# Lead magnet ideas for HR consultants An HR consultant’s lead magnet should reach an owner who has just realized they need help: a first-hire checklist, questions to settle before a handbook, how to prepare for a hard conversation. Here are ten general-education briefs that open in Chapbook as starting points. None is legal advice, and you review every draft for your own jurisdictions and keep employee data out. Last reviewed 30 October 2026. Web page: https://chapbook.ink/ideas/lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants/ ## A brief to start from > A checklist for a small business hiring its first employee: the questions to answer about classification, pay, records, workplace postings, benefits and insurance, and what to raise with an accountant and an attorney, each with a one-line reason. Reader: a bakery owner about to take on a first full-time employee. Voice: terse and friendly. General education only: not legal or tax advice, it says rules vary by state and country, no statement of what the law requires in any one place, and no dated thresholds. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+checklist+for+a+small+business+hiring+its+first+employee%3A+the+questions+to+answer+about+classification%2C+pay%2C+records%2C+workplace+postings%2C+benefits+and+insurance%2C+and+what+to+raise+with+an+accountant+and+an+attorney%2C+each+with+a+one-line+reason.+Reader%3A+a+bakery+owner+about+to+take+on+a+first+full-time+employee.+Voice%3A+terse+and+friendly.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+or+tax+advice%2C+it+says+rules+vary+by+state+and+country%2C+no+statement+of+what+the+law+requires+in+any+one+place%2C+and+no+dated+thresholds.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants ## 10 ideas 1. **The first-hire checklist** (Lead magnet). An owner about to hire their first employee usually starts by searching for what they have to do. A checklist of questions meets them at that moment, and shows them what they’d otherwise have to work out alone. Brief: A checklist for a small business hiring its first employee: the questions to answer about classification, pay, records, workplace postings, benefits and insurance, and what to raise with an accountant and an attorney, each with a one-line reason. Reader: a bakery owner about to take on a first full-time employee. Voice: terse and friendly. General education only: not legal or tax advice, it says rules vary by state and country, no statement of what the law requires in any one place, and no dated thresholds. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+checklist+for+a+small+business+hiring+its+first+employee%3A+the+questions+to+answer+about+classification%2C+pay%2C+records%2C+workplace+postings%2C+benefits+and+insurance%2C+and+what+to+raise+with+an+accountant+and+an+attorney%2C+each+with+a+one-line+reason.+Reader%3A+a+bakery+owner+about+to+take+on+a+first+full-time+employee.+Voice%3A+terse+and+friendly.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+or+tax+advice%2C+it+says+rules+vary+by+state+and+country%2C+no+statement+of+what+the+law+requires+in+any+one+place%2C+and+no+dated+thresholds.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-1 2. **Questions to settle before you write a handbook** (Lead magnet). Founders search for a handbook template and get something that doesn’t fit them. A list of decisions they have to make first is more useful, and it’s the conversation you want to have. Brief: A guide to the decisions behind an employee handbook: time off, working hours, remote work, conduct, complaints and leaving, the questions to answer for each, and why a template is a risky place to start. Reader: a founder of a twenty-person company who was just asked where the handbook is. Voice: practical and a little dry. General education only: not legal advice, no sample policy to copy, it says rules vary by state and that an attorney should review the final handbook. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+guide+to+the+decisions+behind+an+employee+handbook%3A+time+off%2C+working+hours%2C+remote+work%2C+conduct%2C+complaints+and+leaving%2C+the+questions+to+answer+for+each%2C+and+why+a+template+is+a+risky+place+to+start.+Reader%3A+a+founder+of+a+twenty-person+company+who+was+just+asked+where+the+handbook+is.+Voice%3A+practical+and+a+little+dry.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+no+sample+policy+to+copy%2C+it+says+rules+vary+by+state+and+that+an+attorney+should+review+the+final+handbook.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-2 3. **A manager’s guide to hard conversations** (Illustrated guide). New managers can put off difficult talks until they’re worse. A picture-led guide gives them a way in, and shows their employer what practical HR help looks like before they’ve hired you. Brief: An illustrated guide for new managers on hard conversations at work: preparing, opening plainly, listening, agreeing next steps, writing it down, and when to bring in HR, one picture per stage, with something to try at the end of each section. Use fictional workplaces only. Reader: a team lead promoted last month who has to talk to someone about missed deadlines. Voice: calm and practical. General education only: not legal advice, and it says to get advice before any step that may affect someone's job. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=guide&topic=An+illustrated+guide+for+new+managers+on+hard+conversations+at+work%3A+preparing%2C+opening+plainly%2C+listening%2C+agreeing+next+steps%2C+writing+it+down%2C+and+when+to+bring+in+HR%2C+one+picture+per+stage%2C+with+something+to+try+at+the+end+of+each+section.+Use+fictional+workplaces+only.+Reader%3A+a+team+lead+promoted+last+month+who+has+to+talk+to+someone+about+missed+deadlines.+Voice%3A+calm+and+practical.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+and+it+says+to+get+advice+before+any+step+that+may+affect+someone%27s+job.