This month’s tip is to consider strengthening your lead magnet for better results. And what are those results? New subscribers! You want your lead magnet to draw as many new subscribers to your email list as possible.
Like me, many of you have already created lead magnets and are using them successfully to build your email subscriber list. Others of you, maybe not so successfully. But there are things you can do. Are you switching out your lead magnet on occasion? Offering something new to draw readers who may not have responded to your original lead magnet?
As an author, both traditionally and independently published, I eventually reached the point where I could offer the e-book version of one of my novels as a lead magnet. If you go to my author website, you’ll see how I’ve set up that offer for new subscribers. As a lead magnet, book 1 of my Mendocino Village Series has performed beautifully to build my list and lead readers to book 2 in the series. For now, I’ll leave that lead magnet in place.
But I have another list of subscribers to build and serve. This list! And it was time to add something new to the bundle of resources I offer writers as further incentive to subscribe. So what did I do? I repurposed a checklist I’d created for a workshop: the Checklist for Your Novel’s First Chapter. Some of you reading this email responded to that lead magnet!
Here are the steps I used to set up and promote the lead magnet:
- I created the single-sheet Checklist in Canva and exported it in pdf format.
- I uploaded the pdf to my website.
- I created a subscription form in my email marketing server, Flodesk, and included a tag so I’d know what drew new subscribers to my list.
- I used Flodesk to create an automated email series, or Workflow, that included a link to download the Checklist pdf along with the other resources in my bundle.
- Finally, I created a graphic on Canva to accompany the checklist, and shared the lead magnet via social media, including a link to the subscription form.
To strengthen your own lead magnets, consider switching them out with other material, adding something new, or repurposing other content.
Speaking of repurposing content, if you participated in my 31-Day Platform Challenge last summer, you may remember the Lead Magnet Tips sheet I offered for both nonfiction and fiction writers. I’m including it again here. Whether you’ve viewed the Tips sheet before, are new to Words for Writers, or were unable to participate in the Challenge, I hope you’ll download the pdf. Chances are it will spark some new ideas for lead magnets of your own.
