138 Lead Magnets and their 7 Perceived Values to Grow Your Email List

Author: Randy W. Everett

A critical factor in your success or failure as a marketer depends on your ability to consistently generate new leads to fill your sales funnel. One of the most effective methods of lead generation is collecting email addresses by asking a user to opt-in to your email list in exchange for a gift which is commonly referred to as a lead magnet, named for its ability to attract prospects.

If you’ve ever asked “How can I grow my email list?” then this article is perfect to teach you how to generate more subscribers. You’ll learn about 138 different lead magnets categorized by six different marketing goals and discover the benefits of each one.

In the minds of your prospects, each lead magnet has a different perceived value—an individual’s evaluation of an item’s benefits versus the costs and risks of providing their contact information. For that reason, you’ll also learn about the seven categories of perceived values that factor into the decision of whether to provide their email address in exchange for your gift.

By the end of the article, you’ll be lead generation ninja armed with knowledge about lead magnets, perceived value, and marketing goals. Let’s get started with your ninja training!

What is a Lead Magnet?

There’s no science or physics involved like with a magnet that has positive and negative polarity. Instead, the definition of a lead magnet is any free marketing asset used as an incentive for a prospect to provide their email address or other contact information. Other aliases include freebies, freemiums, content upgrades, or signup offers.

What makes a lead magnet work is its perceived value. If the perception of an item’s benefits is higher than the perception of the costs and risks of the information that you’re asking for in return, then it’s said to have high perceived value. In this case, the likelihood of a successful conversion from a prospect (no contact information) to a lead (contact information provided) is high. If the perception of the costs and risks is too great, then the item has low perceived value and you will likely have an unsuccessful conversion.

The key understanding is that each individual has their own unique evaluation factors. You must thoroughly understand the needs, beliefs, and interests of your prospects to design a lead magnet that will be most effective. To do so, my recommendation is to create a Buyer Persona—a thorough description of your ideal customer. With in-depth knowledge about the perfect type of customer that you want to attract, you can create a lead magnet that is most likely to succeed at lead generation.

7 Perceived Value Categories

After researching and analyzing many marketing, business, and psychology models, I couldn’t find any classifications of values that I felt related to lead generation. Therefore, like Dr. Frankenstein, I used parts from many sources to create this list of seven categories of perceived values:

Economic Value: Results in financial gain or cost reduction.
Emotional Value: Causes a positive change in an emotional state.
Individual Value: Stimulates personal growth and development.
Knowledge Value: Increases knowledge or provides information that solves a problem.
Belongingness Value: Generates a sense of community or closeness.
Convenience Value: Lowers the effort or provides simplification.
Performance Value: Increases the standards or abilities.

When a user is presented with a lead magnet and the opportunity to enter their contact information in exchange for receiving the gift, they will consciously and unconsciously evaluate one or more value factors to determine their overall perceived value of the gift. Since these factors are important in the decision-making process, let’s explore them further.

Inside each of the seven categories, there are many factors that a prospect might use to make their decision. Here’s a breakdown of the factors within each of the seven categories of perceived values:

1. Economic Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet will benefit them financially, it will have an Economic Value to them. The three factors in this category are:

a. Financial Growth: Making money or increasing their wealth.

b. Cost Reduction: Saving money or preventing loss of wealth.

c. Money Risk Reduction: The chance to reduce the risk of a financial loss.

2. Emotional Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet will cause a positive change in one or more of their mental or emotional states, it’s said to have an Emotional Value to the user. The ten factors in this category are:

a. Feeling of Accomplishment: A sense of pride and boost of self-esteem after reaching a milestone.

b. Feeling of Happiness: Increase of a sense of joy, pleasure, and satisfaction.

c. Feeling of Hope: New sense of optimism that something can happen.

d. Feeling of Importance: A sense of having great value or significance.

e. Feeling of Inspiration: Increase in enthusiasm to achieve something.

f. Feeling of Nostalgia: A sentiment about a positive experience from the past.

g. Feeling of Satisfaction: Reaching a level of fulfillment of a desire, need, or expectation.

h. Feeling of Sexual Gratification: Positive stimulation of sexual interests.

i. Fear-of-Missing-Out (FOMO) Reduction: Decrease a person’s apprehension about not receiving a rewarding experience.

j. Negative Emotion Reduction: Decrease a person’s unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, anger, fear, guilt, jealousy, etc.

