The principle of reciprocity describes our innate tendency to repay favors, gifts, and offerings. Psychologist Dr. Robert Cialdini identified it as a key principle of persuasion. When we receive something, we feel pressure to give something back and maintain balance. Persuaders leverage this rule by providing something small upfront, counting on it to carry weight later when they request something more substantial. The reciprocity rule taps into our desire to discharge perceived debts. Receiving a concession puts us in a bind if we don’t want to owe anyone. So we find ourselves inclined to return the initial favor rather than deal with the discomfort of an imbalance.

Here are some examples of how it works:

1. Hare Krishna society members would forcefully give a flower to a passerby before asking for donations.
2. Lyndon Johnson was able to get a lot of bills passed by calling in on favors which he had provided earlier to other elected representatives. Jimmy Carter failed because he had no such favors to call on.
3. Even a free sample can engage a person in a reciprocity rule. Most people find it difficult to leave, without buying anything, after trying a free sample.
4. Amway agents give BUG, a free collection of products to potential customers to try for a few days. Customers who have used the product, find it difficult not to buy it later.
5. In World War I, a German soldier crossed the no-man’s land to capture an enemy soldier. He came across an unsuspecting enemy soldier eating, who offered his bread to him. This act forced the German soldier to return without capturing him.

In the marketing world, we can take advantage of this principle using lead magnets. By providing something small upfront, our prospect will be more likely to buy our main offer.

Here are five examples of effective lead magnets:

Ebooks – Offering an informative, educational ebook (like a guide or report) allows you to demonstrate knowledge and expertise. It establishes trust and authority on a topic, prompting leads to opt-in.

Checklists – Checklists simplify complex processes. By providing one for free, you present value upfront. Checklists are portable and actionable, making for an attractive lead magnet.

Templates – Like checklists, templates do the work for the user by providing a framework to follow. Things like spreadsheets, editable documents, and project plans serve as highly useful lead magnets.

Resource Lists – Curation works well to attract leads, because scouring the internet for the best tools/resources takes time. So providing a pre-compiled list saves effort and energy.

Webinars – Webinars that provide training or know-how are an easy way to demonstrate value. And requiring an email to register gives you a coveted lead to continue nurturing post-webinar.

As a master of the principle of reciprocity, I need you to generate 5 lead magnet ideas for my <your product/service>

Here is what:

< your product/service information>

This is the target market I am selling to:

<insert target market>

Now, please generate 5 lead magnets: