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What is a lead magnet?

In short

A lead magnet is something valuable you give away for free in exchange for someone's contact details, such as a checklist, test, calculator, ebook or masterclass. The goal is a first step towards your paid offer.

Also known as: leadmagnet, freebie, giveaway, opt-in, opt-in offer, lead catcher.

A lead magnet is a tasting. Someone gets a bite of what you can do, for free, and gives you their email address in return. If it tastes like more, they come back for the whole loaf.

Why a lead magnet matters

Most people who land on your site aren’t ready to book a call yet. Without a lead magnet they’re gone and you never see them again. With a lead magnet you get a second chance: you can follow up, invite them to a webinar or offer a call.

How a lead magnet works

  1. Pick the problem. A small, concrete piece of the big problem your programme solves.
  2. Make it quick to consume. A test that takes a few minutes beats a forty-page ebook.
  3. Only ask for what you need. A name and an email address is usually enough.
  4. Build the next step. An email, an invitation to a masterclass, or the offer of a call.

Where it goes wrong

A lead magnet that has nothing to do with your offer. A free guide with ten productivity tips attracts everyone, except the director who’d buy your leadership programme. Your list grows, your diary doesn’t.

The second leak: no follow-up. Someone downloads, gets the file, and never hears from you again.

The OMB view

A lead magnet isn’t a giveaway, it’s a first step towards your counter. Our own leak test is one: thirteen questions in three minutes, and you see where your room is leaking. Whoever knows that usually wants to fix it too. That’s why we prefer to build lead magnets ourselves, from scan to calculator, so they fit what you sell afterwards.

Explained by Rubin Koot, Online Marketing Bakery. Updated 13 October 2026.

In the Sold-Out Recipe

Lead magnet belongs to Rise: filling the room. This is how the recipe works. Together the four steps make up event marketing the way we do it: a full room that also buys.

Related terms

Further reading

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Questions

Questions about lead magnet.

What is the difference between a lead magnet and a freebie?
Not much. Freebie says it's free; lead magnet says why you give it away: to attract leads. A freebie without a next step is a gift. A lead magnet leads somewhere.
Which lead magnet works best for coaches and trainers?
The lead magnet that solves a small part of the problem your paid programme solves completely. A test or scan that shows someone where they stand often works better than an ebook nobody finishes.
Is a webinar a lead magnet too?
Yes. A free webinar or masterclass is a lead magnet people invest time in rather than just an email address. That makes the registrants warmer, but not everyone turns up.
How do you know whether your lead magnet works?
Not by the number of downloads. By how many people go on to book a call or become a client. A lead magnet that produces lots of email addresses but no conversations is attracting the wrong audience.

Your next event deserves a room that buys.

Book a one-hour baker's chat. We figure out where your room leaks. If it's not for you, we'll tell you.

Book your baker's chat Take the leak test

You talk directly to Rubin, the head baker.