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-3 4. **A performance review workbook** (Workbook). Review season is when managers discover they have no notes. A workbook that structures the year’s evidence gives them a real tool, and gives you a route to the person who approves your invoice. Brief: A workbook for a manager preparing fair performance reviews: setting expectations, keeping notes through the year, separating evidence from impressions, writing the review and running the meeting, with a short lesson and pages to fill in by hand. No employee details go into the book itself. Reader: a manager at a thirty-person firm writing reviews for the first time. Voice: second person, practical. General education only: not legal advice, no promised outcomes. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=workbook&topic=A+workbook+for+a+manager+preparing+fair+performance+reviews%3A+setting+expectations%2C+keeping+notes+through+the+year%2C+separating+evidence+from+impressions%2C+writing+the+review+and+running+the+meeting%2C+with+a+short+lesson+and+pages+to+fill+in+by+hand.+No+employee+details+go+into+the+book+itself.+Reader%3A+a+manager+at+a+thirty-person+firm+writing+reviews+for+the+first+time.+Voice%3A+second+person%2C+practical.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+no+promised+outcomes.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-4 5. **Before you let someone go** (Lead magnet). An owner considering this is anxious and may act too fast. A list of what to think through before acting helps them avoid a costly mistake, and it may be when they call for help. Brief: A checklist of questions to work through before ending someone's employment: what has been documented, what has been said, consistency with past decisions, final pay questions, access and handover, and when to speak to an attorney first. Use fictional examples only. Reader: a small business owner losing sleep over one employee. Voice: steady and humane. General education only: not legal advice, it says the rules vary by state and country, no statement of what the law requires in any one place, no promised outcomes. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=lead_magnet&topic=A+checklist+of+questions+to+work+through+before+ending+someone%27s+employment%3A+what+has+been+documented%2C+what+has+been+said%2C+consistency+with+past+decisions%2C+final+pay+questions%2C+access+and+handover%2C+and+when+to+speak+to+an+attorney+first.+Use+fictional+examples+only.+Reader%3A+a+small+business+owner+losing+sleep+over+one+employee.+Voice%3A+steady+and+humane.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+it+says+the+rules+vary+by+state+and+country%2C+no+statement+of+what+the+law+requires+in+any+one+place%2C+no+promised+outcomes.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-5 6. **The thirty-sixty-ninety onboarding plan** (Workbook). Small companies often onboard by handing over a laptop and hoping. A fill-in plan gives them a quick win, and a good reason to look at how else their people processes could improve. Brief: A workbook for planning a new hire's first ninety days: before day one, the first week, thirty-day, sixty-day and ninety-day goals, check-in questions, and who does what, with pages to fill in by hand for each role. Reader: an operations manager at a growing company that keeps losing new hires in the first months. Voice: second person, organized. General education only: not legal advice, no promised retention figures, no invented statistics. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=workbook&topic=A+workbook+for+planning+a+new+hire%27s+first+ninety+days%3A+before+day+one%2C+the+first+week%2C+thirty-day%2C+sixty-day+and+ninety-day+goals%2C+check-in+questions%2C+and+who+does+what%2C+with+pages+to+fill+in+by+hand+for+each+role.+Reader%3A+an+operations+manager+at+a+growing+company+that+keeps+losing+new+hires+in+the+first+months.+Voice%3A+second+person%2C+organized.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+no+promised+retention+figures%2C+no+invented+statistics.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-6 7. **A guide to the policies you might need** (Collection). Owners don’t know what they’re missing until there’s a problem. A reference in one repeating shape lets them check their own business, and gives you a natural reason to talk about the gaps. Brief: A collection of twelve workplace policies a small employer may want to consider, grouped into time, conduct, and safety and data. Each entry has a fact list (what it covers, who usually needs it, decisions to make, what to ask an attorney), then a short paragraph. Reader: a founder who has just hired a fifth person. Voice: plain and exact. General education only: not legal advice, no sample wording to copy, and it says rules vary by state and country. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=collection&topic=A+collection+of+twelve+workplace+policies+a+small+employer+may+want+to+consider%2C+grouped+into+time%2C+conduct%2C+and+safety+and+data.+Each+entry+has+a+fact+list+%28what+it+covers%2C+who+usually+needs+it%2C+decisions+to+make%2C+what+to+ask+an+attorney%29%2C+then+a+short+paragraph.+Reader%3A+a+founder+who+has+just+hired+a+fifth+person.+Voice%3A+plain+and+exact.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+no+sample+wording+to+copy%2C+and+it+says+rules+vary+by+state+and+country.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-7 8. **A booklet on how you work** (Brochure). An owner wants to forward your services to a partner or accountant without a call first. A short booklet says what you do and how you charge, and it leaves no question about what you aren’t. Brief: A short booklet on how an independent HR consultant works with small companies: who I help, what a first review covers, retainer and project work as I describe them, what I do not do, including that I am not a law firm unless I say so, and how to reach me. Use only the details I supply. Reader: an owner an accountant has referred to me. Voice: plain and warm, first person. General education only: not legal advice, no promised outcomes, no testimonials. