The Freebie That Costs You Sales
You don’t have a list problem. You have a lead magnet problem.
You don’t have a list problem. You have a lead magnet problem
Everyone says: “Build your list.”
So you did.
You made a free guide. A checklist. Maybe even a mini-course.
And people signed up.
Cool.
Except… now they’re not opening.
They’re not clicking.
They’re not buying.
That’s not a list problem. That’s a freebie problem.
What most freebies get wrong
Most lead magnets check one box:
It gets people to sign up
But they miss the more important one:
It attracts people who are actually a good fit for what you sell
Here’s what that looks like:
You sell an email course platform… but your freebie is “101 Content Ideas for Instagram”
You promote time-saving tools… but your lead magnet is “How to Hustle Harder”
You’re building a calm, focused brand… but your freebie attracts overthinkers with no budget
The wrong freebie builds the wrong list.
Why this matters
Your list is only as good as what they want from you.
If your freebie solves one kind of problem, but your offer solves another?
You’ve built a bridge to nowhere.
People won’t click.
They won’t buy.
And worse: you’ll start to think email “doesn’t work.”
How to fix it
Here’s a better plan:
Create a lead magnet that naturally leads into your offer.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to do two jobs:
Solve a small, clear problem
Point to the next step, which is what you’re selling
Let’s make that practical.
Freebie examples that set up the sale
If you’re an affiliate for ConvertKit:
Bad freebie: “My Morning Mindset Routine”
Better freebie: “The 5-Minute Welcome Sequence Template (Built in ConvertKit)”
If you sell a productivity course:
Bad freebie: “50 Quotes About Motivation”
Better freebie: “My 3-Step Weekly Planning Sheet (That Saves Me 5 Hours)”
If you promote a webinar software:
Bad freebie: “Top 10 Tools I Like”
Better freebie: “The Simple Webinar Setup That Took Me 20 Minutes (No Tech Overload)”
See the difference?
It’s not just about giving value. It’s about giving aligned value.
Try this this week:
Look at your current freebie
Ask: Does this set up the thing I’m selling?
If not, sketch a new one that solves a smaller version of the same problem
Keep it simple.
PDF. Checklist. One-pager.
The delivery method doesn’t matter. The alignment does.
Fun fact:
Email lists built with “freebie seekers” instead of “problem solvers” have 37% lower open rates and up to 60% fewer clicks.
That’s a lot of energy wasted on the wrong crowd.
Final takeaway:
A freebie should be more than a gift.
It should be a filter.
If it gets you clicks but not customers, it’s doing more harm than good.
Don’t build a list of random scavengers.
Build a list of future buyers.
Repeatable proverb:
“The wrong list says no to the right offer.”
If this hit home:
Hit reply and tell me what your current freebie is
Star this email so you can come back when you’re ready to rework it
Share it with a friend who keeps wondering why their list never clicks
Email Subject Lines + Preheaders
1.
Subject: This freebie might be killing your sales
Preheader: Most lead magnets build the wrong list. Here’s how to fix it.
2.
Subject: You don’t need more leads
Preheader: You need better alignment between your freebie and your offer.
3.
Subject: The hidden cost of the wrong opt-in
Preheader: It’s not unsubscribes. It’s silence when you try to sell.
Until next time, give away what sells; not just what downloads.