Welcome to this week’s episode of The Engaging Marketeer! Today, we’re diving into a topic that frustrates a lot of business owners: lead magnets.
Now, lead magnets are supposed to be these fantastic tools that bring in leads and help you grow your business, right? But the harsh truth is, the vast majority of lead magnets are a phenomenal waste of time.
Most of them simply do not work. No one downloads them. No one engages with them. And all that effort you put into crafting this wonderful piece of content? Completely wasted. Hours and hours of your time, sweat, and hard work—gone.
So, let’s break it down and figure out why lead magnets fail and what you need to do differently.
Firstly, what is a lead magnet?
[00:50]
Before we get too far ahead, let’s start with the basics.
A lead magnet is something of value—or at least, perceived value—that you offer online. Usually, it’s made available on your website or social media, and in return, people give you their contact details.
That could be:
- An email address
- A phone number
- Their name
- In some cases, even their postal address
- And in very rare cases, even payment details (though that’s more of a different strategy).
The point is, they exchange their details because they want access to whatever you’re offering.
[01:28]
Now, here’s where most businesses go horribly wrong.
They spend countless hours creating their lead magnets—writing their “magnus opus,” making it look professional, uploading it to their website, expecting that their ideal clients will download it in droves.
But nobody does.
It just sits there. No engagement. No downloads. No leads.
And the reason for that is simple:
They haven’t followed the proper process for creating an effective lead magnet in the first place.
[02:02]
Now, I’m actually putting together a presentation on this for our platform, EngageWeb.Club.
Since I’m working on this presentation, I thought, “Why not make this a podcast episode too?” So, here we are.
Now, most businesses start by asking, “What should my lead magnet be about?”
And that’s completely the wrong way to approach it.
[02:53]
Let me give you an example.
Say you’re a digital marketing agency. You think, “I’ll create a lead magnet called ‘What’s It Like to Work with a Web Design Agency?’”
That sounds useful, right? Wrong.
I actually saw someone do this recently. They created a lead magnet with that exact title and started spamming it in WhatsApp groups, telling people to go like and share their LinkedIn post about it.
But here’s the problem: It’s so painfully obvious what they’re trying to do. They think, “If I tell people what it’s like to work with a web design agency, maybe they’ll choose us!”
But nobody cares.
And guess what? It got zero engagement. Absolutely none.
Why?
Because it’s self-serving garbage that no one wants.
(Sorry, but it’s the truth.)
Step 1: What Do You Want to Achieve?
[03:53]
Before you even start writing your lead magnet, you need to ask yourself:
What do I actually want to achieve with this?
And no, the goal isn’t just to get people to download it.
It’s not to grow your email list. That’s just a short-term goal.
The real question is:
- What kind of leads do you want?
- What type of client are you looking for?
- What service do you want to sell to them?
For example, let’s say you’re a mortgage broker.
Are you looking for:
- First-time buyers?
- People looking to remortgage?
- Landlords with multiple properties?
- Commercial mortgages?
Each of these is a completely different audience, so your lead magnet must be tailored accordingly.
Same for a digital marketing agency:
- Are you offering SEO services?
- Are you targeting businesses that need Facebook Ads?
- Do you specialize in website design?
You need to decide first.
Step 2: Who is Your Ideal Client?
[05:30]
Once you know what service you’re promoting, you need to define your ideal client.
Saying “I want small businesses” isn’t enough. That’s too vague.
For example, if I were targeting accountants, I’d get more specific:
“I want accountants who are struggling with Facebook Ads and need help optimizing them.”
Or maybe:
“I want accountants who need better SEO and want to rank higher on Google.”
The more specific you get, the better your lead magnet will perform.
Step 3: Crafting the Perfect Title
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Here’s where most businesses fail miserably—the title.
Let me give you an example of terrible lead magnet titles:
- Compliance Within Manufacturing Businesses
- Electrical Safety Maintenance 2025
- Working at Heights: A Guide for Roofers
Nobody is downloading that. It’s boring.
Instead, your title should:
- Clearly state the problem you’re solving
- Be compelling
- Address a pain point
Example:
How to Operate Your Warehouse Without Going to Prison
That’s intriguing, right? It makes people stop and think, “Wait… what do you mean? I could go to prison?”
That’s exactly the reaction you want.
Step 4: Your Landing Page & Follow-Up
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A huge mistake businesses make is assuming people will read their lead magnet.
Spoiler alert: They won’t.
Most people download it and never open it.
That’s why you need a follow-up strategy.
For example, after someone downloads your guide, you should reach out:
“Hey, I saw you downloaded our guide on getting better results with Facebook Ads. Have you had a chance to look at it?”
Most people will say no.
That’s your chance to ask:
“What prompted you to download it in the first place?”
Now, they’ll tell you their exact problem—which is something you can solve.
And that, my friends, is how lead magnets actually work.
[16:10]
So, if your lead magnet isn’t generating leads, take a hard look at:
- The title
- The target audience
- The design & presentation
- Your follow-up strategy
If you fix those, your lead magnet will actually work.
Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review. If you didn’t—just pretend I’m Seth Rogen. See you next time!
