Hey. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Marketing with Empathy. Today I want to ask you a question. What do you offer your customers who aren't yet ready to buy from you? Do you have a strong transitional call to action, a strong freebie of incredible value that you can use to capture that lead and then nurture them over time so that you stay top of mind for them? When they're ready to buy, they think of you and they say yes. But not everyone's ready to say yes right away, right? So many companies miss this. Don't miss out on leads and future revenue. Welcome to Marketing with Empathy, the podcast that helps content marketers more confidently navigate the world of brand storytelling.
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MWE 121 - Use Freebies to Get Leads
Marketing With Empathy®
MWE 121 - Use Freebies to Get Leads
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Sarah Panus
00:49 "Host helps brands connect through storytelling." 04:17 Hook people with valuable freebie for emails. 08:42 Segment leads for different target audiences, save time.
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“Capturing leads and nurturing them over time is essential to stay top of mind for customers when they're ready to buy.”
“As I do more story brand messaging strategy sessions with companies with business owners, I'm realizing a lot of companies don't have a good transitional call to action.”
“A transitional call to action is a really good lead generating freebie of value that you offer to your potential customer to capture the lead, add value, and help attract the right people to your brand.”
“Your lead generating freebie should help solve the customer's problem.”
“You want to hook people before they're gone and they forget about you. Offer a strong freebie that they perceive to be worth enough to give you their email address.”
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I'm your host, Sarah Panus, and I've spent the last 20 years creating and growing successful editorial brand storytelling strategies, teams, and operations. People are craving connections and I'm on a mission to help brands better connect with their audience by creating content people actually want to consume. Think of this show like a creative content marketing jam session mixed with Chicken Soup for the Soul. Let's hear from today's sponsors and then jump right into today's episode. As I do more story brand messaging strategy sessions with companies with business owners, I'm realizing a lot of companies don't have a good transitional call to action. What do I mean by this? Well, for those of you just joining, I am a certified StoryBrand guide. StoryBrand, for those who aren't familiar, is a seven part framework that helps you clarify your sales and marketing messages to use across all channels in a way that will help you drive more business and treat your customer as the hero. I'm going through these strategy sessions with company after company, and when we get to Call to Actions, there's a part where we're going to think about what's like the really clear direct call to action, if they're going to buy or sign up or schedule a call or something like that.
But the reality is not everyone is going to be ready to do those things at that time for various reasons. It could be time constraints, it could be budgetary constraints, it could be whatever life cycle they're in. It just doesn't fit into that moment. But hey, three weeks from now, they're ready. Or maybe even four months from now, depending on what you sell, what product or service you sell, a transitional call to action is a really good lead generating freebie of value that you offer to your potential customer to capture the lead, add value, and help attract the right people to your brand. A lead generator is a way to gather email addresses from people interested in your area of expertise. You deliver valuable content in the lead generator and then use their email to send an email nurture sequence that leads them through a sales process. Get to know you better.
Your lead generating freebie should help solve the customer's problem. So you have to really isolate and always come back to what is the customer's problem? What's going to be valuable to them, that you could help in some small way to demonstrate your authority in the space that you know what the heck you're talking about. Demonstrate your empathy that you can relate and understand the problems that they are going through and be able to pull in their information. Because even though you've hooked them with your story and if you've done all of the things right, they may not be ready to buy right at that moment for various reasons, like I mentioned. So you don't want to lose them, right? You don't want to lose them because as you know, we're all so busy. Maybe we hop on one site, we look at a product one day, we may think we like it. For me, I screenshot a lot of things on my cell phone, which ends up kind of going into this abyss on my phone. Really, half the time I don't even go back and look at them.
You want to hook people before they're gone and they forget about you. Offer a strong freebie that they perceive to be worth enough to give you their email address. This is really key because most people don't want more emails, but they will sign up for emails that are incredibly valuable for them. Some research shows that your freebie needs to have a perceived value worth at least $11 in the minds of your potential customer or they won't give you their email. So you want to be thinking about, is this thing worth at least $11 if I was going to sell it? So that this person will see an incredible amount of value in how it could help solve a smidge of the problems that they're going through. Your freebie needs to help solve that customer's problem in some small way that's going to be most interesting to them and prove to them that like I said, you're the authority, you're the expert and helps them keep you top of mind so that when they choose, when they're ready to buy, they're going to think of you first. So I want to give you guys some examples of different kinds of lead generating ideas just to get the juices flowing here and to look at your own process to say, okay, do we as a company have a good enough freebie? Offer transitional call to action for those people who aren't yet ready to buy, but we can pull them into our email list and be able to nurture them over time? Quizzes quizzes are a fantastic lead generator. I'm actually learning right now and going through a course with a previous guest we had on the show, Helen Munshi, going through and developing my own Quiz funnel.
