gtmos-marketing-lead-magnets

Lead magnets

Part of GTM OS Skills. Adapted from lead-magnets in coreyhaines31/marketingskills (MIT, Copyright (c) 2025 Corey Haines). Changed for GTM OS: the operating section below, rewritten cross-references and tool pointers. Notices: THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md (installed beside the skills as THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md).

With GTM OS connected

Rules (GTMOS-RULES.md). Read policy.get_dry_mode first; in dry mode every effect stops at a draft. E-class operations are proposed and a different person approves them; never approve your own proposal. Numbers come only from operation results, named with the operation. Claims about results, customers or metrics must be backed by active proof from proof.list.

1. Topic. Pick from real demand and buyer questions: seo_geo.keyword_opportunities, voice.customer_language.list, transcripts.list. Match to definition.persona.

2. Capture. Forms via the webform connector; the page tracked with tracking.site.get / tracking.verify. Each download lands as a contact and a signal (signals.record) and is scored (score.score_contact). Consent is captured with the form (consent.get shows it later).

3. Follow up. A nurture sequence on an active lane (gtmos-lifecycle-email); every send approved. Hot downloads route to an owner (routing.assign).

4. Measure. tracking.sources, tracking.activity, and conversions to pipeline from journey.funnel.

Without GTM OS

Follow the method below with the user's form and email tools, and make sure consent and unsubscribe work before launch.

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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 context first: With GTM OS connected, read the org definitions named in With GTM OS connected above before asking anything. Without it, read .agents/product-marketing.md (or .claude/product-marketing.md) if it exists; gtmos-marketing-positioning writes that file. Ask only for what neither covers.

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?

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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

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Lead Magnet Types

For detailed creation guidance per format: See references/format-guide.md

Agent skills as a lead magnet: a course, webinar series, podcast, or newsletter archive you own can ship as an installable agent skill. See references/content-to-skill.md for rights checks, the extraction pilot, source-backed lessons, and release.

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Matching Lead Magnets to Buyer Stage

Awareness Stage

Goal: Educate on the problem. Attract people who don't know you yet.

Consideration Stage

Goal: Help evaluate solutions. Build trust and demonstrate expertise.

Decision Stage

Goal: Help implement. Remove friction to purchase.

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Gating Strategy

Gating Options

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 gtmos-marketing-cro skill For popup implementation: See popups (upstream marketingskills) skill

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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 gtmos-marketing-cro skill

Delivery Methods

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

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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

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Measuring Success

Key Metrics

For detailed benchmarks by format and industry: See 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

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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

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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?

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Related Skills

• gtmos-content-copywriting: For writing the lead magnet content itself
• gtmos-lifecycle-email: For nurture sequences after lead capture
• gtmos-marketing-cro: For optimizing lead magnet landing pages
• gtmos-marketing-cro: For optimizing capture forms
• gtmos-content-strategy: For content planning and topic selection
• gtmos-analytics-tracking: For measuring lead magnet performance
• gtmos-ads-campaigns: For paid promotion of lead magnets
• gtmos-content-social: For social media promotion