How to Build An Irresistible Lead Magnet (7-step framework):
A lead magnet is a fancy name for something we give to our audience (for free) in exchange for their email address.
It could be an ebook, guide, planner, template, or mini-course.
But, here's the thing...
99% of the lead magnets I see online are trash.
Most founders/brands put little to no effort into them.
Why are they doing this?
It’s because they don't see the importance of making it special (their lead magnet) if they're not making much money from it.
And in return:
They lose trust
They lose subscribers
And then they wonder why their list is shrinking and their income is stagnant.
The purpose of the lead magnet is to deepen your relationship with the person so they are one step closer to being ready to buy from you.
When you produce a flimsy, rushed lead magnet, you do the opposite.
You get nowhere (don't be like these people).
This might shock you, but it’s actually worse to have a weak lead magnet than no lead magnet at all.
Here's why:
When people consume a low-quality lead magnet, they make assumptions that your main offer will be just as disappointing.
Instead, follow the same process I use to build mine.
This exact system has helped me add 1,500+ people to my email list in the last 8 months.
My 7-Step Lead Magnet Blueprint
All the steps you need to build a world-class lead magnet in one central hub.
1) Pricing Power
With your lead magnet, you have 2 options:
Make it free
Make it paid
Let’s break each option down so you know what’s best for your business.
Option 1: Free Lead Magnet
The upside:
Easy to get people to sign up (frictionless)
You’ll add new subscribers (fast)
The downside:
Frictionless = you’ll attract freebie hunters
Freebie hunters don’t engage with your content
Which means they definitely won't buy from you.
To be blunt, your list will get clogged up with the wrong people.
Conclusion:
When I first started, I abused this strategy, and although it did help me build my list faster, I soon realized the truth.
Without a lil’ friction, you’ll attract the wrong crowd.
Moving onto the superior option...
Option 2: Paid Lead Magnet
With a paid lead magnet, there are 3 main things to consider:
1) Price
Make it an impulse buy.
Ideal range: $20-30
It’s reasonable enough for people to let their impulses pull the “buy” trigger and adds enough friction to filter out those dreaded freebie-hunters.
2) The problem it solves
Keep it relevant.
Example:
If you sell a graphic design service/product, your newsletter should also be about graphic design tips & tricks, and so should your lead magnet.
You may be passionate about productivity, but this doesn’t mean you should create a productivity ebook (I mean, you can, but it won’t generate piping-hot leads).
Keep it cohesive.
People will flow through your funnel naturally & effortlessly.
Social Content ➝ Paid Lead Magnet ➝ Newsletter ➝ Core Offer
Bonus tip:
Many email service providers (e.g. Kit) have built-in product pages so you can collect customer email addresses and add them to your list without lifting a finger.
The more products you sell, the more happy email subscribers you get.
Simple.
3) Over-deliver
If somebody buys your $20 product and it helps them solve a painful, stubborn problem they’ve been having…
They’ll be putty in your hands.
Why?
Reciprocity.
The more you under-promise & over-deliver with your customers, the more trust & reciprocity you’ll build.
Don’t promise the world with your lead magnet, instead, promise a tangible result.
Then knock them off their feet with the (extra) unexpected value inside it.
Never overlook the power of a pleasant surprise.
2) Create an irresistible offer
Your lead magnet needs a value proposition that your ideal customers can't ignore.
To craft one:
1) Identify your dream customer's biggest pain point or goal related to your core offering
Example:
If you sell tax accounting services, your lead magnet should naturally lead people to your core services, such as a “free tax planner.”
Think “quick win.”
Determine how your lead magnet will solve that pain point or help them achieve that goal.
Distil it into a clear, specific one-sentence value prop, e.g. "A simple 5-step system to find 200 content ideas in 20 minutes."
2) Outline your lead magnet's content (I call this “building a skeleton”)
Introduction:
Hook readers. Empathize with their problem. Promise a solution.
3-7 steps/tips/techniques:
Humans can typically hold no more than 7 pieces of information in their short-term memory at any given time. It’s best to keep your tips/steps at a maximum of 7.
Keep each section focused and actionable.
This is the meat of the lead magnet.
Conclusion:
Recap key takeaways and point to your core offering as the next step.
What CTA will you include at the end of your lead magnet?
What’s the next step you want your customers to take?
Resources:
Link to tools, templates or examples mentioned in the lead magnet.
3) Delivery Mechanism
Your next job is to decide how you’ll deliver your lead magnet.
Avoid high-effort, high-friction methods like video courses or long form training videos.
Instead, I recommend using something you can get started with straight away with minimal time & resources.
The priority is to get this thing out there.
Get it launched.
I recommend one of these 3 delivery mechanisms:
1) Ebook Model
This is where you write your lead magnet out, and make it more appealing with design software like Canva or Figma (you don’t have to be a design wizard, a tiny bit of effort will go a long way).
When you’re done and happy with it, download it as a PDF file.
2) Notion System
This is where you build out your entire lead magnet in a Notion page, then publish it. This is a fast, easy & simple way to build your lead magnet and share it with the world.
When you’ve finished building your Notion system, you simply hit “publish.”
I’ll walk you through how to do this in step X.
3) Hybrid Model
This is by far my favourite.
It’s simple:
Create an Ebook.
Then, create a notion system to provide additional resources that make the ebook experience better.
Why use this approach?
Some ideas/steps/resources are easier to organize & present in Notion than they are in an Ebook (PDF).
Here’s what I mean:
I launched an Ebook last October, but many of the things I wanted to include functioned better in Notion (prompts, templates, tables, etc.)
This is because Notion allows the viewer to duplicate the material into their own personal Notion account.