And so I will be talking about that in future months here on the show after I have some results under my belt and we'll see how the whole process goes and I'll have Helen come back on and we can dissect that further. But quizzes are incredibly interactive, really interesting. If you frame them up right, can be a great opportunity. There can be PDFs, like a download this nice catchy title. Now checklist a free sample or a discount coupon, videos, podcast, episode, like something exclusive or doesn't even have to be exclusive. It could just be something you're promoting in that place that they may not have seen if they don't subscribe already to your podcast, ebook, a playbook of some kind, a guide, a handbook x mistakes to avoid like my freebie, I have eight mistakes to avoid when creating your content marketing strategy. It walks through in depth things I've learned over the last 20 years to help people streamline their plans and processes. There's also X number of essentials list like main things to have or not have, things like that that gets people to be wondering what am I missing out on, what don't I know about that I should know about, what are resources that I should be looking into, things like that.
So those are some initial ideas that work really well as lead generators. And if you need any help clarifying your marketing and sales messages and thinking of good lead generation ideas that tie back into your customer and the problem that they have and how you help in all of that, go ahead and book a free discovery call with me. I do free 30 minutes zoom calls to discuss your content needs and see if my story brand messaging strategy session might be a good fit, or if you just need me to help brainstorm and think through or create some lead generators for you that you can use as transitional call to actions. You can schedule that free discovery call on my website@kindredspeak.com, that's kindredspeak.com. So don't leave your leads and revenue on the table guys. You need to have a really great one of these and get it live, push it out there and then rotate throughout them throughout the year as you start to see fatigue. So that way you can be honing in on these different folks. The other piece and the other beautiful thing with transitional call to actions that a freebie can do is it can help you actually segment your leads list too, because you can segment based on the topic of the freebie and the people that are coming in.
So like, let's say you're a realtor and you have a freebie that's geared toward first time home buyers and you have a second freebie that's geared toward empty nesters who are looking to downsize two very different freebies, right? So you know the leads that are coming in through that first time home buyers, that they are first time home buyers and you can market to them appropriately as such versus the empty nesters. And what your content plan can look like to those leads. So it's kind of a way to easily segment your leads list with those qualifying topics and questions that will come out of it. I hope this is helpful and sparked some ideas for you wanted to plant that seed, especially as we're getting to the end of the year and you may be starting into the next content plans and ideas. But this is definitely something to get up on your site to be sharing and talking about across your channels to be capturing those leads. So until next week, God bless. If you're hearing this, I know you work in the world of content marketing, but here's the deal you want to be a content marketing leader, but marketers don't have enough time to do content marketing. Well, I'd love to help you check storytelling projects off your marketing to do list using my 20 years of frameworks and methods so you get your time back while confidently engaging new and existing customers.
For example, I'm a certified Story brand guide and would love to help clarify your messaging strategy for your overall brand as well as your editorial Storytelling content plans. Let me help you plan, implement and scale your content plans. There's a variety of ways we can work together, including day rates, online training courses, all the way through to longer term retainer projects. Schedule a discovery call with me to discuss your business needs by going to my website@kindredspeak.com. That's kindredspeak.com.
