I’ve said it before: If you want someone to do something, you have to be clear about what it is and you have to be specific. This is the basic framework for a call to action.
These days, the internet is more about the kinds of things we used to do offline: socialization, education, commerce, and the list goes on. In this virtual world, there needs to be a way, especially from the standpoint of commerce, to reach out to people we can’t see.
Gone are the days where the salesperson sits across the table with a contract advising you to “Press hard, there are three copies,” as you fill it out. Today, the process is far more nebulous. You have to keep people engaged based on probability. “If I frame my CTA this way, at least 3 percent of my audience will probably click through.”
So how do you frame that call to action in a manner that allows you to monitor peoples’ reactions virtually? When you aren’t sitting across the table reading their body language, how do you up the chances that your prospects will follow you through the entire buyer’s journey? Well, it depends on how good you are at getting them to do things for you.
In a well-constructed sales or lead-generation funnel, there is a clear progression that begins with getting the reader to do something simple, like click to read a blog article, and then progressively ask for more, up to – and including – making a decision to become your customer or client. Here are five calls to action that follow the individual through each stage of the buyer’s journey and keep them engaged long enough to close the sale.
#1 – The Lead Generation CTA
This is the simplest of all of them to implement, and it asks the least of the prospect. It also provides some kind of incentive. At this stage, a good incentive doesn’t have to cost you anything. Tease a little with your ad and then ask the reader to click through for more information. Here, it is a good idea to offer something in the way of access to a “private” area of your website (which will typically be a landing page) in exchange for nothing more than a click.
Example: “Click the button below to access our 10 Secrets to Increasing Lead Generation”
Follow that up with a button that again tells the reader to “click here.” I cannot stress how important that last part is.
#2 – The Form Submission CTA
Now that you have gotten your prospects to click through, you want to get a little more information from them. Here is where you need to start more aggressively incentivizing your offer. You don’t need to offer them anything else at this stage, just make the idea of following through on the form submission a little more appealing. Again, the key element to success here is going to be placing your call to action directly on the button you want them to click. No pretense, no hard selling (your landing page should already be persuasive enough), just the form with as few fields as possible and a button telling them what to do.
Example: “Download the Special Report”
#3 – The “Conditioning” CTA
If you don’t want to go directly for the jugular just yet, content marketing is a great way to groom your prospects into doing what you want. Instead of going straight to the landing page, you might want to send the reader to your blog. Paginating your blog (splitting it up into multiple pages) is a great way to get your prospect into the habit of following your lead. All you have to do is place a “Read More” button at the bottom of each page and keep the content engaging.
Every time the reader clicks that button, you have successfully gotten him or her to heed a call to action. At the end, of the article, send them to your landing page with a button promising more information. “Learn More Here” can be very effective in this instance.
#4 – The “Like” and “Share” CTA
This one allows you to use your leads to generate more leads. At the end of a blog post (or even on a landing page), place familiar social network buttons that are clearly marked with CTAs like, “Share on Facebook,” “Share on Twitter,” and so on. If the copy is good, it is sure to churn up more interest and give you even more opportunities to start the process fresh with new prospective customers.
#5 – Closing the Sale
Since it seems like a huge jump between the last few and this CTA, let me be clear about how to use it. This one should be pulled out only after it has been well established that your lead has a strong probability of making a buying decision.
If the reader has followed you through each stage of the buyer’s journey, you have successfully raised awareness and generated interest in your product or service and have given the reader lots of things to consider via digital assets or other information. That information should include the following:
• Email blasts
• Regular, consistent blog posts
• Regular, consistent updates on social media
• Swift turnaround for questions and inquiries
If you have been doing this all along, you should be able to influence your lead to “Get Started Now,” “Proceed to Checkout,” or any variation that makes it clear that he or she is about to make a purchase.
As a final thought, let’s talk briefly about your copy. Ideally, you should be working with a professional custom writing service or copywriting company to ensure that you are delivering effective, optimized copy. That decision is, of course, up to you, but I strongly recommend considering it, especially if you are new to the marketing game. The more polished your delivery, the more apt your audience will be to follow through on your CTAs.