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lead magnets

Domain Name Advice: 3 Tips for Your Lead Magnet

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Domain name advice for small business websites is relatively common (see 10 Tips for Website Names), but custom domain names can also be a valuable marketing strategy for your email opt-in incentive (aka lead magnet*).

* A lead magnet is an extra incentive to inspire someone to join your email mailing list. Lead magnets are the starting point for online marketing and have become essential in the competitive online marketplace to grow email lists (click here for the Free Lead Magnet Guide).   

The Value of a Custom Domain Name

A custom domain name is a powerful form of branding and it is arguably the least expensive marketing cost you’ll have this year for your online business (it’s typically a $20/year investment through a registrar like GoDaddy.com if you avoid a premium domain name – a domain that is being resold by a third party – and you include private registration** for about $8/year).

** The advantage of private registration is that it keeps your public registry information (your full name, mailing address, email address, and phone number) off the public Whois database. Without private registration, you will get hit with unsolicited sales offers from around the world within minutes of your domain registration. Registrants like GoDaddy offer private registration at checkout for domain purchases.

Whatever it is you are offering, a unique trade name – and corresponding custom domain name – will help you connect with your target audience.

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Domain Name Advice: 3 Tips for Your Lead Magnet

If you invest a few extra dollars for a custom domain name for your lead magnet as well, you’ll make another smart marketing investment.

A custom domain name for your lead magnet (or for other purposes) has two main advantages:

  1. The custom domain name is uniquely and legally owned by you.  Nobody else can use it for another web property.
  2. The custom domain name can be set by you to automatically forward to another web page (like a landing page or blog post).

To help you get started, here are three domain name advice tips for your lead magnet:

Domain Name Advice Tip #1

Select a custom domain name that helps describe your lead magnet.

For example, if your lead magnet is a guide, consider a custom domain name that includes the word “guide” (e.g. “HomeschoolBeginnersGuide.com“). If it is a quiz or survey, it is also easy to include the lead magnet type in the domain name (e.g. LeadMagnetSurvey.com).

If your lead magnet represents a specific market niche (e.g. LoveYourPetRabbit.com) or a special cause (e.g. NotchDolphinBook.com), a custom domain name is also helpful in your marketing efforts.

Domain Name Advice Tip #2

Use your lead magnet custom domain name both online and offline.

A unique URL for an opt-in incentive can be easily added to your social media profiles (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn), email signature, and in your bio at the end of a guest blog post on another website.

Custom domain names for lead magnets also work great if you are a guest on a podcast or webinar because of the audio communication format.

Offline at a conference, party, or reception, a custom domain name for your lead magnet that is easy to say (and spell) will help grow your email list too.

Domain Name Advice Tip #3

Embed another custom domain name within your lead magnet to promote your current or future product offering.

In the Graceful Resources Lead Magnet Guide (click here for a copy), there is a cross-promotion of the Lead Magnet Project.  Instead of a long URL, the custom domain name LeadMagnetProject.com is used as an automatic re-direct to a landing page about the project.

(FYI: Prior to this month, the URL re-direct was connected to a blog post about the project, but then the forwarding address was changed to a more formal landing page. You may have a similar transition for your next product offering as you go from concept to project.)

In another example, Associate Certified Coach Nancy Christenson is cross-promoting her upcoming course within her (soon-to-be-released) free lead magnet 7 Keys for Stability Through a Christian Divorce.

Since the web address about her course is subject to change, she invested a few dollars in the custom domain name HoldingontoHeaven.com to promote her course (by the same name) for Christian women living through divorce.

Final Domain Name Advice

The custom domain names you select for your website, lead magnet, and product offerings are only as valuable as you make them.

Investing about $20 per year in a custom domain name is a smart first project step.

After that, plan your work and then work your plan.

In 1886, Atlanta pharmacist John S. Pemberton and his bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, started with a unique name too:

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Other Graceful Resources for Your Online Success

  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

How to Grow an Email List (Professionally)

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Once you have a professional lead magnet in place, there are many online strategies to further grow an email list for your business.

How to grow an email list professionally though requires one critical mindset – more on that in a moment (along with two lists of supporting resources).

The Pace to Grow Your Email List

From a timing perspective, you can go for the sprint or you can run the marathon.

If you are seeking immediate traffic to your lead magnet and email opt-in form (the sprint), you can pay Facebook and Google for sponsored ads, for example.  This short-term strategy requires a greater investment of your money than your time.

If you are in it for the long haul (the marathon), you can generate organic traffic to your website through search engine optimized content. This long-term strategy requires a greater investment of your time than your cash.

Which Pace is Better to Grow Your Email List?

The short answer is … there’s not a right or wrong answer.

You may discover the right strategy for your business is a combination of both races.

But when you plan for and run at a marathon pace, you have greater opportunities to make business adjustments as you go along.

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How to Grow an Email List (Professionally)

Independent of the pace you select, the secret of how to grow an email list professionally is one of mindset.

This may sound counter-intuitive but to grow your email list professionally…

You do not want to try to be the hero.

Yes, heroes are winners in some aspect of life. They may have achieved success in business, life, or the playing field.

But they achieved success because they were mentored by others.

