Marketing Against The Grain: How To Create A Lead Magnet With AI (Full Tutorial)
Host/Author: HubSpot Media
Release Date: July 17, 2025

Introduction to AI-Powered Lead Magnets

In this episode of Marketing Against The Grain, Kipp Bodnar, HubSpot’s Chief Marketing Officer, delves into the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in creating effective lead magnets. He emphasizes the strategic advantage of leveraging AI coding tools to build free web applications that can generate valuable customer data, such as email addresses and phone numbers, thereby enriching sales pipelines.

[00:00] Kipp Bodnar: "Today I'm going to show you something every marketer should be doing right now. You should be building free web apps to generate emails or phone numbers for your sales team using AI coding tools."

Kipp sets the stage by outlining the episode's focus: transforming innovative ideas into tangible AI-driven web applications that serve as compelling lead magnets for businesses of all sizes.

Generating App Ideas with ChatGPT

Kipp begins by demonstrating how to harness the power of ChatGPT to brainstorm relevant app ideas tailored to specific business needs. Using the example of a landscape design business based in Columbus, Ohio, he illustrates the process of obtaining creative and practical app concepts that can attract potential customers.

[00:05] Kipp Bodnar: "The first thing I did is I went to Chat GPT... to get some ideas."

He inputs a prompt into ChatGPT seeking suggestions for a free web app that could help a landscape design business collect email addresses for marketing purposes. The AI responds with seven innovative ideas, including an AI Yard Vision Photo Mockup, Lawn Health Diagnostic Quiz, Project Budget Estimator, and more.

[00:15] Kipp Bodnar: "This is my favorite one. An AI yard vision photo mockup where it takes a picture of your yard and uses AI to generate new renderings of it."

Selecting and Developing the Project Budget Estimator

From the generated ideas, Kipp chooses the Project Budget Estimator as his primary example. He explains the significance of this tool in alleviating a common customer friction point: determining the cost of landscaping projects. Kipp highlights how AI can streamline this process, making it easier for businesses to engage with potential clients.

[00:30] Kipp Bodnar: "One of the things, if you, like, look at your backyard and you're like, oh, my backyard doesn't look that good. I'd like to do something about it, but, like, how much would it cost?"

He then proceeds to outline how to transform this idea into a functional application using AI coding platforms. By inputting a well-crafted prompt, Kipp demonstrates how to generate a comprehensive product specification that serves as a blueprint for development.

Utilizing Claude Artifacts for Rapid App Deployment

Kipp introduces Claude Artifacts, a feature within Claude that facilitates the rapid creation and deployment of web applications. He contrasts this modern approach with traditional web development methods, which often involve significant time and financial investments.

[01:00] Kipp Bodnar: "Previously you would have been like, oh cool, I have this idea for this budgeting calculator. I'm going to hire some type of web development company to go and build this for me. And they're probably going to charge you 10, 20, 30, 50k to do something like this."

With Claude Artifacts, marketers can bypass hefty development costs and lengthy timelines, allowing for quick prototyping and testing of app ideas to gauge their effectiveness and market fit.

[01:20] Kipp Bodnar: "One of the advantages you have with these AI coding tools today is that you can get something that you can put on your website or share with a small number of people to say, hey, do people actually use this? Does it work?"

Live Demonstration of the Project Budget Estimator

Kipp conducts a live walkthrough of building the Project Budget Estimator using the Claude Artifacts platform. He inputs the previously developed prompt into Claude, which autonomously generates the necessary code and components for the application.

[02:00] Kipp Bodnar: "So I took the one shot prompt from ChatGPT... and Claude built out all the components, wrote all the code, everything that you need here."

The demonstration includes generating a user-friendly interface where visitors can input various parameters (e.g., square footage, desired features) to receive an estimated project cost. Kipp showcases the app's functionality, highlighting its ability to provide professional PDF estimates based on user input.

[02:30] Kipp Bodnar: "If you could hit publish right here and I can publish and copy the link and now I can just copy this link and, and put it wherever we want."

Within just 20 minutes, Kipp successfully deploys a functional MVP (Minimum Viable Product), underscoring the efficiency and practicality of using AI tools for rapid app development.

Developing the Curb Appeal Scorecard

To further illustrate the versatility of Claude Artifacts, Kipp develops a second application: the Curb Appeal Scorecard. This tool allows users to upload photos of their property and receive an analysis of its curb appeal, offering valuable insights for homeowners or businesses looking to enhance their exterior aesthetics.

[03:30] Kipp Bodnar: "I really like the idea of this curb appeal scorecard and so I had it generate the same one shot prompt."

He emphasizes the ease of creating multiple applications tailored to different aspects of a business, thereby expanding the range of lead magnets available to engage potential customers.

During the demonstration, Kipp uploads an image of a well-maintained property. The app assesses various factors such as landscaping maintenance, seasonal color presence, outdoor lighting, and overall visual symmetry, providing a comprehensive score and actionable feedback.

[04:15] Kipp Bodnar: "It's saying, hey, you have a grade A photo analysis. Green coverage, 47%. Visual symmetry, 78%."

Conclusion: The Future of AI Coding Tools for Marketing

Kipp concludes the episode by reflecting on the strategic importance of AI coding tools like Claude Artifacts in modern marketing. He underscores their role in enabling marketers and business owners to swiftly validate ideas, enhance customer engagement, and reduce the costs associated with traditional web development.

[05:00] Kipp Bodnar: "As a marketer or as a founder, one of the things you're looking for is to validate an idea really quickly with your audience. And that's what today's show was all about."

He encourages listeners to explore AI-driven app development, highlighting the potential for personalized lead magnets to drive business growth and customer acquisition.

[05:30] Kipp Bodnar: "I would love to hear what you've been building with AI coding tools. If you're using Claude artifacts, publish links to stuff you're building below."

Kipp wraps up by motivating listeners to embrace AI tools to innovate their marketing strategies, fostering deeper connections with their audiences through tailored, value-driven applications.

Key Takeaways:

• AI Coding Tools Empower Marketers: Tools like ChatGPT and Claude Artifacts significantly reduce the time and cost of developing lead-generating web applications.

• Rapid Prototyping and Validation: AI enables quick creation of MVPs, allowing businesses to test and refine their ideas based on real user feedback before committing to full-scale development.

• Customization and Scalability: AI-generated apps can be customized to fit various business needs, enhancing customer engagement and facilitating scalable marketing strategies.

• Future of Marketing: Integrating AI into marketing operations is essential for staying competitive, offering personalized experiences, and effectively capturing and nurturing leads.

By leveraging AI-powered tools, marketers can unlock new avenues for growth, streamline their processes, and create impactful lead magnets that resonate with their target audiences.