3. Individual Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet will directly benefit them as a person, employee, or community member, it’s said to have an Individual Value to the user. The six factors in this category are:

a. Career Growth: Assist with job or career advancement.

b. Health Benefits: Help with medical, mental, or physical well-being.

c. Personal Growth: Self-improvement and self-understanding.

d. Reputation Benefits: Increase in stature and how others consider you.

e. Social Status Improvement: Advancement in one’s social position in their community or society.

f. Spiritual Growth: Personal improvement in the beliefs and practices related to your religion.

4. Knowledge Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet will help them acquire a better understanding and comprehension about a subject, it’s said to have a Knowledge Value to the user. The eight factors in this category are:

a. Personal Benefits: Information that improves your understanding of yourself or things that are important to you.

b. Family Benefits: Anything that helps you improve the lives of your loved ones.

c. Job Benefits: Acquired knowledge that will assist with better performance and results at your current job.

d. Career Benefits: Information that will help you advance in your career or field of study.

e. Conceptual Solution: Anything that provides you with a better understanding of theories and ideas.

f. Decision-Making Solution: Information that helps you evaluate options and make an educated choice.

g. Factual Solution: Data that provides a precise answer to a question or problem.

h. Procedural Solution: A process or series of steps to solve a problem.

5. Belongingness Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet helps them become part of a community or group, it’s said to have a Belongingness Value to the user. The eight factors in this category are:

a. Beliefs Match: Similar trust or faith that something is true.

b. Career Match: Business-related similarities and traits.

c. Cultural Match: Similar society conditions and way of life.

d. Demographics Match: Comparable factors such as gender, age, income, race, or marital status.

e. Interests Match: Shared concerns or caring about a topic or idea.

f. Physical Trait Match: Similar body characteristics as others.

g. Social Status Match: Comparable achieved or perceived rank in a society.

h. Values Match: Similar principles and standards of living.

6. Convenience Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet will simplify or reduce the effort needed, it’s said to have a Convenience Value to the user. The five factors in this category are:

a. Accessibility Benefits: The ability to obtain, use, or enter something.

b. Communication Benefits: Simplifying the exchange of information.

c. Effort Reduction: Decreasing the actions or energy needed.

d. Organization Benefits: Improving the arrangement of items or information.

e. Time-Saving Benefits: Reducing the time needed to complete an action.

7. Performance Value

When a user believes that a lead magnet will result in something being better or faster, it’s said to have a Performance Value to the user. The three factors in this category are:

a. Efficiency Benefits: Improving results and/or reducing the work needed to achieve a result.

b. Quality Improvement: Increasing the standards or attributes in comparison to other things.

c. Scalability Benefits: Ability for positive growth.

When a user evaluates your lead magnet, they will typically use a minimum of two perceived value factors to make a decision on whether to submit their contact information in exchange for the gift. For that reason, in the list of 138 lead magnets later in the article, I’ve listed the two most popular perceived values for each free gift.

For example, if you were giving away a checklist called “Guaranteed Method to Request and Receive a Big Salary Increase”, the user may weigh the Economic Value factor of financial growth, the Emotional Value with a feeling of satisfaction about being paid fairly, and the Knowledge Value of learning the procedural solution to ask for a raise.

The more perceived value that you can add to a lead magnet, the more likely that you’ll have a successful conversion of a user providing their contact information.

138 Lead Magnets to Grow Your Email List

With a simple Google search, you’ll find many lists of lead magnets with a handful or a couple of dozen ideas. For your convenience, I’ve researched many articles and consolidated any useful lead generation tools into a comprehensive list of 138 lead magnets.

But I didn’t stop there. For the long lists that I discovered, it was frustrating that there was no classification or categorization of the list of tools, but rather they were alphabetical, random order, or listed in an order chosen by the author. So, I created a classification system for lead magnets.

Based on common marketing goals, I felt that all of the freebies could be classified into one of six marketing goals for lead magnets:

CONNECT: The gift is being used to connect a community together.
EDUCATE: The tool’s purpose is to teach the user a lesson.
ENRICH: The freebie is used to help enrich the lifestyle of the user.
ENTERTAIN: The gift’s intention is to create a positive impression with the user by entertaining them.
INSPIRE: The lead magnet was created as a source of inspiration for the user.
PERSUADE: The purpose of the gift is to convince the user to take an action, which is typically related to sales.

