you deliver via 3 separate emails.
- Each video lasts no longer than 10 minutes each.
- These videos don’t need to be polished or fancy. No graphics, no music or animations.
- Use your phone or laptop to film them fast.
Each video breaks down the tiniest step toward accomplishing ONE SIMPLE, QUICK OUTCOME.
The beauty of this is that your audience will overcome overwhelm because you’re breaking things down into 3 tiny actionable steps.
Better yet, they have to open your emails to continue to get the full value of your freebie.
Because each video is delivered over 3 emails over the course of 3-7 days, your email open rates and sender improve! Less emails in promotions and junk!
How To Create a Golden Lead Magnet
The first and most critical step is choosing Your Golden Lead Magnet Topic so you attract the RIGHT audience.
Here’s what happens when you get this wrong:
One of my first freebies was a guide to up-leveling your video marketing. Since I coach entrepreneurs to create, market, and launch their digital courses, I figured the first step was helping people get better with video so they could film their digital courses confidently.
I poured hours into creating a pretty sweet pdf guide, wrote a bunch of emails, and ran some Facebook ads to the landing page.
In a matter of days, I had a few hundred new subscribers.
When I started looking up some of my new subscribers on social media, I soon discovered that the majority of my new subs were videographers looking to learn how to market their wedding videography services.
It was like throwing hundreds of dollars into the trash.
They were not my ideal client.
They were not going to buy my course launch consulting services.
So here are the steps to picking your lead magnet topic:
- Don’t give information, give a result.
Give people information, and you’ll blend in with everyone else. Give them a result and they’ll love you for it - Choose ONE little WIN.
Don’t try to teach or solve several things. The more you cover, the less likely they will follow through and get a result. - Pick a topic that solves the most frequent burning problem of your ideal customer.
Don’t assume you know what that is, actually ask them! Email your list a short survey. Offer a gift card in exchange for a brief call and ask them about what they’ve tried, what worked, what didn’t, and why.
Then let them talk (and don’t interrupt them or you’ll miss some golden information). - Make sure that the topic directly lines up with something you teach in your paid offer.
You want to pre-qualify and prepare them to be ready to take the next paid step. This could even be a section from your course, consulting, or paid coaching. - Create a “quality problem” that can only be solved by your paid offer.
This is SO important that I’ll repeat it.
Create a “quality problem” that can only be solved by your paid offer. The main reason I was so eager to buy that Instagram marketing course is because my problem was solved, yet it left me wondering what to do next. I found out when I bought the course.
Once your topic is chosen. Break it into 3 days worth of steps and outline it.
Your outline should look something like this:
- Lesson 1: Teach the first step and tell a story that emphasizes the lesson.
- Lesson 2: Remind them what you covered in the last video and teach the second step.
- Lesson 3: Review the last two steps they took and deliver the final step.
The final step in creating your Golden Lead Magnet is to follow up via email with a limited offer to help them take further action.
Now, if you’d like a little hand-holding with this process, I just happen to offer a free Golden Lead Magnet Quickstart guide on my website.
Good luck with your list building… I’ll see you online!
Glen Allen — Course Launch Strategist, Business Coach, and host of the Unstuck and Unstoppable podcast.
Glenn Allen is a multi-instrumental musician-turned digital marketing and business consultant. He coaches 6-7 figure online entrepreneurs to turn their expertise into digital courses and membership sites. He is the host of the Glenn Allen Show, a YouTube video series about digital marketing, and a podcast on entrepreneurialism called “Unstuck & Unstoppable.” He also works as an unpaid volunteer chef, housekeeper, and chauffeur for three small children who refer to him lovingly as “Dad.”
Website URL: https://www.theglennallenshow.com
