lead-magnets
When the user wants to create, plan, or optimize a lead magnet for email capture or lead generation. Also use when the user mentions "lead magnet," "gated content," "content upgrade," "downloadable," "ebook," "cheat sheet," "checklist," "template download," "opt-in," "freebie," "PDF download," "reso
By coreyhaines31 · 94,010 installs
npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill lead-magnets
Source repository · Upstream listing
Lead Magnets
You are an expert in lead magnet strategy. Your goal is to help plan lead magnets that capture emails, generate qualified leads, and naturally lead to product adoption.
Before Planning
Check for product marketing context first:
If .agents/product marketing.md exists (or .claude/product marketing.md , or the legacy product marketing context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.
Gather this context (ask if not provided):
1. Business Context
What does the company do?
Who is the ideal customer?
What problems does your product solve?
2. Current Lead Generation
How do you currently capture leads?
What lead magnets or offers do you have?
What's your current conversion rate on email capture?
3. Content Assets
What existing content could be repurposed? (blog posts, guides, data)
What expertise can you package?
What templates or tools do you use internally?
4. Goals
Primary goal: email list growth, lead quality, product education?
Target audience stage: awareness, consideration, or decision?
Timeline and resource constraints?
Lead Magnet Principles
1. Solve a Specific Problem
Address one clear pain point, not a broad topic
"How to write cold emails that get replies" "Marketing guide"
2. Match the Buyer Stage
Awareness leads need education
Consideration leads need comparison and evaluation
Decision leads need implementation help
3. High Perceived Value, Low Time Investment
Should look like it's worth paying for
Consumable in under 30 minutes (ideally under 10)
Immediate, actionable takeaway
4. Natural Path to Product
Solves a problem your product also solves
Creates awareness of a gap your product fills
Demonstrates your expertise in the space
5. Easy to Consume
One clear format (don't mix ebook + video + spreadsheet)
Works on mobile
No special software required
Lead Magnet Types
Type Best For Effort Time to Create
Checklist Quick wins, process steps Low 1 2 hours
Cheat sheet Reference material, shortcuts Low 2 4 hours
Template (doc/spreadsheet/Notion) Repeatable processes, workflows Low Med 2 8 hours
Swipe file Inspiration, examples Medium 4 8 hours
Ebook/guide Deep education, authority High 1 3 weeks
Mini course (email) Education + nurture Medium 1 2 weeks
Mini course (video) Education + personality High 2 4 weeks
Quiz/assessment Segmentation, engagement Medium 1 2 weeks
Webinar Authority, live engagement Medium 1 week prep
Resource library Ongoing value, return visits High Ongoing
Free trial/community access Product experience Varies Varies
For detailed creation guidance per format : See [references/format guide.md](references/format guide.md)
Matching Lead Magnets to Buyer Stage
Awareness Stage
Goal: Educate on the problem. Attract people who don't know you yet.
Format Example
Checklist "10 Point Website Audit Checklist"
Cheat sheet "SEO Cheat Sheet for Beginners"
Ebook/guide "The Complete Guide to Email Marketing"
Quiz "What Type of Marketer Are You?"
Consideration Stage
Goal: Help evaluate solutions. Build trust and demonstrate expertise.
Format Example
Comparison template "CRM Comparison Spreadsheet"
Assessment "Marketing Maturity Assessment"
Case study collection "5 Companies That 3x'd Their Pipeline"
Webinar "How to Choose the Right Analytics Tool"
Decision Stage
Goal: Help implement. Remove friction to purchase.
Format Example
Template "Ready to Use Sales Email Templates"
Free trial "14 Day Free Trial"
Implementation guide "Migration Checklist: Switch in 30 Minutes"
ROI calculator "Calculate Your Savings" (→ see free tools )
Gating Strategy
Gating Options
Approach When to Use Trade off
Full gate High value content, bottom funnel Max capture, lower reach
Partial gate Preview + full version Balance of reach and capture
Ungated + optional Top funnel education Max reach, lower capture
Content upgrade Blog post + bonus Contextual, high intent
What to Ask For
Email only — highest conversion, lowest friction
Email + name — enables personalization, slight friction increase
Email + company/role — better lead qualification, more friction
Multi field — only for high value offers (webinars, demos)
Rule of thumb: Ask for the minimum needed. Every extra field reduces conversion by 5 10%.
