Short answer: the free resources that get the most opt-ins promise a specific end result, give a quick win and lead naturally into your paid offer. Nine that work: a short pre-recorded training, a checklist, a guide, a calculator, a template or workbook, a live challenge, a live masterclass, a pre-recorded 5 day experience and a free audit. Pick the one that matches how warm your audience is and how much time you have, name it after the outcome, put a low priced offer on the thank you page, follow up personally, and promote it every day.

In my business, we promote a free offer in some way every single day. Not because we love giving things away (although I do), but because free offers grow our email list, and our email list is where a majority of our sales come from.

But not every freebie works. I've seen founders spend weeks on a beautiful 40 page ebook that gets 12 downloads. The format matters far less than what it promises and how it connects to what you sell. Below are the nine I use, when each one fits, and then the exact seven day process to build yours and turn the sign-ups into sales.

This is part of my ultimate guide to lead generation for coaches. Your free resource is the thing people raise their hand for, so it's worth getting right.

What makes a free resource get opt-ins?

• Name it after the end result, not the problem. Some people know exactly what their problem is. Others just know the result they want. Name it after the problem and the second group scrolls straight past. People opt in for outcomes, not topics.
• Make it a snippet of your paid offer. If your core offer helps people make an extra $10k a month through Instagram, your freebie needs to relate to that same end result. Otherwise you attract people who will never buy.
• Give them a quick win. One aha moment and one action step. When someone gets a result from something free, they start wondering what the paid version is like.

The 9 free resource ideas

1. A short pre-recorded training

A lot of the trainings we create are only around 10 minutes, attached to an opt-in page. Video builds trust far faster than a PDF, because people hear your voice, see your energy and get your stories. Nobody commits to a 90 minute replay from a stranger.

Best for: cold audiences and ads. Time to make: one afternoon. Example name: The 10 Minute Training: How to Get Your First 5 Clients From Instagram

2. A checklist

Quick to make, quick to consume, and perfect for someone who wants to know if they're doing it right. Keep it to one page.

Best for: something live this week. Time to make: one to two hours. Example name: The Sales Page Checklist: 15 Things to Fix Before You Launch

3. A guide or ebook

Good for topics people want to keep and refer back to. Keep it focused on one result, and make every page lead to the next step with you.

Best for: evergreen funnels and SEO. Time to make: one to two days. Example name: The Visibility Guide: 30 Places to Find Your Next Client

4. A calculator

One of my favourites. My leads calculator lets someone put in their monthly goal, price, conversion rate and last month's leads, and shows how much money they're leaving on the table. Seeing their own number is the aha moment, and it sets up the problem my offer solves. See the maths in how many leads do I actually need?

Best for: numbers driven audiences. Time to make: half a day in a spreadsheet. Example name: The Lead Gap Calculator

5. A template or workbook

Something people can copy and use straight away: a lead tracking board, a 90 day planning workbook, a content calendar. Templates save time, and everyone wants time back.

Best for: busy, action takers. Time to make: two to three hours. Example name: The 90 Day Plan Template

6. A 3 to 5 day live challenge

When I want to sell a lot of something, I use a 3 to 5 day challenge, around an hour a day. It's enough time to take someone from barely knowing you to wanting to buy. I never go longer than five days, because people drop off each day.

Best for: selling in bulk. Time to make: two to three weeks including promotion. Example name: The 5 Day Launch Challenge

7. A live masterclass or workshop

A 60 minute masterclass works brilliantly for a warm audience who already know you. Tell people that if they stay to the end there's a gift, and they DM you a word to get it. That keeps them for the pitch and starts a conversation.

Best for: warm audiences. Time to make: one week including promotion. Example name: The $10k Month Masterclass

8. A pre-recorded 5 day experience

My lead generation machine right now. Five days of pre-recorded trainings, around 20 minutes each, with one action step per day. Create it once and run it again and again. If you have a tool, the action step can be using it, so people try before they buy.

Best for: leads every month without being live. Time to make: one to two weeks to record. Example name: The 5 Day Content Sprint

9. A free audit

A content, social media, funnel or website audit. You post the offer, people comment, they fill in a short form, and you send back three key points and an action step on a short video before suggesting the next step. Personal, high converting and brilliant market research. Full process in the free audit strategy.

Best for: getting clients this week. Time to make: one post plus 10 minutes per audit. Example name: Free Instagram Profile Audits (comment AUDIT)

How do you choose the right one?

• Need something live this week: a checklist, calculator or free audit.
• Want leads every day without being live: a short training, guide, template or pre-recorded 5 day experience.
• Selling to a warm audience: a live masterclass.
• Selling in bulk or reaching a cold audience: a 3 to 5 day challenge or 5 day experience.

How to create and launch your free resource in 7 days

Step 1 (Day 1): Write the end result of your paid offer

One sentence: "My [offer] helps [who] get [result]." Your freebie must deliver a small taste of that exact result.

Time: 15 minutes. Done when: you have one sentence and one small quick win that leads to it.

Step 2 (Day 1): Pick the format and name it

Choose from the list above using the "how to choose" guide. Then name it after the outcome using the formula in the template box below.

