Trash The Pretty Freebie

strategy

The first freebie I ever made was a Canva checklist titled something like “10 Things to Fix in Your Funnel.”
I sent it to my tiny list (read: my sister-in-law, a past client, and someone who once DM’d me about Instagram hashtags).

I was proud of it.
Like, really proud.
It had a cover page. Clickable links. My brand colors were doing the most. I felt like I’d crossed a threshold and officially entered “Online Business Girl Boss” territory.

I hit publish and waited for the subscribers to roll in. Which they did....eventually. It was really slow going at first, and mostly when I begged for them on Instagram.

But here’s what no one told me when I started:
Not all lead magnets are built to do the same job.

And yet most of us—myself included—treat them like they are.

Especially now that Canva + AI make it so damn easy to create one. We're tossing freebies around like confetti at a parade because someone on Instagram once said, “You need a freebie to grow your list.”

The sneaky truth?
A big email list without a strategy is just a digital junk drawer.

What Changed Everything For Me

Once I realized a lead magnet isn’t just about getting the lead—but guiding it somewhere intentionally—I stopped creating freebies for the sake of it.

Now, every freebie I create serves a specific business goal.
And yours should too.

Let’s break it down.

1. Freebies for List Growth + Segmentation

These are the light, snackable pieces of content that meet your audience where they already are.
They’re designed to attract the right people and give you valuable insight into what they need.

Think:
✔ Checklists
✔ Podcast companion guides
✔ Downloadable templates
✔ Quick how-to resources

I include one with almost every episode of The Million Dollar Breakthrough Podcast. because they’re short, easy to create, and hyper-relevant.
And best of all?
They help me tag and segment new subscribers from Day One.

Because let me tell you something I learned from my days in Real Estate.
An unsegmented subscriber is just a name in your ESP.
A segmented one? That’s someone you can serve with precision.

Use this type when:
You’re growing your list, building trust, and prepping for deeper conversions down the line.

2. Freebies to Warm Leads for Launches

This is where we go deeper. (Keep reading because it's getting really good)!

These are your experience-based freebies—the ones that stretch beyond a single page and pull people into a journey.

Quizzes.
Private podcasts.
3–5 day series that guide people through a mini-transformation and lead them toward your offer.

These aren’t just for show.
They’re smart. Strategic. Segmenting machines.

Here’s how we used one in our Built to Scale Bootcamp launch:
➡️ Step 1: Quiz – “Are you the bottleneck in your business?”
➡️ Step 2: Customized resources based on their quiz result
➡️ Step 3: Application page for early access
➡️ Step 4: Public cart opens with segmented email support

Suprise Bonus for my team - One of the free resources from that quiz ended up becoming a paid LTO. Why? Because the audience told us they wanted it...loud and clear.

Use this type when:
You’re 30–60 days out from a launch or testing a new funnel.
It’s the most efficient way to warm your list while collecting data and building buying behavior.

3. Freebies That Sell on Autopilot

Let’s talk evergreen. (AHHHH we finally got to the REALLY good stuff)

This type of freebie is your direct line to revenue—no live launching, no webinars, no “open cart energy” required. These freebies are closely aligned with your offer, and give a mini transformation that naturally leads to a sale.

The one I use the most is a VSL (Video Sales Landing Page) paired with a one-page resource.

It teaches.
It builds trust.
It sells—without needing a 10-email nurture sequence or a Thursday night Zoom.

Pro Tip: Within the freebie, link to your pillar content such as a podcast episode that adds value to the freebies topic, then lead into the next action step—apply, book, buy, or DM.

Use this type when:
You’re building a 30-day sales cycle, targeting specific segments with low-ticket offers, or replacing live launches with evergreen automation.

Why You Need More Than One

Most entrepreneurs create one freebie, set it, and forget it.
But if you’re building a business with intentional and scalable sales systems, you need an ecosystem.

You need:
✨ One freebie to segment + invite
✨ One to guide leads toward your offers
✨ One to sell without showing up live

Because a freebie isn’t just a lead magnet.
It’s a door.

And your job is to make sure that door opens to the right room.

One Last Thought:

Where you share your freebie matters just as much as what’s inside it. I talked about this on the podcast a few weeks ago.

Pinterest? They want tactical checklists—quick, skimmable, actionable.
Instagram? They’re skimming for something clever, scroll-stopping, visually sharp.
Your podcast listeners? They want a next step without leaving their earbuds.

So before you create your next lead magnet, ask:

Who is this really for?
What goal is it supporting?
And where will it live?