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🔖 Titles
The Power of Freebies: Capturing Leads and Nurturing Customers for Future Success
Unleashing the Potential of Transitional Call to Actions: How Freebies Can Drive Revenue
Lead Generation Strategies Unveiled: Leveraging Freebies to Stay Top of Mind
From Leads to Revenue: The Value of Strong Freebies in Your Marketing Arsenal
Solving Problems and Winning Customers: The Art of Lead Generating Freebies
Hooking Customers Before They're Gone: The Importance of Valuable Freebies
Lead Generators 101: Crafting Irresistible Freebies that Drive Sales
Empathy in Marketing: Using Freebies to Capture Leads and Stay Connected
The Freebie Revolution: How Transitional Call to Actions Can Transform Your Business
From Email Addresses to Customers: Maximizing the Potential of Lead Generating Freebies
💬 Keywords
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ℹ️ Introduction
Welcome back to another episode of Marketing with Empathy with your host, Sarah Panus. In today's episode, Sarah tackles the important question of how to capture leads from potential customers who aren't yet ready to buy. She emphasizes the need for a strong transitional call to action and a valuable freebie that can keep your brand top of mind for when they are ready to say yes. Sarah shares insights from her experience as a certified StoryBrand guide and discusses the power of lead generation through email nurturing sequences. She also provides practical tips on how to create a lead generating freebie that effectively solves your customer's problem and demonstrates your authority in the space. Join Sarah as she explores various types of lead generating ideas and explains the importance of segmenting your leads list. Don't miss out on this episode filled with valuable strategies to capture leads and drive future revenue. Stay tuned for a creative content marketing jam session mixed with Chicken Soup for the Soul. Let's get started!
📚 Timestamped overview
00:49 Summary: Sarah Panus, an experienced editor, is on a mission to help brands connect with their audience by creating compelling content. She discusses the importance of transitional call to actions in story brand messaging strategy sessions with business owners.
04:17 To hook people, offer a valuable freebie in exchange for their email. Freebie should solve a problem and have perceived value of $11. Use quizzes as lead generators.
08:42 Realtor can segment leads based on target audience to market appropriately and save time.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:49 "Host helps brands connect through storytelling."
04:17 Hook people with valuable freebie for emails.
08:42 Segment leads for different target audiences, save time.
❓ Questions
Do you currently have a transitional call to action in your marketing strategy? If not, why do you think it is important to have one?
What are some potential reasons why customers may not be ready to buy from you right away? How can a strong freebie help capture their interest and keep you top of mind?
How do you determine the value of your freebie? Why is it important for the perceived value to be at least $11?
Have you ever used quizzes as a lead generator? If so, what were the results? If not, how can you see them being effective in capturing leads?
What other types of lead generators mentioned in the episode can you implement in your marketing strategy? Which ones resonate most with your target audience?
How can a well-designed freebie help you better understand and segment your leads list? What benefits does this segmentation provide for your marketing efforts?
Have you considered creating different lead generators for different customer segments? How can tailoring your freebies to specific audiences improve lead capture and conversion rates?
What steps can you take to ensure your freebie provides value and helps solve your customer's problem? How can you showcase your authority and expertise through your free content?
How frequently should you rotate and update your freebies to avoid customer fatigue? What strategies can you implement to keep your transitional call to action fresh and engaging?
Would you benefit from a discovery call with a marketing expert to brainstorm and create effective lead generators? How can you leverage outside help to optimize your marketing strategy?
❇️ Key topics and bullets
Primary Topic: Importance of a Transitional Call to Action for Lead Generation
Defining a transitional call to action
Not everyone is ready to buy right away
Importance of capturing leads and nurturing them over time
Potential reasons why customers may not be ready to buy
Using a lead generating freebie of value to capture leads
Delivering valuable content to attract the right people to your brand
Solving the customer's problem and demonstrating authority
Preventing loss of potential customers who may forget about your brand
Primary Topic: Characteristics of a Strong Freebie
Perceived value worth at least $11 in the minds of potential customers
Helping to solve the customer's problem in a small way
Proving authority and expertise in the industry
Keeping your brand top of mind for future buying decisions
Primary Topic: Examples of Lead Generating Ideas
Quizzes as an interactive and engaging lead generator
PDF downloads with catchy titles
Checklists, free samples, or discount coupons
Exclusive podcast episodes or videos
eBooks, playbooks, guides, or handbooks
Lists of mistakes to avoid or essential resources
Primary Topic: How Lead Generators can Help with Segmentation
Segmenting leads based on the topic of the freebie
The benefits of segmenting leads for personalized marketing
Examples of lead segmentations (e.g. first-time home buyers vs empty nesters)
Primary Topic: Action Steps and Recommendations
Importance of creating a strong transitional call to action
Rotating lead generators throughout the year to prevent fatigue
Utilizing lead generators to segment leads and customize marketing efforts
Offering a free discovery call for help with lead generation strategies
Not leaving leads and revenue on the table by neglecting lead generation efforts.
