How To Create Lead Magnets That Actually Work
Lead magnets are nothing new.
Coaches have been giving away free stuff for years.
Recipe books.
7-day meal plans.
Home workout guides.
Training programmes.
"10 high protein meals."
And there was probably a time where simply giving somebody a free PDF was enough to get their attention.
I dont think thats enough anymore.
Information is everywhere.
Someone can go onto Google, YouTube or ChatGPT right now and get 50 high protein recipes in seconds.
They can ask AI to create them a 4-day training programme.
They can find thousands of free workouts on Instagram.
So if your lead magnet is information they can get anywhere else, you've got to ask yourself:
Why would they give you their details for it?
A good lead magnet needs to do more.
Stop thinking "what can I give away for free?"
This is where most coaches start.
"I'll make a recipe book."
"I'll give them a free training plan."
"I'll make a guide on protein."
You're starting with the asset.
Start with the problem.
Go back to your DCP.
What are they struggling with right now?
What are they confused about?
What keeps happening?
What do they want to understand?
What small problem could you help them solve today that naturally connects to the bigger problem your coaching solves?
Thats where the idea should come from.
You aren't creating a freebie for the sake of having a lead magnet.
You're creating the first step towards solving their problem.
A lead magnet should create a small win
Your lead magnet shouldn't try to replace your entire coaching service.
It should help someone make progress.
Maybe they finally understand why their weight hasn't moved.
Maybe they identify whats actually stopping them progressing.
Maybe they leave with a personalised calorie target.
Maybe they discover which part of their training is holding them back.
Maybe they get a plan for navigating weekends without constantly starting again on Monday.
Maybe they complete an assessment and receive recommendations based on their answers.
The person should finish it feeling like:
"That was actually useful."
Because if the free experience is brilliant, what does that tell them about the paid one?
Make it specific
This is where your DCP work becomes incredibly useful again.
Compare:
Free Fat Loss Guide
with:
The Weekend Reset: How to enjoy Friday to Sunday without undoing your entire week
One is information.
The other speaks to a situation.
Compare:
Free Training Programme
with:
The Gym Progress Audit: Find out why your training has stalled and what you need to change
Again, theres a reason to interact with it.
Specific problems create stronger lead magnets because the right person immediately understands why they need it.
You dont need everyone downloading it.
You want the right people.
Make it interactive where you can
This is where I think lead magnets have become much more interesting.
A lead magnet doesn't have to be a PDF.
It could be:
A quiz
An assessment
A calculator
A scorecard
A personalised planner
A short video workshop
A mini challenge
An interactive tool
A diagnostic
A roadmap built around their answers
Now somebody isn't just consuming information.
They're participating.
And participation gives you something incredibly valuable.
Information about the lead.
Your lead magnet can qualify people too
This is where we start turning a free resource into an actual business asset.
Imagine somebody completes an assessment.
You ask them about:
Their goal.
What they're currently struggling with.
How long they've been trying.
What they've already tried.
What keeps getting in the way.
What kind of support they think they need.
Suddenly you know significantly more about that person than you would if they simply downloaded:
"20 High Protein Recipes."
And if you're collecting their name, Instagram handle, email or another contact method as part of that process, you've now got an actual lead.
Not just another anonymous viewer.
This is why I like lead magnets that provide value while also helping you understand the person using them.
Dont put a massive wall in front of the value
Theres a balance here.
If somebody clicks your lead magnet and immediately gets:
First name.
Surname.
Email.
Phone number.
Home address.
Date of birth.
National Insurance number 😂
They're leaving.
Give them a reason to continue.
Let them experience some of the value.
Create curiosity.
Get them invested in the process.
Then asking for information feels much more natural because theres something waiting on the other side.
The lead magnet should connect to your coaching
This is another place people get it wrong.
The lead magnet gets loads of downloads...
but none of the people are remotely interested in the service.
Thats not a particularly useful lead magnet.
The problem your lead magnet solves should naturally connect to the bigger problem your coaching solves.
If your coaching helps busy men in their 30s get back into shape without their life revolving around fitness, your lead magnet should probably live somewhere within that world.
If your coaching helps runners prepare for their first half marathon, build something around that journey.
If your DCP struggles with constantly starting and stopping diets, build something that helps them understand why that cycle keeps happening.
Free value should lead naturally towards paid help.
Not through some sleazy trick.
Simply because the problems are connected.
Think about what happens after they complete it
This is the bit that turns a lead magnet into lead generation.
Someone completes it.
What happens now?
Do they receive their result?
Do you give them recommendations?
Is there a CTA?
Can they message you?
Do you follow them up?
Can you start a conversation based on their answers?
Have you actually created a next step?
Because getting 100 people to download something and then doing absolutely nothing with those people is just another vanity metric.
The lead magnet isn't the finish line.
Its the conversation starter.
Give people a reason to actually want it
Before you build anything, ask yourself:
Would my DCP actually want this?
Not:
"Is this useful?"
Lots of things are useful.
Your DCP probably knows drinking more water is useful.
That doesn't mean they're giving you their phone number for:
"Josh's Ultimate Hydration Guide."
There needs to be enough curiosity, relevance or immediate benefit for somebody to take action.
The name matters.
The problem matters.
The outcome matters.
The format matters.
The experience matters.
Build an asset, not another PDF
This is how I want you thinking about lead magnets inside Axis Foundations.
You're not creating something because somebody on Instagram told you that you need a freebie.
You're building something that can work for your business 24/7.
Someone discovers your content.
They visit your profile.
They see a resource that speaks directly to a problem they're currently experiencing.
They click.
They get value.
You learn more about them.
They become a lead.
Now theres an opportunity for a conversation.
Thats a system.
And suddenly your link in bio isn't just:
"Book a call."
Which is a huge jump for somebody who discovered you 30 seconds ago.
You've created a lower barrier to entry.
Start here
Go back to your DCP and write down five problems they regularly experience.
Not five topics.
Five problems.
Then ask yourself which of those problems you could help them understand, diagnose or make progress with in 5-10 minutes.
Thats where I'd start looking for your lead magnet.
Dont worry about making it massive.
Dont try to give away everything you know.
And dont default to another recipe book just because its easy to make.
Create something your DCP sees and immediately thinks:
"I need to do that."
Then make the experience good enough that when they're finished, they want to know what else you can help them with.
Thats a lead magnet that actually does its job.