Normally, you wouldn't create a lead magnet so early after launching a brand and publishing your first pieces of content. But since I'd been interested in this topic of National Parks for several months, I had tons of questions of my own. I needed a lot of help when I was just getting started, and I knew this was exactly the kind of thing you look for when building a lead magnet.
Creators always struggle to find a solution to the problems their audience has.
Since I was fresh to all the recent challenges and questions I had as a new outdoor explorer, I knew I could create something that simply solved a problem I personally had. That's the goal of a lead magnet, to solve a single problem for a single person. In this case, the problem was mine, and I was that single person.
Now, if there are other people like me—people eager to start visiting National Parks but unsure where to go, and unaware they can collect unique souvenirs along the way—this guide will help them get started.
Normally, I'd wait a month or two and do extensive research on what my ideal audience needs before creating anything. But sometimes, you already have the answer to problems other people have. Just by simply looking back at the questions you had and the answers you wish you'd gotten—that's where you can capitalize on a solution to help build an audience.
I started by writing a rough draft of what I wanted in my guide. I used Notion AI to identify any gaps in my guide, then removed ideas I didn't like and kept the ones that worked.
Next, I refined the draft and used AI for editing. Rough drafts often lack clarity and jump between ideas, so I had AI make the message clear and easy to understand.
Once the text was complete, I added images to support it. This was now my third pass reviewing the guide.
After adding the pictures, I realized a supplementary video would enhance the guide. Many people prefer watching and listening over reading. To serve that audience, I created a video explaining how the guide works, breaking down the main points and showing how to use the map.
Here’s the video I filmed, edited, and published on YouTube within a few days.
This YouTube video is part of the guide. It shows users how to use the guide.
Key Takeaways: Creating Lead Magnets That Work
Solve a single problem for a single person: The most effective lead magnets address one specific challenge your audience faces. Start by identifying problems you've personally encountered and solved.
You don't always need to wait months to create one: If you already have the answer to a common problem, you can create a lead magnet early. Look back at questions you had when starting out and create solutions based on those experiences.
Leverage AI to refine your content: Use AI tools to fill gaps in your initial draft, improve clarity, and make your message easier to understand. This can significantly speed up the creation process.
Support text with visuals: Add images and graphics that complement your written content. Visual elements help reinforce key points and make the guide more engaging.
Cater to different learning preferences: Some people like to read, while others prefer to watch videos. By including both written guides and videos, you can reach more people and provide extra value.
Start with a rough draft and iterate: Your first version doesn't need to be perfect. Write a rough draft first, then improve it step by step—use AI to refine the text, add images, and create videos to make it better.
Here’s The Documented Video About Creating This Lead Magnet
You can watch the full breakdown on Substack here
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