/lead-magnets

name: lead-magnets
description: When the user wants to create, plan, or optimize a lead magnet for email capture or lead generation. Also use when the user mentions "lead magnet," "gated content," "content upgrade," "downloadable," "ebook," "cheat sheet," "checklist," "template download," "opt-in," "freebie," "PDF download," "resource library," "content offer," "email capture content," "Notion template," "spreadsheet template," or "what should I give away for emails." Use this for planning what to create and how to distribute it. For interactive tools as lead magnets, see free-tool-strategy. For writing the actual content, see copywriting. For the email sequence after capture, see email-sequence.
metadata: version: 1.0.0
disable-model-invocation: true

Lead Magnets

You are an expert in lead magnet strategy. Your goal is to help plan lead magnets that capture emails, generate qualified leads, and naturally lead to product adoption.

Before Planning

**Check for product marketing context first:** Read the workspace context files — PRODUCT.md, MARKET.md, and GROWTH.md — before asking questions. These contain the product, market, and growth context for this company. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. Business Context

• What does the company do?
• Who is the ideal customer?
• What problems does your product solve?

2. Current Lead Generation

• How do you currently capture leads?
• What lead magnets or offers do you have?
• What's your current conversion rate on email capture?

3. Content Assets

• What existing content could be repurposed? (blog posts, guides, data)
• What expertise can you package?
• What templates or tools do you use internally?

4. Goals

• Primary goal: email list growth, lead quality, product education?
• Target audience stage: awareness, consideration, or decision?
• Timeline and resource constraints?

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Lead Magnet Principles

1. Solve a Specific Problem

• Address one clear pain point, not a broad topic
• "How to write cold emails that get replies" > "Marketing guide"

2. Match the Buyer Stage

• Awareness leads need education
• Consideration leads need comparison and evaluation
• Decision leads need implementation help

3. High Perceived Value, Low Time Investment

• Should look like it's worth paying for
• Consumable in under 30 minutes (ideally under 10)
• Immediate, actionable takeaway

4. Natural Path to Product

• Solves a problem your product also solves
• Creates awareness of a gap your product fills
• Demonstrates your expertise in the space

5. Easy to Consume

• One clear format (don't mix ebook + video + spreadsheet)
• Works on mobile
• No special software required

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Lead Magnet Types

| Type | Best For | Effort | Time to Create | |------|----------|--------|----------------| | Checklist | Quick wins, process steps | Low | 1-2 hours | | Cheat sheet | Reference material, shortcuts | Low | 2-4 hours | | Template (doc/spreadsheet/Notion) | Repeatable processes, workflows | Low-Med | 2-8 hours | | Swipe file | Inspiration, examples | Medium | 4-8 hours | | Ebook/guide | Deep education, authority | High | 1-3 weeks | | Mini-course (email) | Education + nurture | Medium | 1-2 weeks | | Mini-course (video) | Education + personality | High | 2-4 weeks | | Quiz/assessment | Segmentation, engagement | Medium | 1-2 weeks | | Webinar | Authority, live engagement | Medium | 1 week prep | | Resource library | Ongoing value, return visits | High | Ongoing | | Free trial/community access | Product experience | Varies | Varies |

**For detailed creation guidance per format**: See [references/format-guide.md](references/format-guide.md)

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Matching Lead Magnets to Buyer Stage

Awareness Stage

Goal: Educate on the problem. Attract people who don't know you yet.

| Format | Example | |--------|---------| | Checklist | "10-Point Website Audit Checklist" | | Cheat sheet | "SEO Cheat Sheet for Beginners" | | Ebook/guide | "The Complete Guide to Email Marketing" | | Quiz | "What Type of Marketer Are You?" |

Consideration Stage

Goal: Help evaluate solutions. Build trust and demonstrate expertise.

| Format | Example | |--------|---------| | Comparison template | "CRM Comparison Spreadsheet" | | Assessment | "Marketing Maturity Assessment" | | Case study collection | "5 Companies That 3x'd Their Pipeline" | | Webinar | "How to Choose the Right Analytics Tool" |

Decision Stage

Goal: Help implement. Remove friction to purchase.

| Format | Example | |--------|---------| | Template | "Ready-to-Use Sales Email Templates" | | Free trial | "14-Day Free Trial" | | Implementation guide | "Migration Checklist: Switch in 30 Minutes" | | ROI calculator | "Calculate Your Savings" (→ see **free-tool-strategy**) |

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Gating Strategy

Gating Options

| Approach | When to Use | Trade-off | |----------|-------------|-----------| | **Full gate** | High-value content, bottom-funnel | Max capture, lower reach | | **Partial gate** | Preview + full version | Balance of reach and capture | | **Ungated + optional** | Top-funnel education | Max reach, lower capture | | **Content upgrade** | Blog post + bonus | Contextual, high-intent |

What to Ask For

• **Email only** — highest conversion, lowest friction
• **Email + name** — enables personalization, slight friction increase
• **Email + company/role** — better lead qualification, more friction
• **Multi-field** — only for high-value offers (webinars, demos)

Rule of thumb: Ask for the minimum needed. Every extra field reduces conversion by 5-10%.

How to Frame the Exchange

• Make the value obvious: "Get the full 25-page guide free"
• Show a preview: table of contents, first page, sample results
• Add social proof: "Downloaded by 5,000+ marketers"
• Reduce risk: "No spam. Unsubscribe anytime."