Combining the “6 Marketing Goals of Lead Magnets” and “7 Categories of Perceived Values”, I present you with the ultimate list of 138 lead magnets! Although I’ve listed each lead magnet under a primary marketing goal, in reality, a lead magnet could be classified under multiple marketing goals. Therefore, each lead generation tool is listed under its most common marketing goal, but not exclusive to that goal.

BONUS PDF: Click to download the 138 Lead Magnets in a PDF

A. MARKETING GOAL: CONNECT

These lead magnets will help you create and grow a community where you can engage with your audience, build relationships, and provide a direct communication channel.

Event Tickets: Free tickets to an event hosted or sponsored by your brand which allows for networking and socializing. Perceived Values: Belongingness & Economic
Group Access on a Social Network (Private): Access to a private community on a social network, such as Facebook Groups. Perceived Values: Belongingness, Individual
Group Access on a Social Network (Public): Access to a public community on a social network, such as LinkedIn Groups. Perceived Values: Belongingness, Knowledge
Membership for Life: Free membership status to your private community with no renewal needed. Perceived Values: Belongingness, Individual
Membership Site: An account to an online site that requires a membership account to access the information and features. Perceived Values: Belongingness, Individual
Online Community Access: Free account to access an online community that you’ve built. Perceived Values: Belongingness, Convenience
Slack Group (or similar): An invitation to join a group chat channel on the popular cloud-based collaboration hub called Slack, or a similar community. Perceived Values: Belongingness, Individual

B. MARKETING GOAL: EDUCATE

With over 65 options, this is the most popular type of lead magnet. It’s used to built trust with your prospects about your expertise on a specific topic or in a field of study.

