Perfecting a Call to Action 

A call to action (CTA) is essential to converting prospects into customers. You have to get someone’s attention before they will consider buying your product or service. Your call to action should catch your lead’s attention and increase the probability of them taking action. 

How can you create an effective call to action? Let’s find out. 

How to create and position your offer

Position your offer so it would seem crazy not to buy it! This is no easy feat. You need to understand your customers’ needs and values. Your offer needs to convince them it is worth the money. Make sure you build an irresistible offer first by following these steps:

1. Define your target audience. In-depth research and analysis into your ideal customer, buying behaviors, demographics, needs, etc.
2. Identify the benefits and results your service or product provides. Create your value proposition. 
3. Build trust with the customer and establish credibility. Testimonials, reviews, case studies, etc. are important to display your results and social proof when building an irresistible offer.
4. Craft your offer/message. Develop your marketing content and marketing strategy. A copywriter can use your branding information, value proposition and offer to develop copy that converts customers. 

Once you understand your audience and have a clear value proposition, you can develop effective CTAs. A clear call to action must rise above the noise to get people to stop scrolling. 

How do you put together an effective call to action?

Now you’re ready to develop an effective CTA. Your customer conversion is greatly affected by where you place your CTA and how your word it. 

Start by understanding the goal of the CTA. What action do you want the customer to take? Once you understand the foundation, keep in mind these points:

Wording

• Be clear and avoid wordiness. Instead of saying “Get weekly sales updates sent straight to your inbox” you could say “Subscribe now” or “Join our newsletter” Short and sweet!
• Use strong action words to boost conversions. The vocabulary you choose will vary based on your industry/niche. Words such as “Buy” “Sign Up” “Give” “Join” etc. 
• Use words that evoke emotion for certain CTAs. What emotion are you trying to create/encourage in a lead? What emotion would they need to feel to take action? 
• Get creative! If possible, link your word choice to your niche. For example, a classic car event landing page could use a CTA like “Start Your Engines.” 

Placement and Design

• Understand the device your customer will use to browse your content. This should inform your CTA wording, size and placement. A customer using their laptop is more likely to be in the research phase, while a customer using their phone is more often ready to make a decision/purchase. 
• Placement matters. Place your CTA in a location where it is clearly seen and makes sense. For example, you wouldn’t put your email subscription CTA at the top of an e-commerce site. The top of the site should be reserved for product advertisements, sales announcements, and a “Buy Now” or “Get Started” CTA. 
• Make your CTA a button. Buttons naturally attract the eyes, are distinctive and can be customized. Use colors that pop. 

Effective and creative call-to-action examples

Take a look at these creative CTA examples from Hubspot, Glossier and Hulu to get some ideas for your next call to action. 

Hubspot.com

Hubspot’s CTAs don’t just say “Buy Now” or “Call Us Today.” They include words like “Demo” and “Free” CRM. Their CTAs use a strong action word and specifically mention the product. 

Glossier.com 

Glossier has clear branding and its CTAs reflect that realistic, playful and creative image. The CTAs use language that catches your attention and influences you to stay on a pop-up or page longer. Consider the two examples below. 

Hulu.com

The Hulu website’s homepage displays the bundle and pricing options. Beside this information are clear CTAs: “Get them both,” “Sign up for Hulu only,” and “Get all three.” Simple and to the point. Remember, your CTA doesn’t have to be long-winded. 

Here are a few more commonly used high-performing CTAs:

• Let’s Talk
• Keep in Touch
• Access My Whitepaper
• I Want To Learn More
• Join the Community

You can spend your time researching and testing out CTAs on your own, or you can partner with a digital marketing agency that has a proven track record. At Dream Local Digital, our marketing experts work with businesses throughout the USA to ensure your efforts get the results you want! Schedule your free marketing consultation to learn more.