5 Ways to Nail Your Call To Action
How do you combine a rhetorical question and a joke?
...
It's always awkward when you forget the punchline to a joke. It's also awkward when a web page or ad doesn't have a strong call to action.
You've got great content, it's compelling, it's interesting, it takes the audience on a journey. But then it falls flat. There's no "so what?" no prompt to what they should do next.
A strong call to action can be the difference in whether or not you get that extra client. It's the milk in your milkshake - without it, what's the point?
In fact, a call to action is so important you should write that first and build up the rest of your content from there.
How do you write a strong call to action? Here are 5 tips on how to nail it!
Be clear - Tell them EXACTLY what to do
First, know what you want them to do - then tell them to do it!
"Buy now, click here, add to cart, go here, keep reading, download"
The reason people don't do this enough is that tbh, it can feel a little rude. We don't talk to people in real life this way and so we avoid doing it online too. But don't worry about being rude!
The etiquette online and in ads is totally different from real life. It's actually rude not to offer clear directives. A clear and concise call to action will save your audience time and confusion, then they'll appreciate you all the more!
Keep it simple - Only Offer One Option (the 4 'O's)
Yes, I did just make that term up. But it's true none the less.
Decide on the most important directive for your audience, then give it to them. Don't include multiple options at the same point, it's just confusing and people will be less likely to do anything.
It can be hard trying to work out which one call to action to include because you'd probably be happy with them doing multiple things! Like:
"Listen now and download today or contact us for more info"
You may want your audience to do all these things, but which one is most important for right now? By using all of these directives, you're actually losing strength and clarity. Remember, you can always use others somewhere else.
Here's how to decide: Figure out which call to action will lead to the most sales in the long run. Look at results from previous posts, or start figuring that out now. It's super important to reflect on what is and isn't working - and how you can improve.
Be repetitive
There's no harm and quite a bit of power in repeating your call to action throughout a post, especially on a longer page.
But don't just plonk it on the top, in the middle and here there and everywhere. You'll disrupt the flow. Weave it throughout your content where it works.
Being repetitive works for a range of people too. From those who just want to jump right in after reading the headline to those who want to mull it over on the couch with a cup of chai.
Plan out the strategy for each page
This will help you understand where and how to put each call to action.
Always start by getting a little imaginative - imagine you're a customer, visiting the website for the first time. What were they doing before this? What state of mind are they in?
When you understand who your customer is and what they're doing, you'll be able to decide what sort of call to action they'll respond to.
Don't reinvent the wheel
There's a time and a place to get creative, but this isn't it. Just stick with what works.
Check out what other, more successful businesses are doing for their call's to action:
Do they use fancy words? No.
Do they give several directives on one page? No.
Do they leave you in doubt as to what you should do? No.
A successful call to action is clear, simple and concise. It tells you exactly what to do and when to do it. Trust me, your audience will thank you for it!
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... See what I did there? 😉
