If you run a membership community and you’d like to attract more members, then you need to build your email list.
Your email list can be extremely profitable if you have the right strategy.
If you do this right, it can allow you to:
- Provide valuable content to your audience and build trust in the process
- Learn more about your audience so you can provide more relevant offers in the future
- Promote your membership and do special promotions whenever you like
There’s only one problem: how can you build an email list?
That’s where a lead magnet comes in!
You need a way to turn website visitors and social media followers into leads for your membership site. That way, you can keep showing up in their inbox, build a relationship and market to them until they say “I’m in!”
So, let’s look at the best lead magnet ideas for membership sites. I’ll also show you what you need to consider to make yours work.
So, you want some lead magnet ideas to promote your membership?
There are all kinds of lead magnets, and some are better suited for different goals, audiences and strategies.
But overall, you need a free resource that:
- Your audience actually wants – Yes, it’s free… but so is most online content! And you’re still asking for someone’s email address. So, if you want them to give it to you, your lead magnet must be attention-grabbing and compelling for them
- Acts as a bridge – This free resource must meet your audience where they are right now (e.g. by solving a small problem) and position your membership site as the next step
- Gives you more data – Not all lead magnets do that. The best ones, however, can also help get to know your audience better (like a quiz)
Now, to find the right lead magnet idea for your membership site, let’s start with where you are.
Things to consider if you already have a membership site
You’ve been running it for a while but struggling to get new members on board? And the worst part is… you don’t know WHY?
Then, stop relying on guesswork!
- Set up a quiz for your members – Ask them questions to understand what they’re enjoying the most, what problems they had before joining your membership, how it’s helping them and what can be improved on
- Analyse your data – Look at the most common answers: can you spot any patterns?
- Use it to inform your marketing and lead magnet creation – For example, once you understand your members’ past struggles, you can create a lead magnet that solves a relevant problem
Things to consider if you are planning a new membership site
Unfortunately, that means you can’t get insights from ‘existing members,’ BUT you could:
- Offer a free consultation – Speak to your target customers to understand what they’re struggling with and what they’d be most excited about
- Share a beta offer – Instead of going all in with your membership, start with some beta testers and get their feedback
- Create a quiz – From your website visitors to social media followers and newsletter subscribers: ask them questions to understand their pain points, goals and preferences
Then, once you’re clear on all this, you can identify the right lead magnet idea (even before launching the full membership).
Lead magnet ideas for membership site owners
Creating your lead magnet doesn’t have to be as intensive as building your entire membership!
As long as it’s relevant and strategic, it can be simple. The goal at this stage is simply to get those email addresses and kickstart your relationship on the right foot.
Here are 11 lead magnet ideas to do that!
1. Interactive quizzes
Quizzes give your audience a score, assessment and personalised content based on their answers.
They’re some of the very best lead magnets. Why?
- Appealing – Quizzes give something extremely valuable to your audience: information about themselves and their current situation
- Effective – Traditional lead magnets tend to convert at 3-10%. Quizzes? A whopping 30-50%!
- Versatile – You could create a personality quiz (e.g. “What type of entrepreneur are you?”), assessment (“Test your SEO knowledge”), readiness tests (“Are you the right fit for [membership name]?”) and so on
- Data – A quiz is a goldmine of information on your target client: perfect to inform your marketing, segment your audience and send them more personalised content!
Launch your FREE quiz lead magnet with ScoreApp
2. Free trials
These lead magnets are particularly popular for memberships. They allow your audience to explore it and see if it’s right for them – WITHOUT committing to ongoing payments.
But just because someone has signed up for a free trial, it doesn’t mean you should forget about them!
So, keep nurturing them with targeted email sequences to:
- Answer common questions
- Show them the best features
- Keep the momentum going
- Encourage them to sign up after the free trial
3. eBooks or guides
With these lead magnets, you should cover a relevant and attractive topic and solve ONE problem. You’ll show your audience that you understand their situation and actually know your stuff.
For example, if your membership helps solopreneurs become and stay productive, your eBook could be: “How to create the right morning routine for your business.”
