Create a Lead Magnet

Imagine someone just discovered your blog or found you on Twitter. They like your vibe. But… they’re not ready to buy anything.
They need time. They need to trust you.

That’s where a lead magnet comes in.

A lead magnet is a free gift you offer in exchange for someone’s email.
It helps you:

Build your list (aka your own audience)
Start conversations off-platform (no algorithms)
Create goodwill before selling

And the best part? You don’t need to be a designer, coder, or writer to make one.

What Makes a Great Lead Magnet

A good lead magnet doesn’t have to be fancy. But it does need to be:

Criteria	Explanation
Specific	Solve one tiny problem, not ten. Clarity beats comprehensiveness.
Quick to consume	A checklist, swipe file, or 1-page guide often works better than a 30-page eBook.
Actionable	Give the reader a clear “win” in 5–10 minutes.
Aligned with your future offer	It should attract the same people who might later buy from you.

💡 Pro tip: If your lead magnet is too broad or too complex, people won’t finish it. And if they don’t finish it, they won’t trust you enough to buy.

Examples of Beginner-Friendly Lead Magnets

Here are some low-effort but high-value ideas — perfect if you’re a solopreneur just starting out:

Format	Example
Checklist	“5 Things You Need Before Launching Your First Digital Product”
Swipe file	“10 Cold Email Templates to Land Your First Client”
1-Page Guide	“How to Price Your First Freelance Offer”
Toolkit	“Starter Pack: Tools I Use to Run My 1-Person Business”
Mini eBook	“How I Made My First $100 Online — Step-by-Step”
Template	“Notion Template for Weekly Planning as a Solopreneur”

The best ones? Often the ones based on your real process or something you wish you had when starting out.

The Simple Lead Magnet Formula

You can use this basic 3-step framework:

Step 1 — Pick a Pain Point

What’s one small but annoying problem your audience faces?

Examples:

“I want to freelance but don’t know how to reach clients.”
“I want to start a side hustle but don’t have time.”
“I want to create content but don’t know what to post.”

Pick one.

Step 2 — Offer a Fast Win

Now create something that helps them get one result:

Draft 5 post ideas in 10 minutes
Create a pricing sheet without overthinking
Get their first subscriber this week

You’re not solving their whole life — just one meaningful step forward.

Step 3 — Wrap It and Ship It

Keep it lightweight:

Google Doc → Save as PDF
Canva → Design a simple visual guide
Notion → Share a free template
Gumroad → Host your download + email capture
Beehiiv → Use built-in landing pages for list-building

You can literally go from idea to live lead magnet in a day.

Tools to Build Your Lead Magnet (Free & Easy)

Here are beginner tools I use (and recommend) for building & delivering your lead magnet:

Need	Tool	Why It Works
Writing	Google Docs	Clean, simple, downloadable
Design	Canva	Free templates for ebooks, guides, checklists
Hosting	Gumroad	Host free product and collect email addresses
Email List	Beehiiv / MailerLite	Great free tiers to build and send automated emails
Landing Page	Beehiiv / Carrd	Build a simple opt-in page with zero code

You don’t need all of them. Just choose 1 tool to write, and 1 tool to deliver.

Connect the Dots — Lead Magnet → Email List

This is what it looks like in action:

Visitor lands on your blog
Sees your freebie offer: “Download my swipe file for getting your first freelance client”
Clicks → enters email → gets the free download
You now have their email (and permission to keep in touch)

From here, your next job is to welcome them, help them, and eventually offer your paid product.

My First Lead Magnet (What I Did Right & Wrong)

When I first created a lead magnet, I made a 20-page mini ebook. It looked great.
But… no one downloaded it.

Why?

It was too long
It wasn’t specific
It didn’t match what my readers were struggling with

When I switched to a 1-page swipe file, everything changed.

It took 2 hours to make.
It delivered one quick win.
It converted 10x better.

What You Can Build Today (Even If You’re Busy)

If you’ve published even 3 blog posts, you already have ideas.

Here’s how to find one:

Look at your blog traffic: What’s your top post?
Check your DMs: What questions do people ask you?
Review your process: What shortcut have you created for yourself?

Pick one. Build it. Ship it.

The best lead magnet is the one you finish.

Final Words: You Only Need One

You don’t need 5 freebies. You don’t need fancy funnels.

You just need one helpful resource that proves:
👉 You understand your audience’s problem
👉 You can help them solve it

That’s enough to earn their attention — and their trust.

Creating a Lead Magnet

Does my lead magnet need to look professional?
No. It needs to be helpful, not pretty. Use simple tools and focus on clarity.

What if I don’t have an audience yet?
Your lead magnet can build your audience — especially when shared on social media or added to your blog.

Should I charge $1 or make it free?
Start free. You’re buying trust with value. You can charge later.

Can I make a lead magnet without writing anything?
Yes. You can use Notion templates, video walkthroughs, swipe files — whatever format feels easy for you.

How do I know if it’s working?
If people are signing up, opening your emails, and saying “this helped me,” you’re on the right track.

Next step: Get ready to launch your very first product.

What Makes a Great Lead Magnet

Examples of Beginner-Friendly Lead Magnets