Half a pig’s head, to be exact.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Andrew and I were stuck at home like everyone else.
Except home for us was a 400-ish (“ish” meaning somewhere between 350 square feet and how-the-hell-are-two-grown-adults-surviving-in-a-shoe-box-during-a-global-pandemic square feet) apartment in the city center of Boston.
And…Andrew’s birthday is April 1st.
If you recall, April of 2020 was equal parts terrifying and terrifying, and between wiping down everything in existence with hydrogen peroxide and teaching nutrition classes from the bathroom (our toilet served as my bona fide desk, no, I’m not kidding), I wanted to try and make it as special as possible.
So, we ordered out.
A friend told us about a cool place in Cambridge that was still operational, and we checked out their website.
Craigie on Main was not quintessential Cambridge.
The restaurant has since closed, as James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Maws went on to pursue other projects. But it was exceptionally casual, delicious, and had none of the pretentious vibe you might imagine (and would be right to imagine) of the group of restaurants surrounding MIT and Harvard.
It was down home in the middle of Boston, in the middle of a crazy situation, and perfect for a birthday spent in the aforementioned apartment.
And behold, on Craigie’s menu…half a pig’s head.
Andrew and I looked at each other…WTF? Should we do it?
Should we order out a freaking pig’s head?
I hope the answer is as apparent to you as it was to us—we called that baby in (along with some I’m sure quite tasty but not nearly as memorable sides) and waited the requisite hour the menu warned us it would take to cook the pig’s head.
When I tell you it was glorious, that we still reminisce about that pig, the crackling skin, the tenderness of the meat, the simple but divine dipping sauce!…my mouth is watering while I write this.
That strangely primal, insanely good dish made Andrew’s birthday in the midst of a crap situation and secured us as loyal followers of Craigie on Main for years to come.
So now you might be wondering…what’s a Pig’s Head Lead Magnet?
A Pig’s Head Lead Magnet is a lead magnet made the way God and Seth Godin intended.
Like our never-to-be-forgotten takeout, this type of lead magnet follows some basic rules:
- It’s not overcomplicated. If I see one more lead gen featuring a 15-page eBook, multistep guide, or 8-part video series, I’m going to scream. The sad reality is you and your team are putting major time and resources into creating it, and the only leads using it are two people too cheap to pay you for your services and your mom (and she’s lying). People don’t have the time or attention spans to consume long-form content, so make it simple: What’s one step, one tip, or a basic checklist or quiz your followers can use to improve their lives NOW?
- It’s extremely compelling. It’s true that we’re adventurous eaters, but how could you not order the pig’s head?! Just like we had to order that dish, your lead magnet should be created and positioned in a way that is so compelling, such a “must,” that potential leads don’t think twice about turning over their name and email address to get their hands on it. And you have to be familiar enough with your ideal client to know what compelling means to them.
- It delivers more than promised. I don’t know what we expected, but what we got was beyond what I imagined. Strange as it is to say, we were somehow surprised and delighted by…pork. Your lead gen should not only deliver what’s promised (and what’s promised should be valuable AF), but go even further with tips or actionables your new lead doesn’t expect. For years, digital queen Amy Porterfield has reminded us that free content should make potential clients feel so taken care of, so seen, that they can’t wait to get their hands on the paid stuff.
- It creates lifelong clients. I’m hard pressed to remember a birthday or anniversary after the legendary pig’s head that we went anywhere but Craigie on Main. Your lead gen should do the same. It should be the first of a well-planned journey that results in long-term client retention, referrals, and a client base so happy and healthy they become raving fans.
Sadly, most lead gens I audit are vague and forgettable.
Take a serious look at your lead magnet through the Pig’s Head lens.
Is it straightforward and easy to consume? (I may or may not be getting hungry while writing this…🤤)
Is it so exciting to your specific clients that they have to have it?
Does it go above and beyond?
Will it turn your new lead into a client for life?
Use this checklist to review your current lead magnet and, instead of changing everything all at once, make one or two upgrades.
Do you want our help?
Click here to schedule a free session and get real-time feedback on your lead magnet.
We can review what’s working, what needs pig-a-fying, and you’ll walk away with a solid start on your very own Pig’s Head Lead Magnet.