AMA (Ask Me Anything) Session: A question and answer session to engage and educate an audience. It’s been popular on Reddit but can also be conducted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other interactive mediums. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Archives: Provide access to your historical content for educational or reference purposes. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Best Practices: Lessons for your audience on the most practical, efficient, and common ways to succeed. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Blueprint (also Guidelines or Roadmap): A step-by-step reference tool on how to succeed. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Book ~ Audio: For users that prefer to listen rather than read, this tool is an audio version of the content of a book that you’ve published. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Book ~ eBook: An electronic version of a book that you’ve published, typically in a PDF format. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Book ~ Hard Copy or Paperback: A physical version of a book that you’ve published. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Boot Camp: A type of training course that focuses on gaining basic skills broken into intervals in an expedited format. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Calculator: An online tool to simplify financial, scientific, or fitness calculations. Perceived Values: Economic, Convenience
Calendar: A printed or digital version of a daily planning tool. Perceived Values: Convenience, Individual
Case Studies: Research that provides a problem and/or needs, a hypothesis, results, then a description of how a solution was created. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Catalog: An organized list of products or services with their descriptions and prices. Perceived Values: Convenience, Economic
Certification Program: A training program covering specific topics that prove a trainee’s competence based on evaluations during or immediately after the course. Perceived Values: Individual, Knowledge
Cheat Sheet: A reference tool with brief and concise notes about items, processes, or subjects. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Checklist: An organized list of things to do, steps to follow, or items to verify. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Coaching Session (free): Typically one-on-one customized training session to provide advice and accomplish performance improvements. Perceived Values: Individual, Knowledge
Consultation (free): A session with an expert to review challenges and get advice. Perceived Values: Individual, Knowledge
Example: An item that serves as a model or sample of the specified object. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Exclusive Interview: A question and answer session with a person of interest that is only published by one source and not shared. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Expert Access (interview or roundups): A discussion with one or more people who are an authority in a specific topic. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Expert Review: The summary of a topic by a subject matter expert who is an authority on a topic. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Generator: An online application programmed to create a specific item that will save time or simplify the skills needed to produce a result. Examples include apps that help you create a logo, write text, make graphics, edit content, or pick a random result. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Guide: A reference tool or book that provides direction and a course of action about a topic. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Handbook: A reference tool that provides facts and information on a specific subject. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Infographic: Short for “information graphic”, this visual tool is a combination of data presentation, storytelling using a theme, and images such as charts, diagrams, and icons. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Lessons Learned: A list of mistakes made and alternative methods to achieve success. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Lists: An inventory of related items organized by a specific sorting method. Most popular are Top 10 Lists, or other specifically-numbered groups of data. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Mind Map: A visual brainstorming tool for connecting and grouping ideas using graphical links (or branches) instead of a particular order. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Newsletter ~ Brand Information: A printed or digital report published with updates about an organization or brand. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Newsletter ~ Curated Content: A printed or digital report published with articles from third-party sources chosen for a specific reason. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Periodically-Released Content: Stories or information published in planned intervals (weekly, monthly, annually) or related to specific events. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Personal Tips: Advice and hints based on one’s own experiences. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Plan (Actionable Steps): A reference tool that provides step-by-step instruction and/or a schedule for accomplishing tasks. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Planner: A tool for documenting events or tasks to assist with organizing a schedule, addresses, or project. Perceived Values: Convenience, Individual
Podcast Episodes: Audio recordings (also referred to as a show) about a topic by a person, group, or brand. An alternative method for presenting content to people that are active, traveling, visually-impaired, or multitasking. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Predictions: An educated forecast (or best guess) about a topic or future event. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Process Flow Diagram: A visual tool that uses symbols and arrows to show the order, options, and relationships of connected steps to accomplish a business process or project. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Prompts / Questions To Ask: An interviewing technique of using strategically-planned questions that will help gather specific information from a person or group. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Quick-Start Guide: A reference tool with specific actions to help achieve initial success with a project or learning a topic. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Recipes ~ Food: A set of ingredients, instructions, and techniques to make a specific food or drink item. Perceived Values: Individual, Convenience
Recipes ~ Processes: A set of resources, instructions, and techniques to achieve a goal or complete a project. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Recommendations: Personal advice, reviews, and ratings about an item or topic the will assist others with finding the best solution. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Report: A documented summary of information that is presented in an organized format. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Resource List: An inventory of useful tools, apps, materials, or people that are organized by a specific sorting method. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Roundup: An article containing a collection of answers about a specific topic from subject matter experts. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Scorecard: A tool for tracking results or data about an event or progress towards a goal. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Script: A planned dialogue to follow during a call, interview, or speaking event. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Secret / Insider Knowledge: Information obtained from personal experiences or data collection that aren’t public knowledge. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
SlideShare / Slide Deck / Presentation Notes: A collection of presentation pages designed to share data, graphics, and multimedia about a topic. The term SlideShare is a branded content-sharing site acquired by LinkedIn in 2012, where slide deck is a generic term for a slideshow file. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Spreadsheet: A digital document with rows and columns that store data or use programming functions to make calculations, charts, and graphs. As a lead magnet, your brand can make a template by organizing common data and functions that solve a business challenge and result in saving your users time and effort to create their own analysis tools. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
State of the Industry: A detailed report on the current conditions, challenges, and trends within an area of business. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Summary / ”Cliff Notes” Version: A brief report with the highlights and important information about an original document, event, or topic. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Survey Results: The presentation of combined data collected from a sampling of individuals from the use of a questionnaire or similar polling method. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Swipe File: A collection of proven and helpful marketing materials such as ads, copywriting examples, emails, images, letters, sales collateral, target methods, and other useful assets to save time and effort. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Template: An outline, foundation, or sample of content to help build a customized document or marketing asset. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Timeline: A chronological list of events or steps that can be followed as a reference tool or project plan. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Toolkit: A collection of useful resources such as applications, lists, technology, templates, training, and websites. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Training ~ Course – Audio: A series of lessons about related topics presented using audio files. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Training ~ Course – Email: A series of lessons about related topics presented in emails sent at planned intervals. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Training ~ Course – Video: A series of lessons about related topics presented with videos, which may have supplemental material such as PDF downloads. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Training ~ Lesson – Audio: A single training session about a topic presented using an audio file. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Training ~ Lesson – Video: A single training session about a topic presented using a video, which may have supplemental material such as PDF downloads. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Tutorial: A training session that gives instructions but doesn’t test or check your learning comprehension. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Webinar: A web-based seminar, video conference, or training session for an audience of one or many participants. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Whitepaper: An extensive report sharing in-depth knowledge about a problem and how to solve it, especially as it relates to helping your audience make a sales decision. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Wishlist: An inventory of items that are desired by a person or target audience. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Worksheet / Workbook: A single spreadsheet (worksheet) or collection of spreadsheets (workbook) used for entering data and performing calculations. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Workshop: A training session that involves plenty of hands-on exercises to help learn and reinforce the lessons. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience

C. MARKETING GOAL: ENRICH

The uniqueness of these lead magnets is that they are given away to enrich the lives of the prospect. These gifts don’t fit under educating or selling but rather they’re just cool freebies that are interesting and helpful, which should create a positive impression and build trust with your audience.

