lead-magnets · format-guide

Lead Magnet Format Guide

Detailed creation guidance for each lead magnet format.

Contents

• Ebooks & Guides
• Checklists
• Cheat Sheets
• Templates & Spreadsheets
• Swipe Files
• Mini-Courses
• Quizzes & Assessments
• Webinars & Workshops

Ebooks & Guides

Best for: Building authority, deep education, awareness-stage leads

Structure:

1. Title page with professional design
2. Table of contents
3. Introduction — frame the problem, set expectations
4. 3-7 chapters — one key concept per chapter
5. Summary — recap key takeaways
6. CTA — next step toward your product

Guidelines:

• Ideal length: 10-25 pages (shorter is fine if valuable)
• Include visuals: charts, diagrams, screenshots
• Use callout boxes for key stats or quotes
• End each chapter with a quick takeaway
• Don't pad — density beats length

Tools: Canva, Google Docs → PDF, Notion export, Designrr, Beacon.by

Checklists

Best for: Process-oriented tasks, quick wins, implementation help

Structure:

• Title: "[Number]-Point [Topic] Checklist"
• Numbered or checkbox items
• Group into logical sections if 10+ items
• Brief explanation per item (1-2 sentences)

Guidelines:

• Keep to 1-2 pages
• Use actionable language ("Verify X", "Set up Y", "Remove Z")
• Order by workflow sequence or priority
• Make it printable — clean layout, generous spacing
• Include a "done" checkbox for each item

What works: Step-by-step processes, audit criteria, launch checklists, setup guides

Cheat Sheets

Best for: Reference material, shortcuts, quick-lookup information

Structure:

• One page (two pages max)
• Organized by category or workflow
• Dense but scannable
• Visual hierarchy with headers and grouping

Guidelines:

• Optimize for quick reference, not reading
• Use tables, grids, or columns
• Include formulas, shortcuts, or code snippets
• Design for printing or saving as desktop reference
• Bold the most important items

What works: Keyboard shortcuts, formula references, terminology glossaries, decision matrices

Templates & Spreadsheets

Best for: Repeatable processes, planning, tracking

Spreadsheet Templates (Google Sheets / Excel)

• Include a "How to Use" tab with instructions
• Pre-fill with example data
• Use data validation for dropdown fields
• Add conditional formatting for visual cues
• Lock formula cells, leave input cells editable
• Include a "Make a Copy" link (Google Sheets)

Notion Templates

• Provide a duplicate link
• Include a getting-started guide
• Pre-populate with example content
• Use Notion's database features (views, filters, relations)
• Keep it simple — don't over-engineer

Document Templates

• Provide in multiple formats (Google Doc, Word, PDF)
• Include placeholder text with [BRACKETS] for customization
• Add inline instructions in a different color
• Make it immediately usable with minimal editing

Key principle: Templates should be usable within 5 minutes of downloading.

Swipe Files

Best for: Inspiration, examples, learning from others

Structure:

• Curated collection of 15-50 examples
• Organized by category, type, or use case
• Each example includes:
  • The example itself (screenshot, text, link)
  • Why it works (2-3 bullet annotations)
  • How to adapt it (1-2 sentences)

Guidelines:

• Quality over quantity — curate ruthlessly
• Add your analysis, don't just collect
• Organize for browsing (categories, tags)
• Update periodically with fresh examples
• Credit original sources

What works: Email subject lines, landing pages, ad copy, CTAs, onboarding flows, pricing pages

Mini-Courses

Email-Based Mini-Courses

• 3-5 emails delivered over 5-7 days
• One lesson per email, one concept per lesson
• Each email: teach → example → exercise
• Progressive difficulty (build on previous lessons)
• Final email: summary + CTA for product or next step

Video-Based Mini-Courses

• 3-5 videos, 5-15 minutes each
• Host on unlisted YouTube, Loom, or course platform
• Deliver links via email drip
• Include worksheets or exercises per lesson
• More personal — builds stronger connection

Cadence: Every 1-2 days. Don't stretch too thin or compress too tight.

Key principle: Each lesson should deliver standalone value. If someone only watches lesson 2, they should still learn something useful.

Quizzes & Assessments

Best for: Engagement, segmentation, personalized results

Question Design:

• 5-10 questions (sweet spot: 7)
• Multiple choice only — no open-ended
• Questions should feel insightful, not obvious
• Progress indicator ("Question 3 of 7")

Result Segmentation:

• 3-5 result categories
• Each result: name, description, personalized recommendations
• Tailor follow-up emails by result type
• Share-worthy result format ("I got: Growth Stage Marketer!")

Implementation: Gate results behind email capture. The quiz itself is ungated — the personalized results require an email.

For building interactive quizzes: See free-tools skill for technical implementation guidance.

Webinars & Workshops

Live Webinars

• 30-45 minutes teaching + 15 minutes Q&A
• Structure: Hook → Teach (3 key points) → Demo/example → CTA
• Promote 1-2 weeks in advance
• Send 3 reminder emails (confirmation, day before, 1 hour before)
• Record for replay (extends value)

Evergreen Webinars

• Pre-recorded, available on demand
• Same structure as live but tighter editing
• Always-on lead generation
• Gate with email registration
• Automated follow-up sequence

Follow-up: Send replay link + summary + CTA within 24 hours. Continue with nurture sequence.

Key principle: Teach something genuinely useful. A webinar that's just a sales pitch will damage trust.

Source: https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/skills/lead-magnets/references/format-guide.md · v2.0.0 · MIT License (c) 2025 Corey Haines.