This saves them time having to copy out or recreate the items themselves.
Make sense?
4) Content Style
Once you’ve chosen your delivery mechanism, there are 3 main “styles” of lead magnets that convert like crazy.
If you haven't already chosen a style while you were producing your lead magnet skeleton/outline, now's the time to get clear on it.
The 3 main styles:
1) The Problem Revealer
Help your audience find a hidden problem (and position your product as the solution).
Example:
"5 audience-building mistakes founders make on LinkedIn"
2) The Sample
Give a small taste of your paid offering, leaving them wanting more.
Example:
Give away one complete lesson of your paid course.
3) The Quick Win
Provides a specific, achievable result in a short timeframe.
Example:
"Steal my proven system to find 100 content ideas in 25 minutes"
Once you've chosen your type, decide on the best format for delivering your lead magnet.
Some popular options include checklists, templates & ebooks.
Remember: Longer isn't better.
Instead, aim for a high ideas-to-words ratio.
Think:
"What's the most useful, low-friction way for my audience to use this?"
5) Leverage AI to create a first draft
Take your one-sentence value prop, content skeleton, and all relevant/helpful information and paste them into your AI writing assistant of choice (like ChatGPT or Claude).
This prompt will create a first draft of your lead magnet for you.
How to use it:
1) Copy the prompt 2) Paste it into ChatGPT 3) Follow the steps in the prompt
You’ll need to provide:
Your one-sentence value proposition
Your lead magnet skeleton
All additional relevant information
Remember: The more effort you put into your input (prompt), the better your output will be (AI's response).
The key to a successful lead magnet is to put yourself in your dream customer's shoes.
By this point, you should have a solid lead magnet taking shape.
To recap, your lead magnet should be:
1) Desirable/relevant to your target audience 2) Insanely valuable (they'd be willing to pay triple for it) 3) Provides a complete solution to a painful, narrow problem
Ask yourself, "What would be so irresistible and undeniable they just can't say no?"
Many people make the mistake of trying to make the lead magnet a "half solution."
They don't give away the entire solution, which is unsatisfying for the customer. Instead, your lead magnet should solve a complete problem for the reader.
Bad lead magnet example:
Give away the first 4 minutes of a 20-minute masterclass
Good lead magnet example:
Hyper-specific checklist for optimizing your LinkedIn profile
If your lead magnet passed the Value Bomb test, progress onto Step 7.
7) Release your inner copywriter
Read through the AI draft and edit it ruthlessly to make it shine.
Things to look out for:
Ensure the content delivers on the value proposition
Elaborate on points that need more detail
Add examples, charts, or images to illustrate key concepts
Include linked resources like templates, workbooks, or tools
Make the language more engaging with stories, analogies, and a direct tone
Cut any fluff or tangents, every paragraph should be valuable
Add prompts or exercises to make it interactive
Proofread for clarity and flow
Bonus: Technical Tips
1) How to publish your ebook
In your hosting platform of choice (I use Kit, formerly known as ConvertKit), upload your PDF file to your product page and hit publish.
It’s really that simple.
2) How to publish your notion system
Create a new Notion page and paste in your new lead magnet text.
Then use Notion's block types and commands to format it:
Break up long text with headings, bullets, and numbered lists
Add a table of contents block to enable easy navigation
Embed example images, videos and resources
Use color and highlights to emphasize key points
Create separate pages for bonus resources and link to them
Configure a clean, minimalist page style
When the structure and formatting are complete, set the page to "Public Access" so anyone with the link can view it.
How to do it:
a) Hover over the “Share” button in the top right of your Notion page
b) Select “Publish”
c) Then press “Publish” again
d) Press the link symbol to copy your site link
This will be how your customers access the Notion System once they’ve paid for it.
3) How to promote your lead magnet
The more people see your lead magnet, the more subscribers you get (and the more money you make).
Here's how I promote my lead magnets:
On LinkedIn: Share it in your featured profile section and under each relevant post
On Instagram: Use tools like ManyChat to run regular lead magnet giveaways
On Threads: Feature it in your profile and use tools like BlackTwist to automatically plug it when a post gets traction
In your newsletter & welcome sequence: Include CTAs to your lead magnet in your newsletter & welcome sequence.
Some of your new subscribers may have joined your list directly through your signup form (without knowing you have a value-packed lead magnet waiting to be purchased).
Here’s me promoting my lead magnet in my newsletter:
Here’s me promoting my lead magnet in my welcome sequence:
The introduction
Social proof
More social proof
Offer stack & Call-to-Action
Also, include your newsletter signup form inside the Notion page or ebook to capture leads.
Always Remember
Your goal is to get your customers from A-B in record time.
Your lead magnet should solve a narrow problem as fast as possible.
Don't try to impress people with tons of information (trust me, I’ve made this mistake in the past).
You want to help people get from point A (problem) to point B (dream outcome) as fast as you can.
That's how you build trust. People want simplicity.
They don't care how knowledgeable you are.
They care about 2 things:
"Can you solve my problem?"
"How fast can you do it?"
When you've created your lead magnet, study it and remove everything that doesn't need to be there.
People want concise, digestible information to solve their pain NOW.
Provide quick wins and you're audience will thank you.
That's it for today's Writing Protocol
But before you go...
If you enjoyed this one, you'll love my upcoming course.
The Thought Leader Funnel ($36)
It contains the same frameworks I use for myself & my clients (LinkedIn & Threads founders).
The course is split into 3 phases:
Official Launch Date:February 14th (Valentine's Day)
Anyway, that's all from me.
Keep creating, testing, and refining.
I'll see you in a few days.
Morgan
PS - In the meantime, there are 2 ways I can help you:
