When a visitor sees your opt-in form, you want them to take action.
How else will you grow your email list, get content shared or generate sales?
The way you do this is with a compelling call to action. And in this article, I am going to share 5 tips on how to do exactly that.
But first, let’s quickly review what a call to action is.
A call to action (CTA) is a marketing term used to describe the critical part of your lead magnet, email, blog post, website, or any other piece of content that directs your audience through the sales funnels.
Why is this important?
Because it’s the compelling “call” you create that motivates them to take immediate action.
The action you want your audience to take will vary depending on your end goal (i.e. subscribe to your list, make a purchase) and can be placed anywhere within your content.
Here are a few examples of actions you may want your lead to take:
- Download your free eBook
- Subscribe to your email list
- Register for your webinar
- Download a content upgrade
- Purchase your product
- Download a white paper
- Access a limited time coupon code
- Sign up for a free course
You can place these CTAs wherever you like, and it’s usually better if you place them in multiple places. You might place a CTA at the end of your blog post, in multiple places on a sales page, at the bottom of your email, or even inside your whitepaper, eBook, or webinar.
CTAs & Russian Dolls (Matryoshka)
It’s worth pointing out that the ability to move your audience through the sales funnel with an effective CTA is endless.
Yes, but…
…what does this have to do with Russian dolls?
Well, think of the Big doll as your call to action to sign up for a webinar. Inside the webinar is another doll (CTA) that prompts your audience to sign up for a 4-week course. Inside the 4-week course is another doll (CTA) to enroll your audience in a one-on-one coaching program. Nested within each doll is a CTA that leads your audience to another product or service you promote.
When executed correctly, a good call to action will continually move your audience through the sales funnel.
Okay. Now that you’re clear on what a call to action is and how effective it is in helping to grow your list, let’s cover 5 tips that will help you craft a compelling call to action.
The best part? You can immediately apply this information today to start improving conversions, even if you’re a beginner.
Let’s get to it.
Get to the point
When it comes to an effective call to action, there’s no beating around the bush. Identify the specific action you want visitors to take and then tell them what you would like them to do.
Example:
For an eBook: “Download Now”
For a webinar: “Secure My Spot”
For a discount code: “Save $50”
Create urgency
When you want someone to take immediate action, timing is everything. Creating a sense of urgency motivates visitors to take action now to avoid missing out on your offer. This is commonly referred to as FOMO (fear of missing out). A simple way to do this is to include urgency words such as now, immediately, hurry etc… in your call to action copy.
Example:
Your goal is to get sign-ups for a webinar you are presenting next week.
Sign up for my webinar works, however the following CTA prompts the reader to respond quickly:
Yes! Secure my spot now!
Be specific
Phrases like “Download Now”, “Sign up today” are an exponential improvement over the opt-in forms of yesteryear that simple said “Submit”. But what if you could take it one step further?
Well, you can. The more specific your opt-in text, the better your chances are of converting. The reason for this is visitors want to know what’s in it for them. They want to know the benefit that lies on the other side of the button. An easy way to do this is to simply tell them.
Picture this, you have a free email course on how to lose weight. Specifically, 5 pounds in a week.
If your current call to action button says, “Sign up now!” an example of a benefit driven call to action button would be “Drop 5lbs this week!”.
Use phrases that inspire action
When creating your call to action, it only makes sense to use language that communicates action. Here are examples of call to action phrases written with the intent to get visitors off the fence and onto your email lists.
Examples:
Immediate download.
Download now.
Get started today.
Start your free trial now.
Join now.
Reserve your spot now.
Learn (something specific)
Discover (something specific)
Act quickly.
Try it free.
Creating a call to action that converts isn’t as difficult as one might think when you apply the above 4 tips. But let me leave you with one final tip…
One CTA Per Goal
The rule of thumb is to only one have CTA per goal. Example? Your goal is to get registrants for your upcoming webinar. Therefore, the sole purpose of the CTA is to motivate your audience to sign up for the webinar.
Don’t confuse your audience by telling them to sign up your free webinar, asking them to purchase your eBook mid-page, and download the coupon for the special you’re running on coaching this week at the end of your post.
Identify one key action you want your audience to take and get to the point, like we discussed in tip number one.
Conclusion
Now that you know the key elements of an effective call to action, you’re armed with the knowledge to write your own.
So, what are you waiting for? Create a powerful call to action that motivates your audience to take immediate action, today.
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