Time: 30 minutes. Done when: you have a name that a stranger would understand in three seconds.

Step 3 (Days 2 to 3): Build it

Keep it short. One aha moment, one action step, and a clear next step at the end that points to your paid offer or your low priced offer.

Time: one hour to two days depending on format. Done when: someone could use it in under 20 minutes and get a result.

Step 4 (Day 4): Build the opt-in page

Headline with the outcome, three bullet points of what they'll get, a short line about you, and the form. On every opt-in page we ask for their Instagram handle and where they're at in their business. That tells us which offer suits them and gives us a way to start a conversation.

Time: one to two hours. Done when: the page loads on mobile and you've tested the form yourself.

Step 5 (Day 5): Add a thank you page offer and a follow up

The thank you page shows a low priced offer at a price that's an easy yes even for someone new to you. Then set up a short email sequence that shares your story, gives more value and invites people to the next step.

Time: two to three hours. Done when: a test sign-up sees the thank you offer and receives the first email.

Days 4 and 5 are the techy bit, and they're where most freebies stall. If you'd rather not build them yourself, the Funnel Builder inside Ascendia OS builds your opt-in page, thank you page and checkout (order bump included) inside your account, and the Email Marketer writes the welcome sequence in your voice.

Step 6 (Day 6): Set up your personal follow up

When someone opts in, check their profile. If they look like an ideal client, engage with a few of their posts so you pop up in their notifications, then send a DM. After they've used the freebie, ask for their biggest takeaway and whether they've thought about the next step. Track who you've spoken to in a simple board like the one in a simple lead tracker in Trello.

Time: 20 minutes a day once it's live. Done when: every engaged sign-up gets a personal message within 48 hours.

Step 7 (Day 7 onwards): Promote it every day

A brilliant freebie nobody sees gets no opt-ins. On your own platforms: promo posts, value posts with a call to action, comment below posts, stories with polls and email. In front of other people's audiences: guest speaking, collaborations, summits and freebie bundles. Through your audience: a prize for sharing or an affiliate scheme.

Time: 20 minutes a day. Done when: you've promoted it at least once every day for 30 days.

Worked example: a business coach with a $997 programme

Example only, to show the maths. The programme helps coaches launch a group programme. The freebie: "The Launch Calendar: Plan Your Next Launch in 30 Minutes" (a template). The thank you page offers a $27 launch planning workshop.

The $432 from the thank you page can fund ads to bring the next 500 visitors in. That's the difference between a freebie that grows a list and a freebie that grows revenue.

Copy and paste templates

Benchmarks

• 40%+ of opt-in page visitors signing up.
• 8 to 10% of opt-ins buying the thank you page offer.
• 40 to 50% open rates on your follow up emails.
• 3% of opt-ins buying your core offer is average. Personal follow up pushes it higher.
• Every day: how often to promote a free offer.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Naming it after the problem. Fix: name it after the end result.
• Mistake: A freebie unrelated to what you sell. Fix: make it a snippet of your paid offer.
• Mistake: Too long. Fix: one aha moment and one action step. Most of ours take about 10 to 20 minutes.
• Mistake: A blank thank you page. Fix: put a low priced offer there.
• Mistake: Promoting it once. Fix: promote a free offer every single day.
• Mistake: Relying on email alone. Fix: ask for their Instagram handle and start a conversation.

Your action plan

Day 1

• Write the end result of your paid offer in one sentence.
• Pick one format and name it with the formula.

Days 2 to 7

• Build the freebie, opt-in page and thank you page offer (days 2 to 5).
• Write your DM scripts and set up your lead tracker.
• Launch it on day 7 with a comment below post.

Next 30 days

• Promote it every day.
• Message every engaged sign-up within 48 hours.
• Check your opt-in rate weekly against 40% and your thank you page against 8 to 10%.

Want to see what I mean in practice? Have a look at my own free resources, including the Revenue Leak Audit. For the bigger picture, read the ultimate guide to lead generation for coaches.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free resource for coaches?

The one that gives a quick win towards the same result your paid offer delivers. For a cold audience, a short training or 5 day experience works well. For a warm audience, a live masterclass. If you need clients this week, a free audit.

How long should a free resource be?

Short. Most of our pre-recorded trainings are around 10 minutes and our 5 day experience sessions are about 20 minutes. One aha moment and one action step beats a 40 page ebook.

What should I name my freebie?

Name it after the end result people want, not the problem they have. A clear outcome and a timeframe usually work best.

What should go on the thank you page?

A low priced offer at a price that's an easy yes even for someone new to you. It turns some leads into buyers straight away and builds trust for your bigger offer.

How often should I promote my free resource?

Every day, in some way: a post, a story, an email, a guest spot. Most people promote it once and wonder why nobody opted in.

Laurie Burrows is a UK-based marketing and sales strategist who has built a business that's generated multi-seven figures in sales through social media and digital marketing. Today, Laurie helps business owners use social media, content and digital marketing to get seen, attract more clients and make more sales. She's also the founder of Ascendia OS.