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Lead Magnet Example: Before and After

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Entrepreneurship at its core is about transformation.

Successful entrepreneurs are in the business of creating (and selling) some form of transformation for customers.

Elva Edwards is no exception and you’ll discover her inspiring story in a moment.  Her signature image below is heart warming:

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Whether you are a soon-to-be or active online entrepreneur, you have an amazing gift to share with the world that can transform other people’s lives.  You should also profit from your passion so you can serve more people.

To reach your online goals, you need to plan the work and then work the plan. The marketing strategies are constantly evolving, but with a solid foundation in place with the right web technology tools and processes, you can start the transformation you are offering others.

Transformation Starts with a Lead Magnet

For you, as an online entrepreneur, the transformation you offer starts with a lead magnet – an extra but related incentive for people to join your respective email mailing list. Once an email list is established, you have a direct communication channel to stay connected to your audience.

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Dr. Elva Edwards is transforming people’s lives. She just launched a new platform called ChildhoodLoss.com to help adults heal from the loss of a parent when they were children.

Elva was born in West Texas and lived on a farm with her parents, grandmother, and sister until her parents were killed when she was only 19 months of age. She and her sister fell into the loving arms of their grandparents who moved to the farm to live with them.

She authored a book about her experience of healing from the loss of her parents as a child. It is called “A Texas Tragedy: Orphaned by Bootleggers.” Based on her book, Dr. Edwards is now planning to launch an online program to help other adults heal from a loss of a parent when they were children.

Lead Magnet Example: A Before and After Transformation

As a first step to build her email mailing list, Elva created her first lead magnet called “The Top Three Acts of Kindness to Heal the Loss of a Parent When You Were a Child”.

As you compare the two examples below, you can see that her lead magnet went through a transformation as well:

  1. Original Lead Magnet Document
  2. Revised Lead Magnet Document

(If interested in Elva’s platform, you or someone you care about can opt-in to her mailing list at ChildhoodLoss.com.)

Your Lead Magnet Example

Your first or next lead magnet is right around the corner too.

If you are not sure what lead magnet works best, this free 3-minute lead magnet survey may give you some insights.

If you are seeking project guidance to design and connect a professional lead magnet to your business email mailing list, don’t miss the interactive Lead Magnet Project.  It is an online community-based project environment for entrepreneurs. No tech or design experience required! 

And if you are seeking direct design help with a PDF lead magnet guide or checklist you’ve already outlined, layout designer Anas Abouzaradi at GoodLeadMagnets.com transformed Elva’s lead magnet and is highly recommended. Please feel free to let Anas know you were referred to him by Brent Peterson.

Anas also created the design for the lead magnet on this site: 5 Essential Characteristics of a Lead Magnet.

Anas will also be helping participants involved in the Lead Magnet Project and you can share your lead magnet concept and draft with project members for their valuable feedback.

Hope this helps,
Brent

p.s. You can discover other lead magnet examples on the Lead Magnet Examples Page – and you add your own lead magnet information free of charge if you are a Graceful Resources email subscriber.

One of Many Product Launch Formula Examples

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Product Launch Formula (PLF) is an online marketing strategy trademarked by author and entrepreneur Jeff Walker.  You can discover more the PLF model in Jeff’s book Launch (An Internet Millionaire’s Secret Formula to Sell Almost Anything Online, Build a Business You Love, and Live the Life of Your Dreams).

Jeff also offers an online training course, community, and annual live event in Arizona for “PLF owners” (the term for customers who pay for this program offering). The cost is $2000 and I am an owner myself.

Here’s a photo I took at the PLF event last April in Phoenix:

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The majority of my current clients are also PLF owners.  While I am not writing this post to sell you on the PLF owner program (it’s a big investment), I do recommend investing $10 to buy Jeff’s book if you haven’t read it already.

Jeff does a very effective job explaining the emotional triggers of customers to buy products, such as reciprocity and scarcity. These triggers are commonplace in good marketing videos, emails, and online copy.

