A lead magnet does not need to be new work. The creators below each started from something they already had and built the Resource around it. For setup, see Lead magnets: capture emails with a Resource.

The post-workshop tool

Run a free workshop, then gate the tool or calculator you used in it behind an email. People who attended already know what it does and why they want it.

The event companion

If your community runs on Events, a lead magnet can work on either side of one.

• Before: share a prep worksheet so people show up ready.
• After: offer a small paid Resource, around $20 to $30, at the end of the Event while trust is highest. A buyer is much easier to invite into a membership than someone who has only attended.

The offline bridge

Put a QR code on your business card that opens a free tool. Every conversation you have in person can now end with a contact.

The doorway to a challenge

Use a low-cost lead magnet, around $7 to $10, to sell a five-day challenge. Run the challenge as a Course with very light onboarding, then offer the full membership inside it.

Think in entry points, not a funnel

A single path from free to paid loses everyone who does not fit it. Give people several ways in: a free Resource, a paid Resource, a public Event. Each one should lead into the community quickly. Sending leads a long chain of lead magnets before inviting them in usually slows them down.