LeadMagnetGeniusFormat: One-on-one consultation (phone/Zoom) or a personalized audit/report
Why it attracts: If you offer a service or high-ticket product, sometimes the best lead magnet is a taste of your expert one-on-one advice. A free 15-30 minute consultation (or an offer to audit something like a website, marketing plan, etc.) can pull in highly qualified prospects who are serious about solving a problem. It’s essentially offering your time/expertise for free initially, which can lead to a client engagement.
Example: A marketing agency could advertise a “Free 20-Minute SEO Audit – We’ll Review Your Website Live”. Interested businesses fill a form (with their email, website URL, maybe a couple questions about their goals) to schedule the call. On the call, you give them some actionable pointers and of course point out how your agency could help further. Another example: A personal stylist might offer a “Free Closet Makeover Consultation” via video chat to give quick personalized tips, which can lead into pitching her paid styling services.
Tips to execute: - Be clear on the scope and limit of the free consult to avoid people abusing it. For instance, “15-minute consult” or “one per company, limited slots each month”. - Pre-qualify if needed: If only certain prospects are your ideal (say, businesses of a certain size), you could embed a question or two in the sign-up like “What’s your biggest challenge?” to gauge fit. In some cases, after they sign up, you might gently direct those not ready to a different resource, but that’s up to you. - Use an online calendar scheduling tool (Calendly, etc.) to let leads book a time slot easily after they opt in. That way you reduce the back-and-forth and capture them while interest is high. - During the consult, don’t treat it as a pure sales call. Deliver some genuine value: identify a quick win or insight for them. But also don’t do a full hour of free consulting unless that’s your model – stick to the promised time. End by suggesting next steps (e.g., “If you want help implementing these recommendations, we have a package…” or “We could dive deeper with a paid audit if you’re interested”). - If you prefer not to do live calls, an alternative is to offer a “free audit report.” They give info (or you find it online, like their website), and you deliver a short PDF or Loom video with your findings. This is a bit more work upfront, but can be impressive to the lead.
Consultations as a lead magnet work well because they are very personalized. The prospect feels they are getting individualized attention (which they are). Even if they don’t buy immediately, you’ve started a relationship and they might come back when ready. Keep in mind your time investment, though – ensure the leads you attract are likely to be high value to justify doing these free sessions.