You’ll also discover in the book the recommended sequence of marketing videos (called Prelaunch Content or PLC videos) for your products.

Product Launch Formula Projects

What I do for clients (with the help of team members) is manage the technology side of things for business and product launches online.  The purpose of my blog and online mailing list (click here to sign up) is to pull back the curtain on these client projects for your benefit.

Not all of my client projects involve Product Launch Formula and any entrepreneur can put to practice some (or all of) the strategies in the book Launch without becoming an owner of the PLF program.

One of Many Product Launch Formula Examples

Evan Zislis is a client of mine and he is now launching a new online program based on his bestselling book ClutterFree Revolution: Simplify Your Stuff, Organize Your Life & Save the World.

He has put together an amazing set of PLC videos and I encourage you to check them out as a marketing example.  Evan’s first Prelaunch Content video releases tomorrow (Sunday 1/15/17).

The purpose of PLC Video #1 is to show prospects they can make a change and get results. This first video is about the opportunity.

You can sign up free for the video series on his new website ClutterFreeRevolution.com.

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I designed his website with the Rainmaker Platform. The email pop-up form was designed with OptinMonster and the email service is integrated through ConvertKit.

You can discover my complete web and email toolkit via this page. I outline why I use and recommend each of these tools.

Other Product Launch Formula Examples

In the months ahead, I will share with you via the mailing list (click here to sign up) other Product Launch Formula client examples (plus non-PLF lead generation strategies).

We’ll also keep track of Evan’s journey and highlight lessons learned from his first online product launch.

Hope this blog post helps,
Brent

If you’d like to stay connected to my work with clients and the transformation they are experiencing, simply click here to sign up for my email list. You’ll receive professional advice and examples every week.

Special Bonus: All subscribers to my mailing list can add their own lead magnet web addresses at any time to my upcoming lead magnet examples listing here on the Graceful Resources website. So free publicity for their respective websites!

Best Lead Magnets? Take this Quick Survey to Find Out

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What are the best lead magnets to grow your email mailing list? Here’s a 3-minute survey to help you find out.

No email opt-in is required to participate or to see the latest results.

You also have the option to add your website free of charge to the new Graceful Resources professional listing of lead magnet examples.

Here is the information that is included in the public listing:

  1. Type of Your Lead Magnet
  2. Name of Your Lead Magnet
  3. Target Audience for Your Lead Magnet
  4. Web Address for Your Lead Magnet
  5. Your Name

Take the Quick Survey

What is a Lead Magnet?

In the online commerce world for your own business, a Lead Magnet is an extra incentive to inspire someone to join your email mailing list.

In essence, it is a form of exchange.  You gain someone’s contact information (e.g. email address) and the other person receives your lead magnet.

For example, the person who signs up for your mailing list receives the benefits of the lead magnet (such as a free resource guide) and the additional benefits of the email subscription.  Your business, in exchange, receives the person’s contact information (typically an email address) to stay in contact and build a relationship with the person.

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What are the Best Lead Magnets?

That’s the question this new survey is designed to answer.

Your participation will also help others and provide you insight for your own business.  If you’d like to share the survey with other professionals, there are social share options (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) at the end of the survey. The social share buttons open in a new window before you click on the button to see the latest survey results.

Thanks,
Brent

What are Graceful Resources?

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When you put yourself out there, so to speak, on the web with a unique domain address (see 10 Tips for Website Names), you open yourself up for a share of unsolicited feedback. This past week was no exception for my own business name Graceful Resources.

One person shared how much she loved the name and branding on this website.

Another woman outlined all the things wrong with my name and branding.

Discover Opportunities for Improvement

I take all unsolicited feedback with a grain of salt (as I’m sure you do as well), but I also find opportunities for improvement in between the praise and the criticism.

And I know there is always room for improvement with everything I do! For Graceful Resources, I had to more clearly explain on my home page what exactly are graceful resources.

So here is what I came up with for now (and hopefully it also explains some of my thinking behind the brand name)…

What are Graceful Resources?

