Photo by Anete Lūsiņa

Is your website producing new leads that you can turn into customers? We know that email marketing is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to generate new sales, in fact, according to a HubSpot article on Marketing Statistics for 2020, there are currently 6.69 billion email accounts in the world and content marketing gets three times more leads than paid search advertising. So, how do you get those leads in the first place?

Why lead magnets are proven tools for attracting new bookings online.

Buying lists has been a common practice in the past, but with an average response rate of less than 2%, this ineffective practice is also too costly. It is time for the tours and excursions industry to embrace the power of lead magnets on your website to generate new qualified prospects.

What is a lead magnet and how does it work?

Lead magnets are a simple and decades-old tactic in marketing. Think of them like small “incentives” that can turn a profit. In essence, lead magnets offer something of value to prospective guests in exchange for their contact information and permission to be added to an emailing list. Instead of offering the same old lackluster calls-to-action like “Join our Newsletter,” use a lead magnet to entice web visitors to give up their email.

With their contact information in your database, you can send out attractive offers that create new and repeat bookings. Consider this the first step in the Customer Value Journey Optimization process. Lead magnets are a vital first step to effectively marketing tour and excursion businesses because lead generation is the foundation for brand building and increased revenue that lasts.

Using lead magnets is so effective because not only are you demonstrating your company’s unique selling points, you’re also creating instant customer gratification by giving away something of value to them.

This hotel lead magnet example is tailored for destination wedding brides-to-be:

Here’s a tip on how to properly use lead magnets: Treat this like a new relationship. You don’t want to scare someone off by being too aggressive or clingy, right? You should be creating meaningful exchanges by providing value and knowledge that is mutually beneficial to you and the customers. It does not take extensive money or resources to nurture that relationship via email to generate sales.

High-converting lead magnets for tour and excursion companies

If you offer unique experiences, discount codes or value-adds are a great way to create leads that produce an influx of new sales. By offering a percentage off a first-purchase, or a valuable add-on, you can attract countless new customers to buy into your services.

Here's an example of a pop-up lead magnet with a discount offer for an attraction:

There are lots of other creative types of lead magnets that can be implemented into your digital marketing strategy. These may come in the form of short, interactive quizzes or surveys, packing checklists for your specific destination, or maybe even a curated itinerary that includes the best dining experiences to enjoy after the customer’s excursion experience

Now, just because these may seem like unique and fun ideas, will your customers really care about them? You have to make sure that the leads you create are tailored to your target audience. You also have to ask yourself if the lead you want to offer is really valuable. Does it solve a problem or give customers something they need?

In this case, the old trope “know your audience” is actually your most powerful tool. Don’t be afraid to test out leads and change them if they aren’t well-received by your audience when they go live. Say snorkelers down in the Florida Keys don’t really need another guide to “the best diving equipment,” try offering them a how-to on “environmentally conscious tourism.”

Here is sample lead magnet CTA designed to attract ecologically-conscious tourists.

There is no limit to how imaginative you can get with lead magnets.

How to implement lead magnets

Lead magnets are simple to implement with content for the magnet, website editing capabilities, and an emailing system to distribute the content with. Once you have that figured out, think about the best place for your lead.  Let's review the conversion path that turns website visitors into leads:

1. Call to Action (CTA): This is the button or banner that website visitors click to access the resource you're offering. Some of the highest-generating CTAs come in the form of pop-ups that appear just before a user is going to leave your website.
2. Landing Page: After the visitor clicks on the CTA, they're taken to a landing page where they'll fill out a form with their name, email address, and any other relevant information. Keep your forms short! The best conversions come from 3 field-forms, if you need a little more qualifying information, try a post-conversion Thank You page.
3. Thank You Page: Once the visitor fills put the form, they are brought to a page where they can download the resource, officially adding them to your mailing list. This is a good place to ask another qualifying question. Remember to link back to other related areas of your website such as a blog post.
4. Kickback Email: This is your follow-up message to the lead. Ideally it should be triggered automatically to be sent the same day that the visitor completes the lead form. It usually contains a link to the resource you offered (in case they did not download it off the landing page) as well as providing a "Welcome" to your brand.

Here is a Landing Page with Lead Magnet offer.

This process starts an email marketing campaign which is really a conversation with the prospective guests to keep them engaged with your business. Always remember to provide value with every email, and not a hard sell. After the first email you can link back to your booking pages and soon enough those "lookers" will turn into "bookers."

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Diaz & Cooper is a Growth Agency specializing in the creation and execution of sale-driven marketing strategies. Our mission is to create a world where marketing and sales align to increase revenue and generate more leads for the sales team.