🎬 Reel script
[Opening shot of you smiling]
Script:
"Hey entrepreneurs! It's [Your Name], back with another episode of Marketing with Empathy. 🎙️ Today, we discussed a powerful strategy to capture leads and boost your revenue. 💼💰"
[Cut to animated text on screen]
Use FREEBIES to get LEADS! 🆓🔥
Don't miss out on potential customers.
Stay top of mind with a strong transitional call to action. 📲⏰
[Cut to quick shots of examples: quizzes, PDFs, videos, podcast episodes]
Whether it's a quiz 📝, a downloadable PDF 📥, or an exclusive podcast episode 🎧, offering valuable content helps you connect with your audience on a deeper level. 💡🤝
[Cut to you speaking confidently]
"Remember, your freebie should solve a problem for your potential customers, demonstrating your expertise and empathy. 💡✨"
[Cut to a visual of an email capture form]
"But here's the secret: make it irresistible! Your freebie should be perceived as worth at least $11. That's the sweet spot! 💯💼"
[Cut to you encouragingly]
"So, entrepreneurs, don't let leads slip away. Invest in strong lead generation tactics and nurture your audience until they're ready to buy. 📈💪"
[Closing shot of you smiling]
"Thanks for watching this episode of Marketing with Empathy. Be sure to check out the full episode for more insights and strategies. Stay tuned for the next one! Until then, keep marketing with empathy. 😊✨"
[Video fades out with your branding and call-to-action]
[Background music fades out]
👩💻 LinkedIn post
🎙️ Exciting news! Just released a new episode of Marketing with Empathy podcast 🎧
In this episode, we dive into the power of using freebies to capture leads and nurture them over time. If you want to stay top of mind for potential customers and increase future revenue, this is a must-listen!
Here are 3 key takeaways:
1️⃣ Don't miss out on leads and future revenue - So many companies overlook the importance of having a strong transitional call to action and a valuable freebie. Make sure you have a lead generator that adds value and captures email addresses from interested prospects.
2️⃣ Solve the customer's problem - Your freebie should help address a specific problem your potential customer is facing. By demonstrating your authority and empathy, you not only keep them engaged but also position yourself as the go-to expert in your industry.
3️⃣ Segment your leads - The beauty of using freebies as transitional call to actions is that it allows you to segment your leads list based on the topics of the freebies. This way, you can tailor your communication and offers to specific groups, increasing your chances of conversion.
Listen to the full episode on Marketing with Empathy podcast and start leveraging the power of freebies to attract and nurture leads. And if you need help brainstorming lead generation ideas or clarifying your marketing messages, book a free discovery call with me today!
#MarketingWithEmpathy #PodcastEpisode #LeadGeneration #CustomerEngagement
🗞️ Newsletter
Subject: Boost Your Lead Generation with High-Value Freebies!
Hey there,
Welcome back to the Marketing with Empathy® newsletter, where we help content marketers connect with their audience and grow their businesses by creating valuable content. In today's edition, we're diving into the power of using freebies to capture leads and nurture them over time.
Do you have a strong transitional call to action that entices potential customers who aren't ready to buy from you? Missed leads mean missed revenue opportunities, and we don't want that. That's why we're here to share tips and strategies to help you leverage freebies effectively.
Sarah Panus, your host and expert in editorial branding and storytelling, emphasizes the importance of offering a lead-generation freebie of high value to attract the right audience. This freebie should address your audience's problems and demonstrate your authority and empathy. After all, you want to stay top of mind when they're ready to make a purchasing decision.
But how do you create a freebie that stands out? Sarah suggests offering something with a perceived value worth at least $11 in the mind of your potential customer. Make it a valuable resource or solution to a specific problem they face. In this newsletter, Sarah provides a list of lead-generating ideas, including quizzes, PDFs, checklists, videos, podcasts, ebooks, and more. These freebies will not only help you capture leads but also allow you to segment your audience based on interests.
If you're struggling with identifying the right freebie or need guidance on clarifying your marketing and sales messages, Sarah offers free 30-minute discovery calls. During these calls, she'll discuss your content needs and explore how her story brand messaging strategy can benefit your business. You can schedule your free discovery call on her website at kindredspeak.com.