Like a graceful dancer or athlete, success comes to professionals who make it look effortless.

WhatareGracefulResources

Here are the tech resources to keep you and your passion moving forward online.

One step at a time.

I then added the following resource examples to the home page in a bulleted list:

  • Strategic Website Assessments
  • Professionally Managed Web Design Projects
  • Email Marketing Strategies and Automation
  • Online Training Resources (Coming Soon)
  • Easy to Understand Advice via the Free Graceful Journal Email Mailing List

I know the connection to dancers or athletes may still be a little nebulous, but I also know there is value in being distinctive with a website name.  I also believe in conducting online business in a graceful professional manner.

It’s who I am.

For example, I recommend the automation of email marketing (aka autoresponders), but I don’t teach or implement online schemes like bait and switch webinars that are advertised as live but are actually pre-recorded.

Advice for Your Online Business

It takes some time to get clear on what it is you offer. We are after all human and we tend to make things more complicated than they need to be.

Here are two common starting points to get clear on your business value:

  1. Be upfront with the types of problems you are really good at solving.
  2. Clarify who it is that you serve.

Here is my example…

I’m really good at outlining actionable steps for entrepreneurs struggling with web technology.  

Once you state your value succinctly and in writing, you also have a great signature for your branded emails!

Just get ready for more unsolicited feedback (with a smile on your face when it happens).

Hope this helps,
Brent

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback via my contact form or in direct response to my free weekly email mailing list (click here to sign up).

10 Tips for Website Names

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This week, a new client identified and registered a name for her new website. It’s a fun and creative project activity because it is the start of a successful brand name that can last for decades for an entrepreneur.

Each time the naming process starts though, the sinking feeling that all the good domain names that end in .com are long gone. But within minutes of a quick domain name search, you discover how easy it is to still find and register a domain name for about $15/year.

In her case, she was seeking a domain name for a parent website that will host membership solutions for different niches that people are passionate about.  The domain name PassionateSolutions.com was the perfect fit and it was available for only a few dollars.

A website represents a journey and every journey deserves a name

When you think of a journey, consider Teddy Roosevelt’s dangerous but successful exploration of the unchartered Amazonian forest of Brazil along the Rio da Duvida (the River of Doubt). To this day, the river is known as Rio Roosevelt.

Former President Roosevelt is seated at the right side of this photo from the expedition (source: wikipedia):

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Your journey deserves a name as well and your website should be a reflection of that journey.

Your web address is comparable to a physical mailing address. It’s an officially registered address that requires extra paperwork and expense to change ownership.

So choose wisely.

For domain registration, GoDaddy.com is straightforward.  They are the largest domain registrant in the world and their registration process is seamless with clear invoice billing.

Note: Upon domain registration (with GoDaddy or any registrant), you may want to add Private Registration at checkout so that you are not spammed through the public Whois database.  It’s a lot of peace of mind for an extra $8/year.  

10 Tips for Website Names

Here are 10 tips to help you decide on a good web address name (if you do not already have one registered):

1.  Consider using your personal name (e.g. http://brentpeterson.me) if you are not certain what your web journey will be about or if you want the focus to be on your life or career. Your personal name also gives you the most flexibility if your platform changes. However, it ties the online business directly to your identity (making a transition to someone else, like a family member or another entrepreneur, very difficult).

2. Consider using a name that defines your journey (e.g. ClutterFreeRevolution.com). This approach limits the theme of your journey, but it is favorable to web search engines if your web address contains keywords (e.g. clutter free). A website based on a theme name (in contract to a personal name) also passes the “t-shirt test”. In other words, would people want to display the name and tagline of your site on a t-shirt? Not likely if it is a personal name.

3. If possible, end your theme web address name with “.com”. While there are several other extensions available (e.g. .net, .org), users assume “.com” (e.g. http://NotchDolphinBook.com) when using a browser.

4. Make the web address easy to remember and easy to say. One of my previous blog names was Stand & Inspire (http://standandinspire.com) which I discovered to be difficult to say in conversation because the first two words rhyme.

