Video #1: Lead & Reader Magnets, the One-Hour Freebie
Your Costco Free Sample
We give away free books to new potential readers for the same reason they give out free samples in Costco. If people like the taste of something and then you point them in the direction of buying it, then you can sell more stuff (including books). This also allows us to make an offer whenever we’re asking readers to join our list, and makes it more likely they’ll turn over their email address.
And while a reader magnet will take time to create, we’ve got some ideas today that you’ll be able to set up in an hour or less.
Your challenge (if you choose to accept it) is to take one of today’s ideas and run with it to help you build your email list.
Here’s What You’ll Learn
- The difference between a Lead Magnet and a Reader Magnet
- Why it’s important to have a freebie that is relevant for your ideal readers
- Quick ideas for Lead Magnets that you can put together in an hour or less
Why You Need an Incentive
Readers get a lot of emails just like you and I do, and they aren’t going to join your list just to get “updates.” As these wonderful people get to know you, your books, and your personality, they’ll be excited to even see one of your emails enter their inbox. But since they don’t have any idea who you are, you need to give them a bit of an “ethical bribe” to get their attention initially.
Usually, this takes the form of a short piece of content like a short story, a cheat sheet, or an extended scene that you share as a direct download. By providing this gift, you’ll get more people in the door and you’ll give yourself the opportunity to prove that you’re a cool author to follow.
Lead Magnet vs. Reader Magnet
Damon Courtney from BookFunnel opened my mind to the idea that you can give different freebies depending on how readers find out about you. When you have a link at the back of your book to join your list, these are very warmed-up readers who already know you from your book. You’d give these folks something different than you’d provide to a stranger (and you’d likely advertise this item differently as well).
To get a reader who doesn’t know you excited, you’ll want to provide something a random genre reader would enjoy (often referred to as a Lead Magnet).
To get a warmed-up reader excited to continue to follow you, you can give something more specific to the story they just read (which would be a Reader Magnet).
Going for Relevancy
At the beginning, your Lead Magnet and Reader Magnet can be the same thing: a short example of your writing that your ideal genre reader would enjoy.
We see too many authors attempt to promote one genre, but actually share a short piece of writing from another genre (like sharing a Christmas romance to their cozy mystery audience). But since this isn’t going to get you the right kind of reader, you need to focus on generating a piece of content that someone who reads your kind of book would like.
Like attracts like, so we want to focus on the genre or subgenre that you’re trying to sell with the pen name or brand you’re promoting with this newsletter. For example, if you write thrillers, then having a thriller-related freebie is likely the right way to go.
Staying in Your Universe
We’ve already established that we want to give away a freebie that fits with your genre, but what if you write in a series or about a certain subject?
Let’s say you write nonfiction books about relationships. You’ll likely want to focus on the same topic and theme from your books. Or let’s say you write a series of sci-fi novels featuring a trio of cadets. You’ll probably want to have a piece of writing focused on one of those cadets from that story universe. In an ideal world, you’re making a freebie that readers would read and then want to go off and purchase your next paid book.
Hot tip from Evan Gow of Story Origin: you can even have a link at the back of your freebie to go purchase your paid book on Amazon or other retailers.
Quick Options in a Pinch, Part 1
Fiction: Write an origin short story of your protagonist.
Nonfiction: Create a one-page “cheat sheet” of the tips and tricks from your book.
Fiction: Rewrite a scene in your book from a different point of view.
Nonfiction: Create a worksheet to help your readers track their accountability or progress.
Fiction: Create a character sketch that includes their origin and history.
Quick Options in a Pinch, Part 2
Nonfiction: Create a list of resources related to your topic.
Fiction: Create a newspaper story that serves as a teaser to the action in your first book.
Narrative Nonfiction or Memoir: Create a scene that adds context to an event that’s described in your book.
Fiction: Create a recipe for a food or drink item featured in the book infused with the perspective of one of your characters.
Fiction: Create a short story that follows a side character from your full book.
Schedule Your Best Option
The hardest part of getting your freebie together is actually scheduling its creation. You absolutely need to write down the where, when, and how you’re going to generate this piece of content.
Rule of Thumb: Give yourself 1.5x time, break the task down into small steps, and lean on your accountability buddies (that’s us!).
One of your pieces of homework for today is to get this freebie onto your agenda so that you can start getting more readers ASAP. It’s time to stop leaning on “good enough,” and start giving ourselves the best opportunity for success.
You Need the Magnet First
I’ve seen far too many people bring new readers into a newsletter that isn’t ready yet. You need the automation and the magnet in place in order to get the best possible return on your investment of time and money. In under an hour, you can throw together a quick scene or a creative take on your genre, and then you’ll have something to offer them.
With your incentive in hand, you’ll be able to get new readers to learn more about you, start to like you, and even buy your books.
Video #1 Homework Option #1
- If you don’t currently have a magnet, use the ideas from today’s video to brainstorm 5-10 freebie ideas you and your readers would enjoy.
- Write down a brief synopsis of your two favorite ideas (numbered 1 and 2).
- In our Email Challenge Group, post that synopsis to get your fellow challengers to vote with the hashtag #EmailVid1.
- Please also comment on another author’s homework post with your vote and some well-deserved encouragement.
Video #1 Homework Option #2
- If you do already have a magnet, use the ideas from today’s video to brainstorm 5-10 freebie ideas you and your readers would enjoy.
- Write down a brief synopsis of your favorite new idea as well as your current magnet without saying which one is which.
- In our Email Challenge Group, post that synopsis to get your fellow challengers to vote with the hashtag #EmailVid1.
- Please also comment on another author’s homework post with your vote and some kind words, stickers, GIFs, etc.
Video #1 Extra Credit
- Using one of your own ideas or one of the ideas we suggested, create the first draft of a magnet for your most profitable series.
- Once you’ve created the draft, write out an “I Did It!” post over on the Facebook Group.
- You can use the hashtag #EmailVid1EC when you create that post.
- Comment on another author’s extra credit post with some TLC or whatever other kindness you want.
In The Next Video
Once we’ve got our freebie set up, it’s time to make sure potential readers know about it. In the early stages, you’ll want to do this affordably and effectively. In Video #2, we’ll go over how to share your freebie and your email list by using the power of social media.
Thank you so much for watching today’s video and for being a part of the Challenge!
Sincerely,
Bryan and the Email Krewe