Hi!
I'll answer the second question first. No. You don't really need one. You don't need a lot of things.
But will having a lead magnet help you grow your email subscriber list?
HECK YEAH!
Now, I'm not going to write a full-blown "how to" on lead magnets. But I am going to point you to one that promises (and delivers) that you can build one in less than a day.
I can assure you--you can. And
should.
So go do it. Click here for an excellent article from Aweber.
Bill
PS--I didn't answer the first question! But the article
referenced above does all that and more.