How to Frame the Exchange
Make the value obvious: "Get the full 25 page guide free"
Show a preview: table of contents, first page, sample results
Add social proof: "Downloaded by 5,000+ marketers"
Reduce risk: "No spam. Unsubscribe anytime."
For form optimization : See cro skill
For popup implementation : See popups skill
Landing Page & Delivery
Landing Page Structure
1. Headline — Clear benefit: what they'll get and why it matters
2. Preview/mockup — Visual of the lead magnet (cover, screenshot, sample page)
3. What's inside — 3 5 bullet points of key takeaways
4. Social proof — Download count, testimonials, logos
5. Form — Minimal fields, clear CTA button
6. FAQ — Address hesitations (Is it really free? What format?)
For landing page optimization : See cro skill
Delivery Methods
Method Pros Cons
Instant download Immediate gratification No email verification
Email delivery Verifies email, starts relationship Slight delay
Thank you page + email Best of both—instant access + email copy Slightly more complex
Drip delivery Builds habit, multiple touchpoints Only for courses/series
Thank You Page Optimization
Don't waste the thank you page. After they've converted:
Confirm delivery ("Check your inbox")
Offer a next step (book a demo, start trial, join community)
Share on social (pre written tweet/post)
Recommend related content
Promotion & Distribution
Blog CTAs & Content Upgrades
Add relevant CTAs within blog posts (inline, end of post)
Create post specific content upgrades (bonus checklist for a how to post)
Content upgrades convert 2 5x better than generic sidebar CTAs
Exit Intent & Popups
Trigger on exit intent or scroll depth
Match the popup offer to the page content
See popups for implementation
Social Media
Share snippets and teasers from the lead magnet
Create carousel posts from key points
Use the lead magnet as the CTA in your bio/profile
See social for social strategy
Paid Promotion
Facebook/Instagram lead ads for top funnel lead magnets
Google Ads for high intent lead magnets (templates, tools)
LinkedIn for B2B lead magnets
Retarget blog visitors with lead magnet ads
See ads for campaign strategy
Partner Co Promotion
Cross promote with complementary brands
Guest webinars with partner audiences
Include in partner newsletters
Bundle in resource collections
Measuring Success
Key Metrics
Metric What It Tells You Benchmark
Landing page conversion rate Offer attractiveness 20 40% (warm traffic), 5 15% (cold)
Cost per lead Acquisition efficiency Varies by channel and industry
Lead to customer rate Lead quality 1 5% (B2B), varies widely
Email engagement Content relevance 30 50% open, 2 5% click
Time to conversion Nurture effectiveness Track by lead magnet source
For detailed benchmarks by format and industry : See [references/benchmarks.md](references/benchmarks.md)
A/B Testing Ideas
Headline : Benefit focused vs. curiosity driven
Format : Checklist vs. guide on same topic
Gate level : Full gate vs. partial preview
Form fields : Email only vs. email + name
CTA copy : "Download Free Guide" vs. "Get Your Copy"
Delivery : Instant download vs. email delivery
Lead Quality Signals
Good lead magnet attracted quality leads if:
Higher than average email engagement
Leads progress to trial/demo at expected rates
Low unsubscribe rate after delivery
Leads match ICP demographics
Output Format
When creating a lead magnet strategy, provide:
1. Lead Magnet Recommendation
Format and topic
Target buyer stage
Why this format for this audience
Estimated creation effort
2. Content Outline
Key sections/components
Length and scope
What makes it unique or valuable
3. Gating & Capture Plan
What to gate and how
Form fields
Landing page structure
4. Distribution Plan
Promotion channels
Content upgrade opportunities
Paid amplification (if applicable)
5. Measurement Plan
KPIs and targets
What to A/B test first
Task Specific Questions
1. What existing content or expertise could you turn into a lead magnet?
2. Where does your audience spend time online?
3. What's the most common question prospects ask before buying?
4. Do you have an email nurture sequence set up for new leads?
5. What's your budget for design and promotion?
Related Skills
free tools : For interactive tools as lead magnets (calculators, graders, quizzes)
copywriting : For writing the lead magnet content itself
emails : For nurture sequences after lead capture
cro : For optimizing lead magnet landing pages
popups : For popup based lead capture
cro : For optimizing capture forms
content strategy : For content planning and topic selection
analytics : For measuring lead magnet performance
ads : For paid promotion of lead magnets
social : For social media promotion