# Lead magnet ideas for agencies An agency’s best lead magnet helps a client buy your service well: a self-audit they can run before calling, a guide to writing a brief, or how to compare proposals. It shows your judgment without any spec work. Here are ten for marketing, design and development agencies, each a brief that opens in Chapbook as a starting point. Updated 30 October 2026. Web page: https://chapbook.ink/ideas/lead-magnets-for-agencies/ ## A brief to start from > A one-hour website self-audit for a small business: twenty checks across the homepage message, service pages, contact path, speed on a phone and search basics, how to score them and which fixes to make first. Reader: the marketing manager at a regional company whose site was last rebuilt six years ago. Voice: blunt and helpful, plain words, fictional examples, no invented benchmarks and no promised traffic or ranking. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+one-hour+website+self-audit+for+a+small+business%3A+twenty+checks+across+the+homepage+message%2C+service+pages%2C+contact+path%2C+speed+on+a+phone+and+search+basics%2C+how+to+score+them+and+which+fixes+to+make+first.+Reader%3A+the+marketing+manager+at+a+regional+company+whose+site+was+last+rebuilt+six+years+ago.+Voice%3A+blunt+and+helpful%2C+plain+words%2C+fictional+examples%2C+no+invented+benchmarks+and+no+promised+traffic+or+ranking.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies ## 10 ideas 1. **The self-audit you run in your sales process** (Lead magnet). You already review a prospect’s site or account before a pitch. A version they can run themselves shows what you look for, and the ones who get stuck halfway are the ones who call. Brief: A one-hour website self-audit for a small business: twenty checks across the homepage message, service pages, contact path, speed on a phone and search basics, how to score them and which fixes to make first. Reader: the marketing manager at a regional company whose site was last rebuilt six years ago. Voice: blunt and helpful, plain words, fictional examples, no invented benchmarks and no promised traffic or ranking. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+one-hour+website+self-audit+for+a+small+business%3A+twenty+checks+across+the+homepage+message%2C+service+pages%2C+contact+path%2C+speed+on+a+phone+and+search+basics%2C+how+to+score+them+and+which+fixes+to+make+first.+Reader%3A+the+marketing+manager+at+a+regional+company+whose+site+was+last+rebuilt+six+years+ago.+Voice%3A+blunt+and+helpful%2C+plain+words%2C+fictional+examples%2C+no+invented+benchmarks+and+no+promised+traffic+or+ranking.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-1 2. **How to write a brief an agency can use** (Workbook). Vague briefs cost everyone time. A guide with a fill-in template improves the briefs you receive, and it’s something a junior marketer will gladly take to their boss. Brief: A fill-in workbook for writing a creative brief: the business problem, the audience, the single message, what success looks like, the budget, approvals and the deadline, with a fictional example filled in beside each blank. Reader: a marketing coordinator hiring an agency for the first time. Voice: friendly and exact, second person, no agency jargon. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=workbook&topic=A+fill-in+workbook+for+writing+a+creative+brief%3A+the+business+problem%2C+the+audience%2C+the+single+message%2C+what+success+looks+like%2C+the+budget%2C+approvals+and+the+deadline%2C+with+a+fictional+example+filled+in+beside+each+blank.+Reader%3A+a+marketing+coordinator+hiring+an+agency+for+the+first+time.+Voice%3A+friendly+and+exact%2C+second+person%2C+no+agency+jargon.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-2 3. **How to compare agency proposals** (Lead magnet). A buyer holding three proposals can’t tell why one costs twice as much. A fair guide to scope, seniority and what’s left out helps them, and it helps you if your quote isn’t the lowest. Brief: A guide to comparing agency proposals: how to line up scope, who will actually do the work, what is excluded, how revisions and changes are charged, contract terms to read closely and the questions to ask in a final call. Reader: a founder or marketing lead with three quotes that look nothing alike. Voice: plain and fair, including to agencies that are not us, no invented price ranges. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+guide+to+comparing+agency+proposals%3A+how+to+line+up+scope%2C+who+will+actually+do+the+work%2C+what+is+excluded%2C+how+revisions+and+changes+are+charged%2C+contract+terms+to+read+closely+and+the+questions+to+ask+in+a+final+call.+Reader%3A+a+founder+or+marketing+lead+with+three+quotes+that+look+nothing+alike.+Voice%3A+plain+and+fair%2C+including+to+agencies+that+are+not+us%2C+no+invented+price+ranges.