Like almost every B2B business, you've probably got a lead magnet (or 3) sitting on your website. Maybe it's a checklist, a template, or the classic "Ultimate Guide to [Insert Your Industry Here]".

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And whilst it might be bringing in email addresses, I'm willing to bet most of those people disappear into the ether after downloading whatever you've offered them.

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Sound familiar?

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Here's the uncomfortable truth: 95% of your audience aren't ready to buy from you right now. They're not actively shopping, comparing options, or pulling out their credit cards.

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But here's what most of us do anyway - we create lead magnets designed for the 5% who are ready to buy today, then wonder why our conversion rates are rubbish and our email lists feel lifeless.

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The real problem isn't your lead magnet, it's who you're designing it for

Most lead magnets are built around the assumption that everyone downloading them is at the same stage of their journey. The problem is that just aren’t, especially when you’re a niche enterprise software business.

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Some people are just starting to recognise they have a problem. Others have tried multiple solutions that didn't work. Some are ready to invest, whilst others need convincing that change is even worth it.

When you treat all these people the same, sending them identical welcome sequences and generic weekly newsletters, you're essentially having the same conversation with someone who's never heard of you and someone who's been following you for months.

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No wonder most of them tune out.

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Stop collecting strangers, start understanding people

Rather than asking for just a name and email in exchange for a static PDF, what if your lead magnet actually helped you understand where people are in their journey?

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This isn't about asking for more personal information to be nosy. It's about gathering insights that let you actually help them.

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Think about these three key things you could learn about someone as they engage with you:

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• Current situation: Where are they right now? What's working? What isn't?
• Desired outcome: What are they trying to achieve? What does success look like?
• Obstacles: What's been stopping them so far? What have they already tried?

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When you know these things, you can have meaningful conversations rather than broadcasting generic advice to everyone.

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What this looks like in practice

Instead of "Download our free guide to social media marketing", imagine something like "Take our 5-minute assessment to discover your biggest social media blind spot".

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The assessment asks targeted questions that help you understand:

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• Whether they're struggling with content creation, engagement, or strategy
• If they're a complete beginner or have been at this for years
• What their biggest frustration is right now

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Based on their answers, you can send them down completely different paths. The overwhelmed beginner gets different advice than the experienced marketer who's hit a plateau.

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This isn't just better for them, it's transformational for your business. Companies that use data to personalise their approach see 6x lower customer acquisition costs and 23x better retention rates.

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The value exchange that actually works

"But won't asking for more information put people off?"

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Only if you're not giving them enough value in return.

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The key is making sure what they get back feels genuinely valuable and personalised to them. If someone spends five minutes answering thoughtful questions and gets back generic advice that could apply to anyone, you've wasted their time.

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But if they get insights specifically about their situation, with actionable next steps tailored to where they are right now? That's when people say "this person really gets me" and want to hear more from you.

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Start small, think big

You don't need to completely overhaul your entire lead generation system overnight.

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Start by adding just 2-3 strategic questions to your existing opt-in process. Test it. See what you learn about your audience that you didn't know before.

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Then use those insights to create more targeted follow-up sequences. You might find that just this small change dramatically improves your email engagement and conversion rates.

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Remember - in a world where we're all drowning in content and generic marketing messages, the brands that win are the ones that make us feel understood.

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Your lead magnet should be the start of that understanding, not just another download that gets forgotten.

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What's your biggest challenge with lead generation right now? Drop me an email and let me know - I read every email and often turn your questions into future blog topics.

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