Do you need a lead magnet for your interior design business?
Let's start with... what is a lead magnet? Also called "freebie".
In a few words, a lead magnet is generally a digital resource (PDF for example) that is available for free on your website; as the name suggests, it is used as a simple, but effective, way to attract leads (= lead magnet). You provide leads with (free) information they need in exchange for their email address, giving you an opportunity to further connect with them over emails and possibly get them on a discovery call (and convert them to paying clients).
Why give leads free information
Email marketing has been shown to be one of the best ways to nurture leads and convert them into paying clients.
By giving away free knowledge in exchange of their emails, you get the opportunity to send leads follow-up emails, also referred to as "nurture sequence", and give them further information about the same topic... Well done, you are 'warming' up your leads!
They will then just be added to your newsletter, where you will be able to further connect with your leads by sharing valuable information, success stories, information about your services, and show up as an authority in your field.
"Sharing free information that your niche is looking for will both show you as an authority in your field and give you an opportunity to convert them into paying clients."
This is the lead magnet that I use to attract interior designers who want to learn how to delegate successfully
Download The Three Steps To More Freedom In Your Business Guide
From leads to paying clients: How to create a successful lead magnet
01. Be clear on the topic you want to discuss
02. Keep it to a few pages - less is more!
03. Include one or multiple calls to action (CTA)
04. Create a lead capture form to download
05. Welcome your leads with a nurture sequence
01. What's keeping your clients up at night?
Choosing a good topic is fundamental as the goal is to attract leads who will want this free information bad enough that they will leave you their emails.
To choose a relevant topic, make a list of your ideal clients' pain points (what do they struggle with? what do they want to know that will help them move forward?) and how your product/ services is the solution to a problem they are trying to solve.
For example, if you are a kitchen designer, a relevant topic could be "5 things to know before you remodel your kitchen" or "3 mistakes to avoid during your kitchen reno".
You would talk about common mistakes people make, outline the benefits of hiring a kitchen designer to save them time, hassle and ensure a successful result and add a call-to-action (CTA) to get on a call with you to discuss their project.
My freebie, for example, is based on a very common pain point for designers: How overwhelmed and overworked they feel working on their own; this impacts their work and their personal life. The solution is to delegate some of their work to free up some of their time - the guide outlines three steps that will allow them to delegate successfully and alleviate their "pain". I then outline the benefits of working with a team like mine and my CTA is to get on a call with me to discuss their business challenges.
To summarize, start with a problem, state a solution (X steps, X ways to..., How to...) and end with how you can help them.
02. Keep it short and sweet!
A freebie shouldn't take you months to write, ideally it's a topic that you master enough that you can get it done in a few hours.
Don't over-complicate! It may sound "simple" to you but remember that your ideal client is looking for this piece of information and lacks the skills and knowledge that you already have.
Also remember that people's attention span is limited. If there are too many pages, your leads will not even get to the page with your CTA.
You want to give enough information that will teach them something they don't know and make you stand out as an authority in your field (a professional who can help them with their problem) but not too much information that they won't need to get on a call with you.
Make sure that you also include testimonials from past clients - social proof is a great way to increase conversions by showing leads that others were very happy about your services.
03. Don't forget to include CTA's!
This is probably the most important element of the entire lead magnet (or freebie)... The goal of the freebie is to warm these leads up enough that some of them will want to learn more about your services.
You need to tell leads what to do next.
If you want them to get on a call with you, tell them.
Add a button with a title that will make them click and book a call with you.
The last page of my freebie has an easy-to-click button with the words "I'm ready to delegate"
Before the CTA, I told them what transformation they can expect from working with me and, below the CTA, I added a testimonial from a happy client.
Do that and you will have leads book calls with you.
04. Decide where you will send them
The CTA button will have to be linked to a lead capture form or a booking calendar. Based on your chosen call-to-action, decide how you will move to the next step with the leads. Below are some examples of where you can send them:
Option 1: Get them to fill out another lead capture form. This will trigger an automation in your email marketing provider (I use ActiveCampaign), sending them an email to ask them for more information about their project. You can then ask them when they are available for a call or send them a questionnaire.
Option 2: Send them a link to your calendar to book a call with you (if you don't need to gather more information about their project requirements/ budget beforehand).
Being clear about where you want to send them is important as you can either move closer to signing them as clients or make the leads 'colder' and lose them completely.
05. Write up a nurture/ welcome sequence
Once the lead has signed up to download your freebie, make sure that they are automatically added to a nurture/ welcome sequence. This is a sequence of 2 to 4 emails, sent every few days of signing up, to further talk about the topic that the lead is interested in and to introduce your company and services.
It will be your first opportunity to connect with them and give them the information they need about you before they are added to your newsletter list where they will get the same weekly/ bi-weekly emails as the rest of your subscribers.
We are warming up the leads further; they are now getting to know you better and are more likely to book a call with you.
If you have the elements above, you are well on your way to converting more leads into paying clients. Don't stress yourself out too much about doing a very comprehensive PDF - It may sound too "simple" to you to use as a freebie but remember that it is information that your ideal clients need and will gladly download for free!
Do you know how you start a business because you want more freedom and more time with your family but then you end up glued to your phone worrying about deadlines? KVM is committed to supporting interior designers with tasks that sit outside their zone of genius so that they can focus on what matters most to them. The result is that they can grow their business without the cost and hassle of having full-time employees. And we can help you do the same!
Kristell Valentina Mouries
Director, KVM Design