In real life, the coaches are the ones to hire if you pursuing similar success.

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How to grow your email list professionally…

You want to be the guide.

(Additional resources supporting this strategy are included below for your reference.)

The truth is you already have:

  • Sufficient life experiences to be the coach for someone else.
  • Invested your own sweat and tears.
  • Succeeded and failed.

You have learned through the arena of real life.

Now it’s time to stop trying to reach some arbitrary form of success.

The world doesn’t need more heroes.

It needs more guides.

It needs you.

Maintain this critical mindset and you’ll grow your email list professionally.

Here are some additional resources that reinforce the value of being the guide over the hero:

  1. Be the Guide, Not the Hero (LinkedIn Pulse Article)
  2. Be the Guide, Not the Hero – How to Explain Your Story Better (Interview with Eric Hinson, Explainify CEO)
  3. How to be the Guide and Attract More Customers (Author Donald Miller – Interview with Dave Ramsey)
  4. Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content (Book by Ann Handley)
  5. How to Write Copy That Sells (Book by Ray Edwards)
  6. Marketing: A Love Story: How to Matter to Your Customers (Book by Bernadette Jiwa)
  7. All Marketers are Liars Tell Stories (Book by Seth Godin)

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Graceful Resources to Grow Your Email List Professionally

  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

3 Reasons to Take the Lead Magnet Survey

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Most surveys are about as enticing as extra paperwork at the department of motor vehicles.

Nobody likes to answer a long sequence of questions.

Nobody chooses to take a survey just for fun – although Typeform software does make surveys more of a dynamic human experience.

Perhaps most companies stopped trying to connect with people online when they labeled customers as site users.

Thankfully, for your human experience, Typeform is used for the Lead Magnet Survey here on the Graceful Resources website.

That may not be enough of a reason to convince you to take the survey, so here are three other reasons to take this survey which is designed to gather data on what lead magnets (also called opt-in incentives or ethical bribes) are working best to grow small business email lists today.

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3 Reasons to Take the Lead Magnet Survey

  1. The Lead Magnet Survey only takes about three minutes to complete.

    The Lead Magnet Survey (click here to open the survey in a new window) can easily be completed on a mobile device and it’s not one of those generic surveys that have no end in site.

    You’ll be back to your other responsibilities (or your work break) in less than five minutes. No worries.

  2. The Lead Magnet Survey is an example of a lead magnet strategy itself.

    You may be inspired to create a similar assessment for your own online platform, and, if interested, Typeform best practices can be taught to project participants in the upcoming online Lead Magnet Project.

    If you look closely, you will discover the Lead Magnet Survey actually represents four different lead magnet strategies!

  3. Your professional opinion matters.

    If you have ever opted-in to an email list to get a coupon, receive a free guide, watch a video series, or for some other reason (and who hasn’t?), you have experience with lead magnets.

    The latest survey results were discussed publicly for the first time on Friday, May 5th at 12 pm ET.

    The event was the Authority Traffic School Session hosted by Sonia Simone, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Rainmaker Digital.

    (Authority is an advanced content marketing training and networking community organized through Copyblogger – click here for more information about Authority).

Surveys are Predictably Boring

Nobody can hide from that truth.

But a survey about lead magnets should itself be a good lead magnet.

Click here to take the Lead Magnet Survey to discover for yourself.

Thanks.

5 Essential Characteristics of a Lead Magnet

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A lead magnet goes by many names (see what is an ethical bribe?), but what is most important to know, is that a lead magnet is essential for your business growth.

Your lead magnet inspires people to join your email mailing list when they visit your website or landing page.

Without an email mailing list, you can’t grow your business online.

Why Your Email List Matters

Without an email list, you can’t build relationships with your audience.

Without an email list, you can’t notify your audience of new posts.

Without an email list, you can’t share information with them about your new online course, ebook, project, etc.

Without an email list, you can’t segment your audience based on their interest (ConvertKit is recommended for this aspect – here’s why).

Without an email list, you can’t grow your business online and be profitable.

Without an email list, you can’t give yourself time and money back for what really matters in life.

Characteristics of a Lead Magnet

5 Essential Characteristics of a Lead Magnet

You now know that an email list is critical for your online success.

But without a good lead magnet, you can’t start or build a relevant email list.

Not all lead magnets are created equal.

A professional lead magnet has five essential characteristics.

Rather than outline the case for each of these five lead magnet characteristics in a really long and less memorable post, the essential characteristics are now packaged for your quick reference in a (you guessed it) lead magnet!

Specifically, the lead magnet is a 9-page guide titled The Five Essential Characteristics of a Lead Magnet. Click here for your complimentary copy.

You’ll also receive professional advice once a week to apply to your own lead magnet and to your corresponding web pages and email marketing.  There is no spam and you can unsubscribe from the list at any time.

If you choose to stay on the email list, you can also showcase your own lead magnet web address free of charge on the Lead Magnet Examples page here on the Graceful Resources website.

If you need professional assistance with a new lead magnet and the technical integration of web pages, opt-in forms, and email marketing, you will also receive a 25% discount to the strategic Lead Magnet Project.

Receive Your Free Guide

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

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.

Pen On Notebook With Computer Keyboard, Mouse And Cell Phone

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

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.