In the day and age of unreliable social media algorithms, relying on external channels for the majority of your marketing seems risky and unreliable.

However, building your email list is an integral part of any marketing strategy. It's easier than you think to create a lead magnet to help grow your email list. Today we're sharing why you need a captivating lead magnet and how it can help you grow your newsletter list, and ultimately, your business.

When you build your email marketing list, you’re building a catalog of prospective clients you can continually call upon to market your services.

In fact, consistent research proves that email marketing has a return on investment (ROI) of 122%. That’s over 4 times greater than other types of marketing, including social media, online ads, and direct mail marketing.

This is why building your email list should be a top priority on your marketing to-do list.

So how do you build your email marketing list?

Create an awesome lead magnet.

When we recently sat down with marketing expert Sheri Otto, who agrees about the importance of having a lead magnet on your website.

Otto told us, “Freebies or “lead magnets” initiate the marketing system and can do a lot of the pre-selling and framing for coaches. By the time a prospect has the opportunity to do a brief initial consultation, they should already be a warm lead. This leads to a higher conversion rate and shorter initial conversations.”

What Is a Lead Magnet?

A lead magnet is an incentive you offer those who visit your website to opt-in to your email list. It can be anything from a list of 10 nutrition or fitness tips, a meal planning template, a free ebook, and much more (see our format ideas below).

Sure, you could have a “sign up to receive my newsletter” form on your website, but someone is much more likely to provide their email address in order to receive something they want. That’s why offering something (anything!) in exchange for an email address has been shown to build email lists much faster.

Remember, when you build your email list, you’re building a roster of prospective clients who are telling you “Yes, I want to find out more about what you have to say!”

Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating your lead magnet:

• Provide value for your readers
• Present a solution to a problem your ideal client faces (and deliver)
• Be specific
• Position yourself as an expert

Types and Formats Of Lead Magnets

There are many types of effective lead magnets. In fact, you can even have more than 1 type of lead magnet on your website (but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

The most important question to ask yourself when deciding the type of lead magnet you will offer prospective clients is “Does my ideal client want this?”

If your dream client doesn’t want or need the type of lead magnet you’re thinking of offering, you’ll be slow to grow your email list full of prospective clients.

Your lead magnet should be easy to read, fun to engage with, and memorable.

Most common formats of lead magnets for health and wellness professionals:

• Checklist
• Meal plan or meal planning guide
• Recipe book
• Workout scheduler
• How to... series
• Infographic
• Video content
• And more

The format you choose for your lead magnet depends on your target client.

For example, busy moms may prefer something they can put to use immediately, like a meal planning guide or a checklist, over video content that they need to sit and consume.

Alternatively, if you’re working with athletes, they may benefit from a workout scheduler or a post-workout recipe e-book instead.

Think about the day-to-day of your ideal client to see what will help make their lives easier.

What to Include In Your Lead Magnet

Now that we've convinced you that a lead magnet is 100% necessary, and you thought about the format that is best for your ideal client, what should you include in your lead magnet?

Including these 3 things in your lead magnet will ensure you’re creating a piece of valuable content that your prospective clients will want:

1. Value: Will this information help your prospective client solve a problem?
2. Education: What is your prospective client learning from this piece of content?
3. Action item: What can your prospective client do RIGHT NOW to take action?

Where Can You Include Lead Magnets?

There are so many locations on your website real estate to include your lead magnet. Here are just a few:

• Top of your homepage
• Exit Pop Up (as users are leaving your website)
• Sidebar of blog or website
• Footer of your website
• Resources page
• Throughout or at the end of blog posts
• Social media posts

You can also showcase your lead magnet at events that you attend, such as conferences, presentations and health fairs. Bring a tablet or laptop to capture emails on the spot, with the offer of sending your lead magnet. It can help drive conversations and collect email addresses for prospective leads.

Your lead magnet may require some time upfront to create, but once done, it will continue to be an effective marketing tool to use in your wellness business.