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-3 4. **The in-house or agency decision** (Lead magnet). Many prospects aren’t choosing among agencies. They’re deciding whether to hire someone instead. Taking that question seriously, including when hiring is right, earns trust. Brief: A decision guide on whether to hire a marketer in-house, use an agency or do both: what each suits, what each really takes to manage, how to run a small trial, and when an agency is the wrong answer. Reader: the founder of a thirty-person company who has never had a marketing team. Voice: candid and balanced, worked fictional examples, no invented salaries or statistics. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+decision+guide+on+whether+to+hire+a+marketer+in-house%2C+use+an+agency+or+do+both%3A+what+each+suits%2C+what+each+really+takes+to+manage%2C+how+to+run+a+small+trial%2C+and+when+an+agency+is+the+wrong+answer.+Reader%3A+the+founder+of+a+thirty-person+company+who+has+never+had+a+marketing+team.+Voice%3A+candid+and+balanced%2C+worked+fictional+examples%2C+no+invented+salaries+or+statistics.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-4 5. **The guide to the thing clients keep misreading** (Illustrated guide). Clients ask for the same report explained every month. An illustrated guide answers that once, and prospects get to see how clearly you communicate before they ever hire you. Brief: An illustrated guide to reading a paid search report: what impressions, clicks, cost per click, conversions and search terms each mean, where they can mislead you, and three questions to ask your agency each month, one picture per idea, on fictional numbers. Reader: a business owner who pays for ads and does not read the report. Voice: friendly and exact, no invented benchmarks. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=guide&topic=An+illustrated+guide+to+reading+a+paid+search+report%3A+what+impressions%2C+clicks%2C+cost+per+click%2C+conversions+and+search+terms+each+mean%2C+where+they+can+mislead+you%2C+and+three+questions+to+ask+your+agency+each+month%2C+one+picture+per+idea%2C+on+fictional+numbers.+Reader%3A+a+business+owner+who+pays+for+ads+and+does+not+read+the+report.+Voice%3A+friendly+and+exact%2C+no+invented+benchmarks.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-5 6. **A pre-launch checklist for a new website** (Lead magnet). Every agency has an internal launch list built from past mistakes. Shared, it’s useful right away and shows the care you take with details clients never see. Brief: A pre-launch checklist for a new website: fifty things to check in the two weeks before launch, from redirects and forms to analytics, accessibility and who gets told, grouped by day, with a one-line reason for every item. Reader: an in-house marketer running their first site rebuild. Voice: terse and checklist-first, no brand endorsements. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+pre-launch+checklist+for+a+new+website%3A+fifty+things+to+check+in+the+two+weeks+before+launch%2C+from+redirects+and+forms+to+analytics%2C+accessibility+and+who+gets+told%2C+grouped+by+day%2C+with+a+one-line+reason+for+every+item.+Reader%3A+an+in-house+marketer+running+their+first+site+rebuild.+Voice%3A+terse+and+checklist-first%2C+no+brand+endorsements.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-6 7. **A rebrand survival workbook** (Workbook). A rebrand fails or succeeds on internal agreement more than on the logo. A workbook that gets stakeholders aligned first helps your best-fit client before the first meeting. Brief: A workbook for preparing a company for a rebrand: why now, who decides, what must not change, interviewing staff and customers, and rolling it out, with one exercise per stage and a sign-off page. Reader: a marketing director at a family company where the founder loves the old logo. Voice: tactful and practical, second person, fictional examples, no invented results. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=workbook&topic=A+workbook+for+preparing+a+company+for+a+rebrand%3A+why+now%2C+who+decides%2C+what+must+not+change%2C+interviewing+staff+and+customers%2C+and+rolling+it+out%2C+with+one+exercise+per+stage+and+a+sign-off+page.+Reader%3A+a+marketing+director+at+a+family+company+where+the+founder+loves+the+old+logo.+Voice%3A+tactful+and+practical%2C+second+person%2C+fictional+examples%2C+no+invented+results.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-7 8. **Case studies told as decisions** (Collection). Most case studies look alike: challenge, solution, big number. Telling yours as the decisions you made, including what didn’t work, reads like something written by people who know the job. Brief: A collection of four agency case studies, each told as the decisions we faced, the option we rejected, what happened and what we would change. Use only the notes and approved figures I upload, with each client's permission, and invent no client, quote or number. Reader: a marketing lead choosing a partner. Voice: candid first person plural, plain, honest about what did not work. