If you want make practice growth easier, it’s time to start growing your email list with a Lead Magnet.
Sending out regular emails of high quality content is a great way to stay engaged with current clients and to expand relationships. But how can you take this to the next level and reach prospective clients with your email list?
What is a Lead Magnet?
A lead magnet is really any piece of content that gets a prospective client to share their name and email address with you in exchange for something they deem valuable. Contact information is currency.
Lead magnets will demonstrate your expertise, provide value to your clients, and start building trust with prospective clients. Good lead magnets will often serve as the primary driver to growing your email list and can also be used for paid ads when the goal is to get contact information.
What you need to get started
In order to create the system for lead magnets, you’re going to need a few things.
Your blog and your email marketing platform will work together to execute this task. You can create unique landing pages for your opt-ins, if you want to get fancy, but that is not necessary when you’re first getting started.
Start with keeping it as simple as possible and then iterate and improve as you go.
Here is an example of a dedicated landing page opt-in for your reference. This website is hosted on WordPress, as is the blog.
We use ConvertKit for our email marketing campaigns, so the form you see on the page there is created in ConvertKit and then embedded onto the webpage.
Below, you can see the PDF download attached to this opt-in. If you want the Financial Planner Toolkit shown below, feel free to fill out the form and download it.
How to create the lead magnet opt-in process
Start with creating your opt-in resource. If you’re providing a PDF, you can use a program like Canva to create the document and then attach it in your email program.
You can also have a graphic designer create the PDF for you, after you’ve created the content.
If you are investing the time to create a valuable piece of content that will remain relevant for a long period of time (we call this Evergreen content) it is worth the investment.
This is an example of a lead magnet we created in Canva. It is incredibly simple, just linking out to larger resources:
Click to enlarge the Lead Magnet.
Download the Financial Planner Toolkit here.
Relevance is essential
Create a blog post that is about the same topic as your opt-in.
It’s important that when people click into a blog post, the opt-in topic is the same. If it’s not, it won’t make any sense to the end user.
For example, if you’re providing a Budgeting checklist, your blog post could be about why Budgeting is important. The checklist becomes the natural next step for the reader to take action on the topic they are clearly interested in.
In this case, you can see a blog post that is about marketing tips for Advisors, which provides an opt-in to the Financial Advisor’s Marketing Guide. Relevance is key.
Connecting your blog and email marketing platform
Use your email marketing program to create the opt-in form.
In ConvertKit, which is what we use, they call these “Landing pages & Forms”.
You have the option to create an opt-in form that you can embed on your site and blog, or you can create an entire stand-alone page.
Within the form settings you can either direct someone to a URL or attach a download. Once they provide their name and email, they will be able to access their resource.
That’s it! It’s not overly complicated. Once you struggle through the process a few times, the dots will connect and you’ll be able to do this easily moving forward.
Ideally, you will create a nurture sequence in your email marketing campaign. After potential clients download your resource, they should continue to receive high-value drip content from you.
What ever email marketing platform you choose should have specific instructions that you can follow once you have created your PDF download.
Believe it or not, creating the lead magnet is often the hardest part of this process.
5 effective types of lead magnets for Financial Advisors
Here are five ideas to help you gain inspiration when creating your first Lead Magnets.
Financial Planning Guides and eBooks:
Offer comprehensive guides or eBooks that provide valuable insights into various aspects of financial planning. Topics could include retirement planning, investment strategies, tax planning, or any other area that aligns with your target audience’s interests. Ensure that the content is informative, easy to understand, and addresses common questions. You also have the Life Events list with 15 ideas provided previously in this chapter which is a great place to start, depending on your target audience.
Canadian Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers are eligible to start a 14-day Free Trial of Snap Projections financial planning software.
Budgeting Templates and Tools:
Provide practical tools that assist individuals in managing their finances. This could include budgeting templates, expense trackers, or financial planning calculators. These tools can help prospects take tangible steps toward better financial management while showcasing your expertise.
Exclusive Webinars or Workshops:
Host exclusive online webinars or workshops on relevant financial topics. Promote these events as valuable learning opportunities, and require attendees to provide their contact information to register. You can also ask clients and registrants to bring their friends and family. This approach not only captures leads but also positions you as an authoritative source of financial knowledge.
We use a platform called GoToWebinar for our webinars, but there are plenty of other options out there. It’s not perfect but it’s easy to use and provides the simple opt-in process to host the webinar and collect contact information. It also allows you to ask questions, run surveys, and provide handouts to your audience.
When prospective clients register for your webinars, the registration process will collect their information, so the lead magnet opt-in process is essentially happening in the same manner, without having to go through the full process as outlined above. Just remember that you will need to export your registrant list and add them to your nurture sequence manually, unless you’re using something like Zapier to create an automatic integration.
Retirement Planning Checklists:
Create downloadable checklists or guides specifically focused on retirement planning. Offer step-by-step guidance on key considerations, such as estimating retirement expenses, maximizing savings, and understanding pension options. A well-organized checklist can be a valuable resource for individuals approaching retirement.
Investment White Papers or Research Reports:
Develop in-depth white papers or research reports that dive into specific investment strategies, market trends, or economic analyses. Prospective clients interested in wealth management and investment advice may be attracted to these informative and data-driven resources. Ensure that the content is presented in a clear and accessible format.
When creating lead magnets, it’s essential to understand your target audience and tailor the content to their needs and preferences. Additionally, promote your lead magnets through various channels, including your website, social media, and email marketing, to maximize their reach and effectiveness.
Once you have created something, ask for feedback. Better yet, find out what your clients and prospects want, and create it for them. This can be done as easily as sending out an email or a quick survey to your current clients.
Additional resources
- Canadian Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers are eligible to start a 14-day Free Trial of Snap Projections financial planning software.
- Learn more about the SnapShot, a one-page financial plan report.
- 15 content ideas that will attract your ideal clients.
