I Quit Using Lead Magnets to Get Clients (Then This Happened)
Jan 31, 2024
Today I’m going to share why I believe lead magnets and webinars are not the best long-term strategy to warm a cold prospect up to the idea of working with you.
I’m going to show you why writing a book — and using that as a front-end filter for your customers — is much more effective in creating the clients that I believe you actually want.
I’ve published three books that together have generated close to 1M in client revenue for my coaching business.
I love that I can use books to make money today and leave my legacy for the long run.
If you want to write a book to grow your business but aren’t 100% sold on how it’s going to make things better, this will pull back the hood.
We are going to cover three core reasons why books work so well to warm prospects up to the idea of working with you.
Reason #1 — Trust
Google found that people need to spend — on average — 8 hours with a brand to make a purchasing decision.
They need to get to know you.
They need to feel like they can trust you.
This is similar to how any relationship develops.
You might spend 8 hours with a new person before you start to think I could really be friends with this person.
During those first 8 hours, you find out the person’s story.
You grow to understand the core principles they believe in. You learn about their interests.
If there’s a match, a bond starts to form.
A book acts like a bonding agent between you and the reader.
It won’t bond you with the wrong people, which is good. But, for those who resonate with you, it works like magic.
I get inbound messages every week from book readers. The messages have the resonance of a long-lost relative reaching out after locating me decades later:
“Brian, I just read your book and we have so much in common. I really resonated with your Why. Mine is very similar. My story is….”
They pour everything out. It’s actually kinda crazy — that a book can create a relationship with someone I’ve never even met.
Reason #2 — Books are a Filter
Book readers are higher quality prospects.
People who have no interest in reading books often have no interest in improving their situation.
They might become a client, but they aren’t as likely to put in the work to get results.
Book readers are “personal development people”.
That is the trait of a rockstar client. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
You want clients who are driven and motivated. The ones who take personal accountability. The ones who can focus.
Trust me. You don’t want anyone who doesn’t fit this description. Here’s why:
- You won’t be able to get them results.
- Your work with them will be frustrating.
- It will feel like you are the only one who cares.
- It will drain you of vital energy you need to preserve to push your movement forward.
Serving driven clients makes our work so much more rewarding, because they win.
We get to support them in that journey and know that we are making a real difference.
Then, they give us a testimonial which brings the next 3 clients in, and so on.
Using a book as your front-end repels “energy vampire” clients and attracts rockstar clients that make you excited to wake up in the morning.
Reason #3 — Paradigm Shifting
Books help people a lot more than a webinar, free course, or lead magnet.
They go deeper.
If you asked me “Brian, what are some of the things you’ve learned that helped you the most?”
My answers are going to be primarily about books I’ve read, such as:
- The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
- The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
- The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
- The 4 Hour WorkWeek by Tim Ferriss
- The One Thing by Gary Keller
- Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson
- Eat for Health by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
Each of these books taught me one or two core philosophies that I carry around to this day.
Ask me about a lead magnet or webinar that changed my life? That’s funny.
A book can truly change the life of a reader, even if you never hear from them.
If you want to write a book that:
- Filters out the wrong people and attracts the winners
- Captures their trust
- Truly helps them in advance
Check out my book Get Clients With a Book — which breaks down exactly how to do this at:
https://www.getclientswithabook.com
Before you go, I want to end with a big caveat.
Everyone shouldn’t write a book to grow their business.
Some creators should put their book idea on the shelf until they have crossed a couple other necessary bridges first.
If the following describes you, I don’t recommend writing a book right now:
- Brand new coach or creator
- Not clear on your offer or niche
- Haven’t worked with clients yet
- Aren’t sure about your program or process
- Need to make money and get clients ASAP
If these describe you, I recommend a different set of steps that might take you 6-12 months.
Implement these first, lay the foundation for your process, and then add a book in to make things so much better.
To understand what the process you should go through as a new coach who needs clients now, watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc5U65W_yGA
To your success —
Brian