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=collection&topic=A+collection+of+four+agency+case+studies%2C+each+told+as+the+decisions+we+faced%2C+the+option+we+rejected%2C+what+happened+and+what+we+would+change.+Use+only+the+notes+and+approved+figures+I+upload%2C+with+each+client%27s+permission%2C+and+invent+no+client%2C+quote+or+number.+Reader%3A+a+marketing+lead+choosing+a+partner.+Voice%3A+candid+first+person+plural%2C+plain%2C+honest+about+what+did+not+work.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-8 9. **A capabilities brochure worth forwarding** (Brochure). Referrers need a short thing to send. A brochure that says who you are for and who you turn down is easier to forward than a website, and more convincing than a list of services. Brief: A short capabilities brochure for a small branding agency: the kind of client it suits and the kind it turns down, how a project runs, what it costs to start a conversation and how to get in touch. Use only the details I supply. Reader: a CEO who got this from another CEO. Voice: confident and plain, no buzzwords, no invented awards or client names. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=brochure&topic=A+short+capabilities+brochure+for+a+small+branding+agency%3A+the+kind+of+client+it+suits+and+the+kind+it+turns+down%2C+how+a+project+runs%2C+what+it+costs+to+start+a+conversation+and+how+to+get+in+touch.+Use+only+the+details+I+supply.+Reader%3A+a+CEO+who+got+this+from+another+CEO.+Voice%3A+confident+and+plain%2C+no+buzzwords%2C+no+invented+awards+or+client+names.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-9 10. **The point-of-view book** (Nonfiction book). A book that takes one clear position on your field is something to send before a pitch or to bring to a conference. It gives you a reason to be asked and sets you apart from a list of services. Brief: A book arguing that small companies should make fewer, better marketing assets: why output has become the wrong goal, how to choose what to make, how to reuse it and how to work with outside help. Reader: a founder or first marketing hire overwhelmed by channels. Voice: opinionated first person, worked examples with fictional companies, no invented statistics. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=nonfiction&topic=A+book+arguing+that+small+companies+should+make+fewer%2C+better+marketing+assets%3A+why+output+has+become+the+wrong+goal%2C+how+to+choose+what+to+make%2C+how+to+reuse+it+and+how+to+work+with+outside+help.+Reader%3A+a+founder+or+first+marketing+hire+overwhelmed+by+channels.+Voice%3A+opinionated+first+person%2C+worked+examples+with+fictional+companies%2C+no+invented+statistics.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-agencies-10 ## How to choose one Think about the last good client you nearly lost, and why. If they didn’t know what they needed, write the self-audit. If they couldn’t tell your quote from a cheaper one, write the guide to comparing proposals. If they weren’t sure they needed an agency at all, write the decision guide and be honest about when hiring is the better choice. Don’t give a prospect a sample of the work you sell. Give them the thinking behind it: the checks you run, the questions you ask, the mistakes you’ve learned to catch. ## Every brief here opens in Chapbook Each idea comes with the paragraph Chapbook needs to start: the topic, the reader and the voice. The brief at the top of this page is a starting point, not a book we have already made from it: open it, change the service and the client to yours, and add your own checklists or articles as sources. Chapbook then proposes titles and an outline for you to approve before anything is drafted. ## Questions ### What makes a good lead magnet for an agency? One that helps a prospect buy your service well and shows how you think, like a self-audit or a guide to comparing proposals. It should do something a capabilities deck can’t: be useful to someone who hasn’t decided to hire yet. ### Can an agency make lead magnets for its clients in Chapbook? Yes. Chapbook accounts are personal, with no teams or client workspaces, so one person holds the books in their own Library and exports the files to deliver to each client. ### Can I use real client numbers in a case study? Only with the client’s permission. Add the approved figures as a source, and use the read-through, which flags any figure no source supports. Tell it to invent none, and read every number yourself, because a draft can still get one wrong.