You’ll also want to talk about your membership and include social proof and testimonials. It’ll convince more subscribers to become members after reading your eBook.
4. Host a webinar
Webinars are some of the best B2B lead magnets. They showcase thought leadership and inspire a connection (because your audience will watch and listen to you talk!).
Depending on your preferences and resources, you can offer:
- Pre-recorded webinars – The most cost-effective and time-saving option (although you will miss out on audience participation)
- Live webinars – You must run them regularly. So, they’re more time- and energy-intensive. But because they’re limited and interactive, they’re also A LOT more appealing
Either way, pick a webinar topic that’s specific and relevant to your audience’s problems and goals (in relation to your fantastic membership, of course).
5. Give away a free chapter or section
Who doesn’t love a good sneak peek?
This type of lead magnet will:
- Get your audience hooked
- Make them feel like VIPs (they’ll be accessing resources that other people are paying for)
- Show them the value of your membership
- Make them want to join it to unlock the other sections
6. Cheat sheets or checklists
Create a simple PDF resource that solves a small (but common and annoying) problem for your audience.
The right balance?
- Enough for them to feel the difference and see an actual change
- Not so game-changing that they wouldn’t need to sign up for your membership anymore
For example, if you help freelancers grow their business, you could offer a “Freelancer starter pack” with a list of things they should already have in place.
7. Templates
Canva templates, sales call scripts, templates for blog posts or emails… People LOVE these free resources! Templates save them time and give them a simple structure to follow.
So, you could create one that’d be useful for your audience and relevant to your membership.
For example, an “Instagram reel template” could be a strategic lead magnet for a membership to grow your business on social media.
8. Resource lists
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when looking for the right solutions. So, make your target audience’s lives easier by rounding up the best ones for them!
This will really depend on your industry and membership, but your resource list could include business tools, self-development books, photography gear and so on.
A bonus tip? If you’ve actually used some of them yourself, build trust by including personal reviews and recommendations.
9. Case studies
This type of lead magnet is especially effective for bottom-of-the-funnel leads: those who’re SO close to saying yes and just need a final nudge.
So, create a strong case study that showcases the value of your membership.
- Tell a story – Show the difference between your members’ initial situation (what were they struggling with?) and how it’s changed thanks to your membership
- Include a tonne of social proof – Reviews, testimonials, screenshots, stats… Make your prospects think “I can achieve those results, too!”
10. Email courses
With these course lead magnets, you’ll send new lessons and tasks to your audience via email – regularly and automatically (e.g. “The 5-Day Content Marketing Course”).
Why do they work well?
- Valuable – Email courses aren’t as common as traditional PDF lead magnets. They’re also broken down into smaller and achievable steps. So, more of your prospects will take you up on the offer
- Familiar – The course will take place in their usual inbox. Easy peasy!
- Priming – By giving them multiple touchpoints, a course gets your audience in the habit of engaging with you
Make your email course even more effective by personalising it!
- Start with a short quiz – Ask your leads what they’re struggling with the MOST and what they’re hoping to achieve
- Segment them – Divide your leads into segments based on their results
- Send them the most relevant email course – Create different email sequences with the right course for each segment… and watch those membership sign-ups increase!
11. Challenges or competitions
These lead magnets are rarer, structured and time-bound: perfect to inspire some FOMO!
You’ll be creating a challenge with a fixed start and end date (like a “7-day lead generation sprint”) and releasing new content periodically.
These lead magnets are especially good for memberships:
- They give people a taste of what they can expect once they join yours
- They inspire a community feel
- They involve multiple touchpoints, much like your actual membership
Create a quiz lead magnet for your membership with ScoreApp
There are so many different lead magnets for memberships, but with a quiz?
- You can gather insights and test your idea before going all in
- You’ll then rely on an effective and attractive lead magnet – Unlike traditional resources, a quiz will also give you plenty of data and segment your audience. That way, you’ll get to nurture them with personalised content, all automatically
Whatever lead magnet you decide to use for your membership site, try to attach a quiz or a survey as part of it. That way, you learn as much as you can about your audience and provide better content based on what they need.
Start growing your membership site! Create your ScoreApp quiz today and for FREE
