5 Tips for Writing a Call to Action that Really Works

“But wait there’s more!”

“Call in the next 20 minutes and receive an additional ab-buster machine for free!”

“Click here to get started today!”

Do any of these phrases sound familiar?

They may be a bit corny, maybe even a little cringe-worthy, but more or less they get the job done. They help to close the deal through a thinly-vailed call to action.

What is a Call to Action?

Let me back up and explain a little. A call to action isn’t really all that complicated – it’s just something, an instructional statement of sorts, that pushes your readers, viewers, listeners, whatever towards a desired action or outcome.

For example, “click here to get started,” is a pretty straightforward one. If you’re using that call to action, you obviously want whoever is reading your website to click on the button or link in question to get started with your course, product or whatever else you might be offering.

For the most part, calls to action are short and sweet. They usually occur at the bottom of your webpage or end of your sales pitch, but you’ll also often times find them sprinkled throughout. This is a good strategy, because as we know, not all people read to the end of a website landing page, or listen to an entire sales pitch for that matter. Sprinkling subtle calls to action throughout can help increase your chances of achieving your desired result.

But you also need to make them clear and concise. Make it obvious what it is you are asking for from your audience, and make it easy for them to respond. But more on that later.

Why is it Important?

So…why is incorporating a call to action so important? Because even though you understand your pitch or landing page and know what you want people to do, it isn’t always as clear to others as you might think. If you don’t tell your audience what action you’d like them to take next, they likely won’t take any action at all. And it’s not necessarily because they don’t like what you have to offer. More often than not, it’s because they’re confused, not sure what exactly you’re asking them to do, and unsure of what to do next.

Your job is simple – use a call to action to direct your audience towards the desired outcome. In most cases, they’ll be more than happy to comply.

pens-300x3005 Tips for Writing a Solid Call to Action

Now that we know what calls to action are and why they are so important, what’s the best way to write them and incorporate them into your website? Take a look at these 5 tips below for some inspiration:

Remove Risk from the Equation

Let’s face it – most of us don’t really enjoy unnecessary risks. In fact, a lot of us avoid risky situations at all costs. So if your offer or call to action has a lingering sense of risk about it, why would your readers be interested in signing up or opting in for your offer?

Short answer – they wouldn’t be interested.

Thankfully, combating this behavior is simple – just remove risk from the equation. Consider offering a money back guarantee or something similar to help your audience feel more comfortable with the situation. If they don’t like it, they can just return it – there’s no risk in that.

“Sign up for sales coaching sessions today – start seeing results within the first 30 days or your money back!”

Solve a Problem for Your Potential Customers

This is a big one. People are always looking for solutions to their problems, and if you can provide them that solution, they’ll be more likely to choose your product, service or whatever.

Can you perform a service that will make life easier for your audience? Capitalize on that in your call to action. Besides having their problems solved, people generally love to have their lives made easier for them as well – I know I do!

“Know that you need to get started on social media but aren’t sure how? Don’t have the time to run your social accounts effectively? Let us take the pressure off, so you can go ahead and get back to running your business.”

Explain the Benefits

Sometimes all you need to do is explain the benefits, especially the ones that your audience may not be thinking of. Think about all of the hidden bonuses and benefits associated with your product or service. How can these things benefit your audience? How will these things improve their lives?

If you don’t explain the benefits, you run the risk of losing your audience simply because they don’t understand why your product or service is necessary. Again, what may seem completely obvious to you might not be as obvious to someone not as familiar with your business or industry. Take the time to explain things well – it will definitely pay off in the long run.

“When you sign up for regular blogging, not only will you start seeing a bump in search traffic, but your audience will love you for all the quality, free information you’re providing them with.”

Create a Sense of Urgency

This is something that most calls to action have in common – you need to create a sense of urgency, otherwise your audience might just ignore what you have to say altogether. You have to make them realize that what you are saying is important and valuable, and they should really consider opting in for your offer today.

It doesn’t have to be spammy or cheesy like, “Call in the next ten minutes to receive your free oven mitt,” but it should make your readers stop and think, “Hey I should probably get on this sooner rather than later.” Even just including the word “today” can make a world of difference.

“Sign up for our free email newsletter TODAY to start receiving valuable marketing tips that will help your business succeed.”

Provide the Next Steps

So…what comes next? Don’t leave your audience hanging – give them specific next steps to follow after they finish reading your article.

Do you want them to sign up for your email list? Ask for that. Are you hoping to get them as a future client or customer? Tell them what they need to do. Be as specific as you can, and push them in the right direction – after all, that’s the whole point of a call to action anyways, right?

“Interested in learning more about our services? Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this email and someone from our team will be in touch with you within the hour.”

To sum it all up, it’s important to take some time and really craft a great call to action. Think about your audience, your ask, and how best to achieve your goal. Then, put those thoughts into words.

Have you ever used a call to action before? Do you have any additional tips to add?