| name | iblai-marketing-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 iblai-marketing-free-tool-strategy. For writing the actual content, see iblai-marketing-copywriting. For the email sequence after capture, see iblai-marketing-email-sequence. |
| globs | null |
| alwaysApply | false |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0"} |
/iblai-marketing-lead-magnets
Plan lead magnets that capture emails, generate qualified leads, and feed
product adoption.
Step 0: Context Check
Read .agents/product-marketing-context.md (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md
on older setups) first. Only ask for what isn't there.
Pull this context:
1. Business Context
- What the company does
- Ideal customer
- Problems the product solves
2. Current Lead Generation
- How leads are captured today
- Existing lead magnets or offers
- Current conversion rate on email capture
3. Content Assets
- Existing content to repurpose (blog posts, guides, data)
- Expertise you can package
- Templates or tools used internally
4. Goals
- Primary: email list growth, lead quality, or product education?
- Target buyer stage: awareness, consideration, decision?
- Timeline and resource constraints
Principles
- Solve a specific problem. One clear pain point, not a broad topic. "How to write cold emails that get replies" > "Marketing guide."
- Match the buyer stage. Awareness needs education. Consideration needs evaluation. Decision needs implementation help.
- High perceived value, low time investment. Should feel worth paying for. Consumable in under 30 minutes (ideally under 10). Immediate, actionable takeaway.
- Natural path to product. Solves a problem your product also solves. Creates awareness of a gap your product fills. Demonstrates expertise.
- Easy to consume. One clear format (don't mix ebook + video + spreadsheet). Works on mobile. No special software required.
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 |
Per-format creation guidance: references/format-guide.md.
Match Lead Magnets to Buyer Stage
Awareness
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
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
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 /iblai-marketing-free-tool-strategy) |
Gating Strategy
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 cuts conversion 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
- Social proof: "Downloaded by 5,000+ marketers"
- Reduce risk: "No spam. Unsubscribe anytime."
Form optimization: /iblai-marketing-form-cro. Popup implementation: /iblai-marketing-popup-cro.
Landing Page & Delivery
Landing Page Structure
- Headline — clear benefit: what they get and why it matters
- Preview/mockup — visual of the lead magnet (cover, screenshot, sample page)
- What's inside — 3-5 bullets of key takeaways
- Social proof — download count, testimonials, logos
- Form — minimal fields, clear CTA button
- FAQ — address hesitations (Is it really free? What format?)
Landing page optimization: /iblai-marketing-page-cro.
Delivery Methods
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|
| Instant download | Immediate gratification | No email verification |
| Email delivery | Verifies email, starts relationship | Slight delay |
| Thank you page + email | Best of both — instant access + email copy | Slightly more complex |
| Drip delivery | Builds habit, multiple touchpoints | Only for courses/series |
Thank You Page Optimization
Don't waste the thank you page. After conversion:
- Confirm delivery ("Check your inbox")
- Offer a next step (book a demo, start trial, join community)
- Share on social (pre-written tweet/post)
- Recommend related content
Promotion & Distribution
Blog CTAs & Content Upgrades
- Relevant CTAs within blog posts (inline, end-of-post)
- Post-specific content upgrades (bonus checklist for a how-to post)
- Content upgrades convert 2-5x better than generic sidebar CTAs
Exit-Intent & Popups
- Trigger on exit intent or scroll depth
- Match the popup offer to the page content
- See
/iblai-marketing-popup-cro for implementation
Social Media
- Share snippets and teasers from the lead magnet
- Carousel posts from key points
- Use the lead magnet as the CTA in your bio/profile
- See
/iblai-marketing-social-content for strategy
Paid Promotion
- Facebook/Instagram lead ads for top-funnel lead magnets
- Google Ads for high-intent lead magnets (templates, tools)
- LinkedIn for B2B lead magnets
- Retarget blog visitors with lead magnet ads
- See
/iblai-marketing-paid-ads for campaign strategy
Partner Co-Promotion
- Cross-promote with complementary brands
- Guest webinars with partner audiences
- Include in partner newsletters
- Bundle in resource collections
Measuring Success
Key Metrics
| Metric | What It Tells You | Benchmark |
|---|
| Landing page conversion rate | Offer attractiveness | 20-40% (warm traffic), 5-15% (cold) |
| Cost per lead | Acquisition efficiency | Varies by channel and industry |
| Lead-to-customer rate | Lead quality | 1-5% (B2B), varies widely |
| Email engagement | Content relevance | 30-50% open, 2-5% click |
| Time to conversion | Nurture effectiveness | Track by lead magnet source |
Benchmarks by format and industry: references/benchmarks.md.
A/B Testing Ideas
- Headline: benefit-focused vs. curiosity-driven
- Format: checklist vs. guide on the same topic
- Gate level: full gate vs. partial preview
- Form fields: email-only vs. email + name
- CTA copy: "Download Free Guide" vs. "Get Your Copy"
- Delivery: instant download vs. email delivery
Lead Quality Signals
A good lead magnet attracts quality leads if:
- Higher-than-average email engagement
- Leads progress to trial/demo at expected rates
- Low unsubscribe rate after delivery
- Leads match ICP demographics
Output Format
When building a lead magnet strategy, return:
1. Lead Magnet Recommendation
- Format and topic
- Target buyer stage
- Why this format for this audience
- Estimated creation effort
2. Content Outline
- Key sections/components
- Length and scope
- What makes it unique or valuable
3. Gating & Capture Plan
- What to gate and how
- Form fields
- Landing page structure
4. Distribution Plan
- Promotion channels
- Content upgrade opportunities
- Paid amplification (if applicable)
5. Measurement Plan
- KPIs and targets
- What to A/B test first
Task-Specific Questions
- What existing content or expertise could become a lead magnet?
- Where does your audience spend time online?
- Most common question prospects ask before buying?
- Email nurture sequence set up for new leads?
- Budget for design and promotion?
Related Skills
- iblai-marketing-free-tool-strategy: Interactive tools as lead magnets (calculators, graders, quizzes)
- iblai-marketing-copywriting: Writing the lead magnet content itself
- iblai-marketing-email-sequence: Nurture sequences after capture
- iblai-marketing-page-cro: Optimizing lead magnet landing pages
- iblai-marketing-popup-cro: Popup-based lead capture
- iblai-marketing-form-cro: Optimizing capture forms
- iblai-marketing-content-strategy: Content planning and topic selection
- iblai-marketing-analytics-tracking: Measuring lead magnet performance
- iblai-marketing-paid-ads: Paid promotion of lead magnets
- iblai-marketing-social-content: Social media promotion