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=brochure&topic=A+short+booklet+on+how+an+independent+HR+consultant+works+with+small+companies%3A+who+I+help%2C+what+a+first+review+covers%2C+retainer+and+project+work+as+I+describe+them%2C+what+I+do+not+do%2C+including+that+I+am+not+a+law+firm+unless+I+say+so%2C+and+how+to+reach+me.+Use+only+the+details+I+supply.+Reader%3A+an+owner+an+accountant+has+referred+to+me.+Voice%3A+plain+and+warm%2C+first+person.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+no+promised+outcomes%2C+no+testimonials.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-8 9. **A quarterly note on employment rule changes** (Newsletter). Owners know the rules change and can’t keep track. A short, sourced issue gives them a reason to stay subscribed, and you a reason to get in touch when something affects them. Brief: A quarterly newsletter issue for small employers: one employment rule change with its date and a link to the official source, one people-management idea, a question owners ask, and how to reach me. Use only the changes and sources I supply, and invent none. Reader: an owner of a fifteen-person business who skims on a Friday. Voice: brief and factual. General education only: not legal advice, it says to check how a change applies to them, with a marked blank for my disclaimers. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=newsletter&topic=A+quarterly+newsletter+issue+for+small+employers%3A+one+employment+rule+change+with+its+date+and+a+link+to+the+official+source%2C+one+people-management+idea%2C+a+question+owners+ask%2C+and+how+to+reach+me.+Use+only+the+changes+and+sources+I+supply%2C+and+invent+none.+Reader%3A+an+owner+of+a+fifteen-person+business+who+skims+on+a+Friday.+Voice%3A+brief+and+factual.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+it+says+to+check+how+a+change+applies+to+them%2C+with+a+marked+blank+for+my+disclaimers.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-9 10. **The book on people work for small companies** (Nonfiction book). A book on the people side of a small company reaches owners who’d never go to an HR conference. It’s something you can give to a client’s managers, and it sets you apart from a template seller. Brief: A practical book on running the people side of a company under fifty staff: hiring, setting expectations, feedback, pay conversations, conflict and departures, with composite fictional companies labeled as such and no real employee. Reader: an owner who has been doing HR by instinct and is starting to worry. Voice: humane first person, concrete, some humor. General education only: not legal advice, it says rules vary by state and country, no invented statistics, no promised outcomes. Open it in Chapbook: https://chapbook.ink/start/?type=nonfiction&topic=A+practical+book+on+running+the+people+side+of+a+company+under+fifty+staff%3A+hiring%2C+setting+expectations%2C+feedback%2C+pay+conversations%2C+conflict+and+departures%2C+with+composite+fictional+companies+labeled+as+such+and+no+real+employee.+Reader%3A+an+owner+who+has+been+doing+HR+by+instinct+and+is+starting+to+worry.+Voice%3A+humane+first+person%2C+concrete%2C+some+humor.+General+education+only%3A+not+legal+advice%2C+it+says+rules+vary+by+state+and+country%2C+no+invented+statistics%2C+no+promised+outcomes.&ref=ideas-lead-magnets-for-hr-consultants-10 ## Your review comes first Every brief on this page is general education, and each one tells Chapbook not to give legal advice. That doesn’t make a draft correct. Employment rules differ by state and country, they change, and a draft can state one wrongly. Chapbook doesn’t know where your clients are. You review each draft for your own jurisdictions, take anything close to legal guidance to an employment attorney, and add whatever disclaimers fit your practice. Hiring advice needs special care. The [EEOC’s guidance](https://www.eeoc.gov/prohibited-employment-policiespractices), read on 30 October 2026, says it’s illegal to publish a job ad showing a preference for or discouraging applicants because of a protected trait, so read any sample wording a draft suggests. Keep employee data out: no names, files, complaints, medical notes or pay details, and no thinly disguised cases from a client’s workplace. Your brief and sources go to the AI providers the [privacy policy](/privacy/) names, which is no place for someone’s personnel file. ## How to choose one Write for the moment an owner feels out of their depth. The first hire, the twentieth hire with no handbook and the employee who has to go are each moments when someone goes looking for help. Name the size of company you serve in the brief, because what a five-person shop needs is nothing like what a hundred-person firm needs, and a guide that tries to cover both won’t help either. ## 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 bakery owner to the client you serve most, and keep the limits it sets. Chapbook then proposes titles and an outline for you to approve before anything is drafted. ## Questions ### Can an HR consultant use AI to write a lead magnet? Chapbook can draft one, but it gives no legal advice and a draft can state employment law wrongly. You stay responsible for it, so check every statement against the places you work in, and have an employment attorney read anything close to legal guidance. ### Can I upload employee files or complaints as sources? No. Chapbook sends your brief, sources and manuscript to AI providers and asks you to leave sensitive personal data out. Keep employee names, files, complaints, medical notes and pay details out of it entirely, and use labeled fictional examples instead. ### Should an HR lead magnet include policy templates? The handbook and policy briefs here don’t, because a template hides the decisions that make it fit, and the rules differ by place. They list the questions to answer. If you do add sample wording, make it yours, check it where it applies, and say who should review it. ## Sources - [Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices (US EEOC, read 30 October 2026)](https://www.eeoc.gov/prohibited-employment-policiespractices)