Application ~ Mobile: A software program developed for a mobile device, tablet, or wearable device with a set of features beneficial to your target audience. Perceived Values: Convenience, Individual
Application ~ Software: A software program developed for computers with a set of features beneficial to your target audience. Perceived Values: Convenience, Economic
Application ~ Web: A software program developed to run inside a web browser or as an extension with a set of features beneficial to your target audience. Perceived Values: Convenience, Individual
Audio Version (blog or video): The conversion of a blog’s text or a video to an audio file for users with a preference to listen to content. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Bundled Content (audio, video and text): A collection of your best content grouped for a specific purpose or theme. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Content Upgrade (Bonus Content): Enhanced or advanced content related to the original content, such as a related checklist or PDF. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Contest ~ Free entry for a sweepstakes or drawing: The giveaway of prizes where all participants get free entry and winners are picked randomly. Perceived Values: Emotional, Economic
Contest ~ Raffle Entry / Chance to Win: The giveaway of prizes where participants pay a small fee for a numbered ticket that provides them an opportunity to win prizes if their ticket is randomly selected. Perceived Values: Emotional, Economic
Contest ~ Social Media: A giveaway of prizes where participants complete a specific set of actions on social media networks as the entry method, including but not limited to sharing a post, leaving a comment, using a hashtag, or submitting a photo. Perceived Values: Emotional, Economic
Desktop Wallpaper: A high-resolution image used as a decorative background image on the home screen of a computer or laptop, often with branding related to your organization. Perceived Values: Emotional, Economic
Event Recordings: Audio and/or video recordings of an event hosted or sponsored by your brand to capture valuable stories, content, training, and memories from the event. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Event Updates: Timely notifications about highlights and breaking news related to and event hosted or sponsored by your brand. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Fonts (free): Graphical typefaces that are beneficial to users to replicate characters and symbols related to your brand, or custom-made typefaces for users to enhance their own content. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional
Gated Content (articles, audio, video, files): Digital materials that require a user to submit information in a form or answer a series of questions before they can access the content. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Giveaway: Any free digital or physical item provided to a user, typically as part of a promotion. Perceived Values: Individual, Economic
Holiday Images for Social Media: High-resolution images customized with a specific holiday theme for users to consume, share, or edit for their own use. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional
Library Access (also Vault Access): Login credentials that provide entrance to exclusive online content from your brand. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Members-Only Content: Materials and information with access only by a group set up and approved by your brand, either for exclusivity or as a value-added service. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Belongingness
PDF Version: Digital content of your text and graphics in a commonly-used file format created Adobe, named for being a “portable document format”, that simplifies printing and file sharing. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Printable: A specially-formatted version of content that’s convenient for a user to print on standard paper sizes by minimizing the use of ink, optimizing the content on the page, and reducing the number of pages. Perceived Values: Convenience, Individual
Recording / Replay: Audio and/or video capture of an event to save valuable stories, content, training, and memories that users can access in the future. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Stock Images: Photographs of people, actions, animals, items, landscapes, or textures that evoke certain emotions. These images which may include your branding are given away with royal-free licensing for the user to share, reuse, or edit. Perceived Values: Economic, Emotional
Stock Video: Video clips of people, actions, animals, items, or landscapes that evoke certain emotions. These video clips which may include your branding are given away with royal-free licensing for the user to share, reuse, or edit. Perceived Values: Economic, Emotional
Transcript of video or audio (podcast): Conversion of the audio content from a video or audio clip to text for users that prefer to read the content. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience

D. MARKETING GOAL: ENTERTAIN

Using entertainment as a method for promoting your brand can be challenging due to the many ways that people can perceive the content. In your advertisements and social media posts, it’s easier to develop content for a campaign to create a positive impression. But with lead magnets, there are only a few popular methods to help entice a user to provide their contact information in exchange for the giveaway. If you’ve successfully used other entertainment lead magnets, we’d love to hear about them in the Comments section at the end of the article!

Comic Strip (Cartoon): Storytelling using a single image, multiple panels with images, or animation. Perceived Values: Emotional, Individual
Game ~ Online or Download: A digital application providing an interactive challenge in single or multiplayer environments. Perceived Values: Emotional, Individual
Quiz: A test of knowledge or questions about one’s attributes where the results are stored and displayed as either a score or report. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional

E. MARKETING GOAL: INSPIRE

The goal of providing an inspirational lead magnet is to motivate the prospect to make a positive change or get started with an improvement. Therefore, your free gift should be related to a common problem known about your target audience and provide an immediate reward with the lead magnet.

