The all-important call to action is a key piece of your digital lead generation strategy. The challenge, however, is striking the right balance to engage users and motivate them to act. How do you convince a hesitant buyer to make a purchase? How do you compel a user to make a phone call or complete a contact form? The answer is a carefully crafted, thoughtful call to action.
When writing your calls to action, you might feel as though you are walking a very thin line between engaging your users and turning them off entirely. Our advice? Let yourself be the judge. You probably wouldn’t respond favorably to a high-pressure, pushy sales tactic. Neither will your audience. While there is not a magic formula for a successful call to action, we do suggest that you incorporate the following elements:
- Use clear, action-oriented language. Keep it concise and be specific. Your message needs to be strong enough to motivate a user to action and clear enough to avoid misinterpretation. Begin with words that indicate the desired action, such as download, register, or submit.
- Strive for a balance between a hard and soft sell. A hard sell leaves no room for debate, and can often come across as forceful. On the other hand, a soft sell focuses on building a relationship with the customer, rather than overtly asking for an action. Your call to action should be a combination of both—specific and clear about the action you want the customer to take, but also giving them a compelling benefit.
- Convey urgency. No one wants to miss out on a great deal! Use time sensitive language to prompt action sooner rather than later.
- Give users an incentive. Tell users exactly what they will get if they take the requested action. For example, simply telling someone to “Get Our E-Book” does not convey the benefit to them as customers. Rather, “Download Our Free E-Book For Insider Tips!” gives them an incentive—for one, the e-book is free, and it will give them exclusive information.
- Consider placing authentic testimonials near your call to action. While this is not technically part of your call to action, it may help drive its success. We’re definitely not suggesting anything false or forced. However, genuine testimonials will help foster trust between you and prospective customers. That may be the final push for a user to take action.
For expert conversion marketing support and advice, call Company 119. We will help you determine effective calls to action that will drive your business goals and produce real results.
