What Is A Lead Magnet And Why Every Doctor Needs One In 2023

Unless you’re selling a commodity, getting someone to buy your services is likely going to require multiple touch points.

My marketing mentor said it was like getting someone to marry you. Nobody in their right mind would approach a stranger and ask them to marry them. Even if you knew this other person was single, interested in getting married, and looking for someone like you!

But when we market our services, we “target” people who fit our criteria and we automatically assume they’ll want to buy what we’re offering so we go for the close…

See how that is not ideal?

Here is where a lead magnet comes into play.

A lead magnet is something you offer your visitors in exchange of their contact information.

For us Gen-X’ers, this is like when we asked someone for their phone number so we could call them. If you’re on the younger side, it’s like getting their Instagram or TikTok. The point is to start a relationship.

So a lead magnet’s main goal is not to get contact information; it’s to start a relationship.

What is a good lead magnet for an independent doctor in 2023?

The best lead magnets help people solve one specific challenge or question that they have in relation to your niche or specialty.

For example:

• A LASIK surgeon can create an infographic comparing different laser eye surgeries.
• A pediatrician can put together a cheatsheet for first time mothers who are about to start introducing solids for their baby.
• An OB-GYN might create a resource for women looking to improve fertility.

Important things to keep in mind as you plan for your first lead magnet:

1. Make it short and actionable. Even if a lead magnet is a free resource, you’re asking people to invest their time to consume it. If they don’t yet know you, they’re unlikely to invest more than a few minutes. *It’s why you don’t watch those hour-long webinars you opt in for…
2. Make sure it gives them a quick victory. If it’s a resource for weight-loss, you don’t need to help them lose 100 pounds with a cheatsheet. But you do need your lead magnet to trigger a sense of progress in them. For example, a great lead magnet for a weight-loss clinic could be a printable shopping list.
3. Make it very specific. In order for a lead magnet to meet #1 and #2, it needs to be very specific. But it’s worth mentioning again as it’s the most common mistake I see doctors make with their lead magnets. Fight the urge to address more than one specific problem with your lead magnet. For example, don’t create a “Sleep Hygiene Cheatsheet” (if you do, please do not call it that!) that addresses sleep hacks for sleeping at home, for sleeping on the road, for sleeping in airplanes, etc.

Now, you need more than a lead magnet for someone to become a patient.

But not having a lead magnet, makes the process much harder. It’s like getting someone to marry you when they haven’t even given you their phone number!