Challenge: A task, competition, or dare with a degree of difficulty suitable for the target audience. Perceived Values: Individual, Knowledge
Inspiration File: A collection of great ideas and examples saved in a digital file and shared to motivate others to replicate, alter, or improve upon them. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional
Quotes (text from a source): To repeat words from an author or speaker in order to motivate your target audience. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional

F. MARKETING GOAL: PERSUADE

When your goal for giving away an item is to convince the user to take an action or expedite their journey in your sales funnel, it’s best to use a lead magnet that helps persuade them. Many of these freebies are given away to prospects that are close to making a purchasing decision but need an added incentive to move forward.

Account Registration (free): Sign up as a user with no financial risks. Perceived Values: Economic, Emotional
Audit or Review (free): Professional analysis by a person or an automated tool that provides insights or identification of problems. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Performance
Book ~ Free chapter: Free access for the prospect to start reading the first chapter of a digital or physical book. Perceived Values: Economic, Knowledge
Branded Gift (also Swag): Any promotional item (pen, t-shirt, cup, etc.) with your logo on it to generate brand awareness. Perceived Values: Economic, Emotional
Brochures: An advertising document with information about your brand, products, or services. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Coming Soon Updates: A preview about the future release of information, products, or services. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Comparison Chart: A table or graphic that visualizes the similarities and differences between two or more options. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Convenience
Coupon / Discount: A certificate, code, or link that provides savings from the standard price. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Daily Deals: Savings opportunities that last for only 24 hours, with new deals offered each day of the week. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Demonstration ~ Product: A live or recorded presentation about a product’s benefits and how to use it. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Economic
Demonstration ~ Software: A presentation that’s live, recorded, or a simulation of a software application’s benefits and how to use it. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Economic
Early Bird Discount: A special savings offered to buyers who purchase an item prior to the normal purchase cycle or significantly before a deadline. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Early/Limited Product Access: The ability to acquire or use a product prior to the public release date, which may include all features or a beta version of the product while in development. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Flash Sale: A brief savings opportunity that typically lasts only a few hours or a sale that was not publicized in advance of its release. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Gamification ~ Badges, Levels, Digital Currency, etc.: A motivation technique to encourage users to reach goals by incorporating game-like features into the use of a product or service. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional
Launch Notifications: Periodic updates related to the release of product or service. Perceived Values: Convenience, Knowledge
Lite Version ~ Limited Access Version (free): The ability to acquire or use a product and only specific features that the brand has activated or developed. The goal is typically to entice the user to purchase the full-featured version in the future. Perceived Values: Economic, Convenience
Live Chat: Online access to a brand’s representative and the ability to have an interactive conversation. Perceived Values: Individual, Emotional
Loyalty Program: A rewards system where users can earn points, prizes, or credit using other tracking methods for their long-term use, purchases, visits, or interactions with a brand and its products and services. Perceived Values: Economic, Emotional
Manifesto: A published document by a person or group stating one’s views, opinions, intentions, beliefs, and policies about a certain topic. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Needs Analysis Call: Access to a professional who asks strategic questions about your problems, challenges, goals, objectives, and current resources to help identify opportunities to improve and grow. Perceived Values: Knowledge, Individual
Quote ~ Job / Project (free): A scope of work that includes the tasks, time, and cost to perform a project from start to finish. Perceived Values: Economic, Convenience
Quote ~ Price Estimate (free): A statement that includes the total cost and fees for a product or service based on the information known at the time of the estimate. Perceived Values: Economic, Convenience
Refer-a-Friend Bonus: An incentive that is earned after the user shares the contact information about a friend or after that friend activates the user’s personalized code. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Sample ~ Audio Clip: A snippet of the full audio file that provides a preview about the content. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Sample ~ Chapter: A single chapter from a multi-chapter publication that will provide the user with a preview of the quality and information about the complete content. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Sample ~ Product (sample size): A small quantity of a product that will help the user evaluate the quality, usefulness, and benefits of the full-sized version of the product. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Sample ~ Video/Clip: A snippet of the full video file that provides a preview about the content. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Shipping / Delivery (free): Credit or removal of shipping and/or delivery fees that saves money for the user. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Trailer ~ Audio: A strategically-edited clip that provides an enticing preview of the full audio file. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Trailer ~ Video: A strategically-edited clip that provides an enticing preview of the full-length video content. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Trial / Sneak Peek (free): Brief access to see or try a product or service, which may include limited features or time during the access period. Perceived Values: Economic, Individual
Waiting List: A queue of people that may be granted access or purchase rights to a product or service. Perceived Values: Economic, Emotional

Did you download our lead magnet yet about 138 Lead Magnets?

