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Someone opted in. They want the freebie. Now what?
If you send the file manually every time someone subscribes, you are burning hours and missing people. The whole point of a lead magnet is that it works while you are not looking. A subscriber signs up at 2am. Your delivery email lands in their inbox at 2am. That is how this is supposed to work.
The fix is one automated email that fires the moment someone opts in and puts the download link directly in front of them. You write it once, connect it to your form, and it runs forever.
This guide covers how to set that up in ConvertKit and Brevo, what to write in the delivery email, and what to send your new subscribers over the following week.
What Is a Lead Magnet Delivery Email?
A lead magnet delivery email is an automated message sent immediately when someone subscribes to your list. It contains the download link or access instructions for the freebie they signed up to receive. It is the first email a subscriber gets from you, which makes it the most important one in your entire sequence.
Most creators treat the delivery email as an afterthought. They write a two-line email with a file link and nothing else, then wonder why subscribers go quiet after that.
A good delivery email does three things:
- Gets the file in front of the subscriber immediately
- Sets a clear expectation for what comes next
- Uses one short sentence to make them want to open the next email
The full setup takes around 20 minutes in either tool. You do it once.
What You Need Before You Start
Before you open ConvertKit or Brevo, confirm you have three things ready.
The file hosted somewhere. Your email tool is not a file storage service. Upload the lead magnet to Google Drive or Dropbox, set sharing to “Anyone with the link can view,” and copy the direct download URL. Some email tools have an asset library where you can host small files directly, which is a convenient option if your file is under a few megabytes.
An email tool account. This guide covers ConvertKit and Brevo. Both have free plans that handle automated lead magnet delivery without any paid features.
A decision on opt-in type. Single opt-in sends the file immediately after someone fills in the form. Double opt-in sends a confirmation email first and only delivers the lead magnet after the subscriber clicks to confirm. Single opt-in has higher completion rates for lead magnets because there is no confirmation friction. Double opt-in builds a cleaner list with fewer fake addresses. For most solo creators under a few thousand subscribers, single opt-in is the simpler and more practical starting point.
How to Set Up Lead Magnet Delivery in ConvertKit
ConvertKit offers two approaches. The incentive email is faster to set up. The automation gives you more control over the follow-up sequence.
Option 1: Incentive Email (Faster Setup)
The incentive email is built into each ConvertKit form. It is the simplest path for a single lead magnet with a short or no follow-up sequence.
Step 1. Go to Grow > Forms and open the form connected to your lead magnet landing page.
Step 2. Click the Settings tab inside the form editor.
Step 3. Scroll to the Incentive Email section and toggle it on. ConvertKit generates a default email template.
Step 4. Edit the subject line to something direct. “Here is your [lead magnet name]” works. Subscribers are waiting for this email specifically, so clarity beats cleverness in the subject line.
Step 5. In the body, write two or three short sentences and then add the download link. You can paste a Google Drive or Dropbox link, or click the upload button to host the file directly in ConvertKit’s asset library.
Step 6. Save the form. Then submit it using your own email address to confirm the delivery email arrives and the link opens correctly.
The incentive email fires before any sequences begin, so subscribers receive the file even if they are not added to a sequence afterward.
Option 2: Visual Automation (More Control)
Use the automation approach if you want to run a longer follow-up sequence, segment subscribers by which lead magnet they downloaded, or have multiple lead magnets each triggering different paths.
Step 1. Go to Automate > Visual Automations and create a new automation.
Step 2. Set the trigger to Subscribes to a form and select the form for your lead magnet.
Step 3. Add a Send Email action immediately after the trigger. This is your delivery email. Write the subject, paste the file link in the body, and save.
Step 4. After the delivery email action, add a Wait step. Two to three days is a reasonable gap before the next email.
Step 5. Add your next email after the wait step. Activate the automation when you are done.
The visual automation gives you a map of the full subscriber journey. You can see exactly which step each subscriber is on, which helps when you want to troubleshoot low open rates or clicks later.
How to Set Up Lead Magnet Delivery in Brevo
Brevo uses a combination of a contact list, a subscription form, and an automation workflow. The setup takes a few more steps than ConvertKit, but the logic is straightforward once you understand which pieces connect to which.
Step 1: Host the Lead Magnet File
Brevo does not host downloadable files in its asset library. Upload your lead magnet to Google Drive or Dropbox with link sharing enabled. Copy the URL. You will paste it into the delivery email body.
Step 2: Create a Dedicated Contact List
Go to Contacts > Lists and create a new list named after the lead magnet, for example “Checklist Download List.” Keeping lead magnet subscribers in their own list makes it easier to trigger the right automation and track who received which lead magnet.
Step 3: Build and Embed the Subscription Form
Go to Email > Forms inside Brevo and create a new form. Link the form to the list you created in step 2. Set it to add contacts to that list on submission.
Embed the form code on your landing page, or use the Brevo-hosted form link if you are linking from social media.
Step 4: Create the Delivery Automation
Go to Automation > Workflows and create a new workflow.
