There is an acronym in sales that is really important. It’s practically the first lesson when you pick up the ‘Sales 101’ handbook. It’s ABC – always be closing.
Yet I speak to business owners and it’s the one thing that they find really difficult to do, let alone write about it.
I edit copy by clients sent to me monthly using the ‘Look over your Shoulder‘ programme and the one thing that comes up over and over is that there is rarely a call to action.
It’s almost like they are afraid to ask for the sale. And you know what, I can understand that. Some entrepreneurs and business owners just don’t feel comfortable selling, they have a passion for their product but selling is not second nature.
But there are ways to ask for the sale which doesn’t impact on your values of selling.
So I’m writing these tips on how to write a call to action that works…everytime.
1. Direct your reader
Sometimes your reader needs that extra push. As humans we need to be directed. And so you need to tell your reader what to do. When directing your customer what to do, remember this – vagueness doesn’t sell. Don’t say something like ‘if you’d like my product, feel free to try it.”. Say ‘try this product’.
Use active verbs as they are powerful.
2. Use Urgency
There is one phrase that nobody likes to hear. “Did you not get yours? We all got ours”. Lets face it, no-one of us, on a business or personal level want to miss out or be left out.
You need to bring that sense of not missing out to your CTA. Sometimes buyers can hesitate at the end and you want to remove that obstacle. Urgency is a great way to overcome this. A one time offer or limited time offer will help your reader hitting the purchase button.
3. Highlight the offer
When your reader is reading your offer, you have to make it stand out. Some people who come onto your page or ad simply read the title, the sub-heads and the call to action. You need to attract those people too so make the call to action larger than the text that preceeds it.
I’m also a big believer in white space. Some people think it’s wasted but it helps the eye scan a page. Too much text is just not good for the eyes. So make use of white space around your larger call to action.
One last point is to think about changing the colour. That will certainly draw the eye to the call to action.
[titled_box title=”Get Results with Words Assignment:”]
Today I would like you to analyse your own Call to action (CTA)
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Okay, I’ll make it easy for you. Pick a service or product on your website (you’re reading this online…so head on over NOW).
Check out it’s Call to Action:
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- Is there one?
- Is it strong enough?
- Are you using active verbs?
- Is there urgency?
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Let me know how you get on and ask me questions if it doesn’t make sense. Write a comment here or drop me a mail.