BONUS PDF: Click to download the 138 Lead Magnets in a PDF

How to Choose a Lead Magnet

With so many options to choose from for a lead magnet, picking the best one for your needs can be difficult. To help with your decision-making process, here’s a list of seven factors to consider when planning the development of a lead magnet:

Problem Solving: What is the problem or challenge that you want to solve for the user? By addressing a known problem for your target audience, you’ll attract more prospects with your lead magnet.
Marketing Goal: What is the conversion goal (or combined goals) that you want to achieve? Do you want to connect, educate, enrich, entertain, inspire, and/or persuade?
Immediate Reward: What is the perceived value or primary reward of the gift? The freebie will be most effective and enticing if it can provide a quick win in their mind—one with little effort but an immediate and helpful benefit.
Be Specific: If your lead magnet or its content is too generic, it might not be unique enough to have a high perceived value. By analyzing and knowing your target audiences’ needs, you can be more specific about the features, benefits, and value provided by the gift, thus increasing its worth in their minds.
Instant Access: The best practice for an effective lead magnet is to make it available to the user once you acquire their contact information. Immediately provide access to the freebie in the form of an email or link for a digital gift or by promptly presenting or sending the physical gift to the user.
Align Branding: Make sure that the lead magnet matches your branding guidelines and strategy in terms of the physical characteristics, quality, and messaging.
Integrate Touchpoints: If possible, develop the lead magnet with at least one touchpoint—a method to interact with your brand—such as a domain name, landing page URL, phone number, social network username or handle, hashtag, email address, or storefront address.

Next Steps

With your new lead generation skills and knowledge, here’s a challenge:

Pick a deadline when to launch a new lead magnet to grow your email list as a lead generation technique.
Review the “How to Choose a Lead Magnet” section for tips on which type of lead magnet to select.
For tips on building a lead magnet from existing content, read our article “How to Repurpose Your Content“.
Start the development of your lead magnet.
Start the development of a landing page to host the lead capture form.
Launch your lead magnet and landing page.
For tips on how to spread the word about your lead magnet using blog content, read our article “63 Top Tactics to Promote Your Blog Posts“.
If you need help developing a strategic marketing plan, feel free to contact us about our coaching services or explore our online marketing courses.

Related Resources

As additional assistance with evaluating, planning, developing, and implementing a lead magnet, here’s a curated list of resources to help you in your journey:

30 “Elements of Value” to consider when planning the perceived value of your lead magnet (Harvard Business Review)
How to Create a Lead Magnet & 9 Awesome Examples to Inspire You (IMPACT)
101 Highly Effective Lead Magnet Ideas to Grow Your Email List (Entice)
69 Highly Effective Lead Magnet Ideas to Grow Your Email List (OptinMonster)
15 Lead Magnet Landing Page Examples to Review (Instapage)

Conclusion

One of the best ways to grow your email list and attract new prospects is to offer a lead magnet, or free gift, in exchange for a person’s contact information. Not all lead magnets are equal in the minds of your target audience, so develop a freebie that has high perceived value. To help with analyzing the perception of a lead magnet, use our list of seven categories of perceived values: Economic Value, Emotional Value, Individual Value, Knowledge Value, Belongingness Value, Convenience Value, and Performance Value.

In addition, it’s important to choose a lead magnet that meets one or more of the 6 Marketing Goals for Lead Magnets: Connect, Educate, Enrich, Entertain, Inspire, and/or Persuade. Our list of 138 lead magnets is categorized by the primary marketing goal plus we list the two most popular perceived values of each freebie.

When planning the development of a lead magnet, we recommend considering seven factors which include creating a gift that solves a problem, achieves a marketing goal, provides an immediate reward, is specific in its content, becomes instantly accessible, aligns with your branding, and integrates at least one touchpoint.

What lead magnet has been most effective for you that you would recommend to other readers? Please share your favorite lead magnet in the Comments & Discussion section below.

COMMENTS & DISCUSSION: