4 Things to Know About Calls-to-Action That Convert

Have you ever seen someone get up on their ‘soapbox’? It’s called a soapbox because soap used to come in wooden crates and if you wanted to speak in public you stood up on one so everyone could see you. They were also free to ignore you as well, which is why the phrase took on a negative meaning. The idea became pretty clear. A call-to-action is great, but if it doesn’t motivate your audience, then it’s a waste of your time and theirs.

To stir your audience into action, you should:

Plan out exactly what you want to happen. That means thinking through not only what will occur if someone answers your call, but how the whole process will play out. Decide beforehand exactly what you want to accomplish with your call-to-action. Once you’ve decided, test the process and then test it again. If you’ve motivated someone, the last thing you want to do is lose them because of an unexpected error.

Make brief, powerful statements. On a website, there is limited space for a call-to-action button and the words on it. Choose those words carefully so they say exactly what you mean. Be bold. Be dynamic. You don’t have the space for wishy-washy copy. While you don’t want to be deceitful, avoid the use of qualifying words that may leave the impression you’re not sure of your product. If you don’t have faith in your product, why should someone heed your call-to-action? Describe not only what will happen when they click that button, but highlight the wonderful, immediate benefits they’ll receive. Make these tangible and direct. No one likes vague promises. Above all, emphasize the fact that there’s no risk.

Make it easy. Motivating someone is difficult, so if you’ve gotten them to the point they’re willing to click on an action button, the last thing you want to do is make it hard for them. The process should be as smooth as possible. Don’t make them jump through unnecessary hoops. Sure you’d love them to fill out a detailed survey and provide you a novel’s worth of information about their lives, but save that for later. Even though you emphasized there’s little or no risk, clicking on an action button is still a leap of faith for your audience; don’t reward that faith by running them through a maze. Examine your process and find ways to reduce the number of clicks required to get through it.

Create a sense of urgency without going overboard. There is always a fine line in sales. If you don’t push hard, you may be ignored. That’s why you don’t see shy salesman. On the other hand, push too hard and you run the risk of turning your audience off. No one likes a pushy salesman. It may take you a bit of experimentation to get just the right balance. Move your call-to-action button around the screen. Try different sizes and colors as well as different phrasing until you find the perfect balance what works for you and your marketing campaign.

If you’re going to stand up on a soapbox, think it through to ensure both your time and that of the audience is well spent. Be clear and bold about what you’re offering, and make it quick and easy for your audience to get it. Find just the right balance of subtlety and aggressive salesmanship. Try these tips and you might find that standing up on your soapbox isn’t such a bad thing after all.