Don't let valuable leads slip away. In this episode of Marketing with Empathy®, Sarah shares her expertise on using freebies to generate leads and build long-term relationships. Tune in to our podcast to learn more and stay ahead of the curve in your content marketing efforts.
Remember, your freebie is not just a lead magnet. It's an opportunity to connect with your potential customers, show them that you understand their needs, and position yourself as an authority in your industry. So go ahead, create a high-value freebie, capture those leads, and nurture them into loyal customers.
Thank you for being a part of the Marketing with Empathy® community. Stay tuned for more valuable insights and expert advice designed to help you succeed in your content marketing journey.
Until next time,
The Marketing with Empathy® Team
🧵 Tweet thread
"📢 Thread Alert: How to Capture Leads and Nurture Customers 📢
Welcome back to Marketing with Empathy, where we dive deep into content marketing strategies that actually work! Today, we're tackling a crucial question: What do you offer potential customers who aren't ready to buy? Let's explore this together! (1/8)
It's essential to have a strong transitional call to action, a valuable freebie that captures leads & nurtures them over time. You want to stay top of mind so that when they're finally ready to buy, they choose YOU! Don't miss out on leads and future revenue. Here's what you need to know. (2/8)
Imagine this: not everyone is ready to say yes right away. Time constraints, budget issues, or simply not being in the right phase can hold them back. That's why a transitional call to action is key! It's a powerful lead generator that adds value, captures leads, and attracts the right audience. (3/8)
Your lead generator should solve your potential customer's problem & demonstrate your authority and empathy. Ask yourself, what's valuable to them? What can you offer that shows you understand their challenges? The goal is to keep them hooked, even if they're not ready to buy. (4/8)
But here's the catch: people don't want more emails. You need to offer something perceived as valuable. Research suggests it should be worth at least $11 in their eyes. So, brainstorm creative lead generators that solve their problem and make them think, "Wow, this is worth it!" (5/8)
Need some inspiration? Here are a few lead generation ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
1️⃣ Quizzes (interactive & engaging)
2️⃣ PDFs (downloadable goodies)
3️⃣ Checklist (everyone loves a handy checklist)
4️⃣ Videos or podcast episodes (exclusive content)
5️⃣ eBooks or playbooks (in-depth knowledge)
Let's dive deeper! (6/8)
Don't forget, your freebie can help you segment your leads list too. Depending on the topic or problem it addresses, you can organize and target your leads better. Think about how you can tailor your offerings to specific customer segments. It's a win-win! (7/8)
If you need help clarifying your messaging or brainstorming lead generation ideas, I'm here for you! Book a free discovery call with me at kindredspeak.com. Together, we can create a killer transitional offer that captures leads and boosts your revenue. Don't miss out! (8/8)
#MarketingWithEmpathy #LeadGeneration #ContentMarketing #CaptureLeads #NurtureCustomers"
🪡 Threads by Instagram
🎙️ Listen to the latest episode of Marketing with Empathy to discover how you can use freebies to capture leads and nurture them over time. Unlock the power of transitional call to action and never miss out on potential customers again! 🌟 #MarketingWithEmpathy #LeadGeneration
👥 Not everyone is ready to buy right away, but that doesn't mean you have to lose them as potential customers. Tune in to this episode of Marketing with Empathy to learn how to create a strong freebie that adds value and keeps you top of mind. 💌 #CustomerRetention #FreebieMarketing
🔑 Want to attract the right people to your brand? Offer a valuable lead generator that addresses your customer's pain points and demonstrates your authority in the industry. Learn more about effective freebie strategies on Marketing with Empathy. 💡 #LeadGen #ContentMarketing
🌟 Discover the power of quizzes, PDFs, videos, and more as lead generators in this episode of Marketing with Empathy. Find out how these interactive and engaging freebies can help you capture leads and nurture them into loyal customers. 🎁 #EngagementMarketing #LeadCapture
📚 Looking for fresh ideas to level up your lead generation game? Join Sarah Panus on Marketing with Empathy as she shares different types of lead generating freebies that will hook your potential customers and keep your brand top of mind. Don't miss out! 🚀 #LeadGenerationIdeas #ContentStrategy
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