Call-to-Action, Defined

So, you’ve established that you have something of value to offer and you’ve proven your product is the perfect choice, compared to the alternatives, for your prospect customer. How do you take your prospect on to the next step? You deliver a compelling and strong Call to Action. Some common good Calls to Action include:

• Call 1-800-555-5555 Now and Speak with an Expert
• Contact Us!
• Get a Free Trial
• Purchase Today and Receive a Free Gift
• Request a Free Quote
• Visit www.companyhere.com for the Full Story

According to Motive Glossary, the Call to Action answers the (unspoken) question by the customer, “That’s interesting, now what?” It is one of the most important marketing and promotional concepts and is critical to marketing success. However, inexperienced marketers are guilty of leaving it out or frequently delivering weak, diluted and/or buried (not prominently displayed) Calls to Action.

Why is including a Call to Action in your marketing important? Let’s face it, your customers cannot read your mind. Letting them know what you want them to do next really does lead them to respond. Furthermore, if you don’t ask for your customers’ business, you cannot expect to receive it. Take any late night infomercial as an example. “If you call within the next few minutes—with your credit card handy to make a purchase—you will receive a free gift and/or an amazing discount.” Those Calls to Action are powerful. They work and generate immediate and quantifiable response.

Helpful Hints for Including Calls to Action in Your Marketing

Getting the most value out of your Call to Action is important in all of your marketing activities. From your website to your direct mail to your telesales and even personal interaction, letting the customer know specifically what you want them to do next, or asking for their business, can make the difference in getting the sale versus delaying it or losing it altogether. Here are some helpful hints in developing good Calls to Action:

1. Good Calls to Action tie in well with the copy and messaging of your marketing. If your marketing objective is to sell something then including “Purchase Today” makes the most sense. If you’re looking to generate leads, then perhaps “Contact us to Learn More” is appropriate.
2. Be clear in the methods you want your customers to respond. Give them options that might be best suited to their preferred means of communications. Can they call, email or fax you? It helps to know your customers intimately here and what their preferred methods of communication might be.
3. Include the answer to why a customer should respond and get more value from your Call to Action. What problem are you solving for them? Are you saving/making them money or time? Are you providing for improved conveniences? Billy Mays’ Money Back Guarantees as Calls to Action seemed to work well. Of course be sure to include terms and conditions of this Call to Action in the fine print in your marketing if you choose to include it.
4. Create a sense of urgency for immediate response. Customers often forget an offer the longer they wait so the sooner you can get them to respond the better! Include an incentive and/or a timed deadline. For example, “Call Us at 1.800.555.5555 Today to Schedule a Demo! The first 50 scheduled demos will receive a free sample.” Consider “Offer Expires on (Date)” to drive immediacy.
5. Include your Call to Action throughout your copy and not just at the end. Incorporate phrases like “Purchase our product today and…” or “Once you call our sales representatives, you will learn how to…”
6. Pump up your Call to Action. Vanessa Williams in “Boost Your Selling Power with Your Call to Action” states “Give an example of how you’ll make their life better and easier (with your Call to Action). ‘Buy this powerful broom today and it’ll cut your cleaning time by 75%. Imagine what you can do with an extra three hours each week.’” Powerful stuff!
7. Prominently display your Call to Action in your marketing! This one seems like a no-brainer but I am frequently surprised by the number of marketing pieces I receive where the Call to Action is in small non-bolded print, or competes with other images and/or copy. If it’s not obvious, it’s not prominently displayed. If you are unsure of whether or not you’re getting your Call to Action across well, test it on a customer or friend. See if they get it within seconds.

Are You Ready for Early Retirement?

Did the headline of this article get your attention? Did it interest you enough to respond and ‘read on’? Are you ready for improved business success? Include some great Calls to Action in your marketing and you too could earn early retirement because of it!

Sources

1. Marketing Dictionary: Call to Action, Suidoo.com/call_to_action
2. Williams, Vanessa Selene, “Boost Your Selling Power with Your Call to Action Phrases,” ICBS Business Resources

About the Author
Angelo Biasi is General Manager of SMART Marketing Solutions, LLC, a leading full-service integrated marketing company in Naples, FL since 2001. He has helped create and execute marketing plans and integrated marketing solutions for companies such as Playtex, Bic, Rogaine, Tauck, and over 35 colleges and universities, to name a few. Angelo has an MBA in Marketing from the University of Connecticut and has taught Marketing at New York University for over five years. For more information or to learn more, email him at abiasismartmarketingllccom  (abiasismartmarketingllccom)  , visit www.smartmarketingllc.com or call 239.963.9396.