Set the trigger to Contact added to a specific list and select the list from step 2.
Add the first action: Send an email. Write the delivery email here, including the download link in the body. Give the email a clear subject line (“Your [lead magnet name] is ready”).
Activate the workflow.
When someone submits the form, they are added to the list. The automation detects the list addition and sends the delivery email within a few minutes.
Step 5: Test the Full Flow
Submit your form using a personal email address you can check. Verify that:
- The delivery email arrives in the inbox (not spam)
- The download link opens the correct file
- The file is accessible without a login prompt
If the email lands in spam, check whether your Brevo sender domain is authenticated. Brevo has a domain authentication guide in its help center that walks through adding SPF and DKIM records, which improves deliverability.
What to Write in the Delivery Email
The delivery email does not need to be long. It needs to be clear and fast.
Here is a simple template:
Subject: Your [lead magnet name] is here
Hi [first name],
You asked for [lead magnet name] and here it is:
[Download the [lead magnet name]] (link this text to your file)
Quick tip on where to start: [one practical sentence on how to use the file, for example: “Jump to page two for the checklist, that is the part most people use first.”]
I will send you [brief description of next email, for example: “one thing I see creators get wrong when they first start using this”] in the next couple of days.
[Your name]
Three things to note about this template.
The subject line. “Your [name] is here” is specific and unambiguous. Open rates on delivery emails are typically among the highest in a sequence because the subscriber is expecting it. A clear subject confirms they found the right email.
The download link. Make it a button or bold linked text, not a raw URL. Raw URLs are harder to click on mobile and look less trustworthy.
The preview of what is next. One sentence that creates a reason to open the next email. It does not need to be clever. It needs to be specific enough to be worth waiting for.
What to Email After the Delivery
The delivery email is step one. What you send in the days that follow determines whether a subscriber opens your emails again or ignores you forever.
Most creators go quiet after the delivery email. By day three or four, the subscriber has forgotten who they signed up with. You are just another unread subscription in a busy inbox.
A three-email sequence after the delivery email is enough to establish a pattern without becoming overwhelming.
Day 0 (delivery email). The file link, one tip on where to start, a preview of what comes next.
Day 3 (the most useful tip email). Pull one specific insight from the lead magnet and explain it in more depth. If you delivered a checklist, send the one item on the list that most people skip and explain why it matters. If you delivered a template, walk through the section where most creators get stuck. This email positions you as the guide, not just the file sender.
Day 7 (the next step email). Point to what they should do after finishing the lead magnet. Link to a related article on your site, introduce a related tool that pairs well with the lead magnet, or mention a paid offer if you have one. Keep the ask light. The goal is to extend the relationship, not close a sale.
Three emails, delivered over one week, costs under two hours to write. They run automatically for every subscriber after that. The difference between a creator who sends these and one who does not is not just open rates. It is whether subscribers remember the brand when they are ready to buy.
FAQ
Do I need double opt-in for lead magnet delivery?
It depends on your priorities and audience. Double opt-in reduces spam complaints and builds a cleaner list of people who genuinely want to hear from you. Single opt-in delivers the file faster and has fewer steps that could cause subscribers to drop off before completing the process. For creators building their first list, single opt-in is a reasonable starting point. If you are sending emails to people in the EU or other regions with specific consent requirements, review the regulations that apply to your situation before choosing.
My file is too large to attach. What should I do?
Do not attach the file directly to the email. Attachments increase the chance of the email being flagged as spam and create deliverability problems over time. Upload the file to Google Drive, Dropbox, or your own server and include the share link in the email body instead. For smaller files (typically under 5 megabytes), ConvertKit’s asset library lets you host the file directly and generates a hosted link you can use in any email.
What if a subscriber does not receive the delivery email?
Start by asking them to search for your domain name or sender email address in their inbox, including spam and promotions folders. If the email is in spam, they can mark it as not spam to improve future deliverability. If the email never sent, check that the form is connected to the correct automation or incentive email, and confirm the automation is activated. A common setup mistake is building the automation but leaving it in draft mode.
Can I run multiple lead magnets from the same account?
Yes. Create a separate form, list, and automation for each lead magnet. Subscribers who download Lead Magnet A get one sequence. Subscribers who download Lead Magnet B get a different one. Both ConvertKit and Brevo support this without any paid plan upgrade. The setup is identical for each lead magnet. You repeat the steps above for each one and keep the lists and automations named clearly so they are easy to manage.
How do I know if my delivery email is working?
Check the open rate in your email tool’s analytics. Delivery emails for lead magnets typically have higher open rates than regular newsletters, often in the range of 50 to 70%, because subscribers are actively waiting for the file. If your delivery email open rate is below 30%, the most common reasons are: the email is landing in spam (check sender authentication), the subject line is unclear, or there is a delay in sending caused by a misconfigured trigger. A low click-through rate on the download link usually means the link is broken, hard to find, or requires a login the subscriber does not have.
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What to Do Next
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