5. Avoid the words “for” and “to” in your web address, since these two words can easily be interpreted by the numbers “4” and “2” and people will not necessarily know how to spell your domain name if they heard about it through word of mouth.

6. Avoid a hyphen (“-“) in the web address. It’s not great for search engines and is also difficult to communicate to people in conversation outside the web.

7. Check to see if your domain name is also available on prominent social networks (e.g. Twitter, Instagram). If so, register the social media names for free at the same time.

8. Keep the domain name relatively short so it is easy for people to type into browsers. Ideally, the domain name is 20 characters or less (e.g. ChildhoodLoss.com).

9. Combine two (or up to three) words that are easy to spell, pronounce, and are distinctive together. For example, Darcy Eikenberg is an executive coach who helps professionals bring their superpowers to work. Her business and website name is appropriately named RedCapeRevolution.com.

10. When in doubt, ask friends and family for their input when naming your journey. It’s a great conversation starter and people will take an immediate interest in your new website and business because…

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Other Graceful Resources to Grow Your Email List and Business

  1. Recommended Website and Email Resources (along with the reasons why)
  2. Lead Magnet Project (an interactive online project launching June 2017)
  3. Lead Magnet Examples (email subscribers can add their own web address for free)
  4. Lead Magnet Guide (5 essential characteristics of a lead magnet)
  5. Lead Magnet Survey (share your own opinion and discover what other entrepreneurs recommend)

Cheering for your online success – one project step at a time!
Brent

Questions to Ask About Lead Magnets

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To help other entrepreneurs build their email mailing lists, I am launching a directory to promote their lead magnets (often called sign-up incentives or ethical bribes). I announced this exciting plan in my previous blog entry.

The directory is open to anyone on my email mailing list as a creative way to say thanks for joining me on this Graceful Resources journey.

If you are not already on the list, click here to join in. It’s absolutely free and your email address will never be shared.

In addition to the directory, I am setting up a survey about lead magnets to find out which types of lead magnets perform best to grow mailing lists. I have a theory but I will wait until the results are in!

The survey and directory will be published here on the Graceful Resources website shortly and I hope you participate even if you don’t have a lead magnet or mailing list yet.

Your input about lead magnets is just as valuable!

The survey itself will only take about three minutes to complete, can be easily done via a phone, and the current results will be made immediately available for your professional reference.

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Questions to Ask About Lead Magnets

So I wrote out a set of survey questions on a napkin over Thanksgiving. I’m sharing them here first for your review.

Please let me know via email response or my contact page if you have any feedback. Thanks!

Here are the questions I have in mind to help you out (answers will be multiple choice based on the lead magnet types outlined in this earlier post) …

  1. How likely are you to be influenced by a lead magnet offer when joining an email mailing list?

  2. As a subscriber to other lists, what type of lead magnet is the most attractive to you?

  3. As a subscriber to other lists, what type of lead magnet is the least attractive to you?

  4. What type of lead magnet are you most likely to actually use after opting-in to a list?

  5. Do you offer a lead magnet to build your own email mailing list?

  6. What type of lead magnet do you offer?

  7. Based on your experience, what type of lead magnet is the most effective to build an email mailing list?

  8. Based on your experience, what type of lead magnet is the least effective to build to an email mailing list?

These questions will then lead into the following set of questions for survey participants who would like to add their lead magnets as examples for others to see by opting-in to their respective lists:

  1. Type of Lead Magnet

  2. Name of the Lead Magnet

  3. Target Audience for the Lead Magnet

  4. Web Address for the Lead Magnet

  5. Your Name

What Lead Magnets Work the Best?

I’m anxious to find out too and the survey results will continue to update in real time. I look forward to your valuable participation and your help spreading the word about this project!

Thanks,
Brent

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback via my contact form or in direct response to my free Graceful Journal email mailing list.

As a certified project management professional (PMP) specializing in web design and lead generation strategies, I’m here to take away the pain of figuring out how to seamlessly integrate web and email software resources to grow businesses online.

One project step at at time.