Are books no longer effective as lead magnets?
I was talking with a very savvy online marketer recently, and I was asking her about a funnel I was going to build. Then I asked if I should use my new book, or one of my existing books, and she said, and I quote, “Books don’t work as lead magnets anymore.” Silence.
I know this marketer. She’s savvy. She is a mastermind. She’s committed to the data. She has a system and she is successful. And yet, in this case, she’s wrong. Let me be clear. She’s right, inside her circle of marketing. And there lies the truth and the problem.
Just because a book doesn’t perform as well online as some other lead magnet doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use a book in our marketing. There are SO many more reasons to have a book than to use it as a lead magnet.
Yes, I use checklists, and other free offers to maximize the performance of my online lead sources. But I also use my book. Why? Because it supports A.C.E., and A.C.E. is what sets me apart from my competition.
For the reluctant marketer
Realize for a local brick and mortar business, you can actually corner your market using a book. For me, this is much more difficult because I generate leads nationally. The entire nation is not a market easily cornered.
When I built the firm in Phoenix, before I left, I had given away more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) books! It’s a formula that works.
However, it’s becoming more and more difficult for me to convince clients to use a book in their law firm marketing. The reason? Many of the marketing vendors using the Internet would prefer not to use a book. Their experience tells them that checklists, and tools convert at a higher rate than does a book. “People don’t want to read a book”, they tell me and my clients. Again, they may be right. But like my uncle Lee always said, “Boss, you can be right, or you can be dead right.”
Here’s the problem. While these “internet marketers” may be right, there are lead magnets that have proven to convert at a lower cost than a book, they are doing attorneys a HUGE disservice by dissuading them from using a book.
Listen, I understand how and why this happens. But here’s what you miss out on when you don’t have a book as an arrow in your marketing quiver.
In Exhibit A, you’ll notice an article about a local Gilbert attorney. This is NOT paid advertising. This article was written by a Gilbert Sunday News staff writer.
Here’s what I want you to notice:
Headline
Because Becky chose to write this book with other estate planning attorneys, the headline could be written that her section was “included.” This assumes that she was “chosen.” I’m not familiar with the publisher she used, but there are several pay-to-play publishers who charge each writer a small fee to be included in a larger book including peers. Maybe Becky was “chosen,” I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. What matters is what the writer assumed to be true.
Origin Story
In this article, the writer included Becky’s origin story. What you don’t know, that I do know, is that Becky includes her origin story in ALL her marketing. I’ve never read a piece by Becky where she didn’t allude to the story and reason for the founding of her firm. Because of this, when interviewed, I’ll bet, Becky was sure to tell that story again. OR the writer, when doing their research stumbled upon Becky’s story and thought it would be a great fit.
Third Party Credibility
She’s sure to mention the publishing company who chose her as an author. Providing third party credibility of her expertise. (Remember there’s an “E” in A.C.E.)
U.C.A. (Unique Competitive Advantage)
Notice Becky summarized what her firm is passionate about and what they believe to be true about her industry, thus setting her apart from the competition.
Proof of Community
Becky is active in her community, and she’s earned the right to use that to showcase that she’s an attorney for her town of Gilbert.
Book Signing
She’s building a launch to a book signing. This provides a deadline for taking action. This provides further credibility as an Author, and this provides an opportunity to convert people who are interested in the book into leads for her house list and potential appointments for a consultation.
The Use of Charity
NEVER underestimate the power of charity. When you hitch your wagon to a local charity, you not only obtain credibility by being generous and not greedy, but you also trigger an important psychological trigger for potential buyers that it's safe to do business with you. Charity almost always increases response.
Clear Call to Action
The writer was kind enough to provide Becky’s phone number and website. This will not always be the case, especially in larger publications, but, in local publications, you might be surprised what they allow an editorial piece to do. (Notice the URL – Becky, wisely chose a URL that further grounded her in her community, gave Google a local geo to shoot for and eliminated any issues potential clients may have with spelling her last name. Smart)
What’s Missing
If I’m being picky . . .
- I wish the phone number and URL were trackable so we could measure response accurately
- I wish we had a deadline. “Refreshments will be served, attendance is limited to fifty, reserve your spot today.” This might mean we run more of a presentation than a book signing with a book signing bonus. But I like deadlines in marketing.
- I wish Becky were holding a cover of the book in the picture or that the book cover was highlighted rather than just a picture of Becky.
Here’s the point. This article would NOT have happened if Becky wrote a checklist.
Certainly, use different lead magnets in your marketing and test to determine which works the best. But don’t do it at the cost of NOT developing A.C.E.
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