One of the most important elements of your website is the
"call to action." Your site may have a compelling
headline that grabs your visitors' attention. It may have
well-written sales copy, great graphics, awesome navigation,
fantastic testimonials, and an unbelievable opt-in offer. But all
these things aren't going to mean squat if you don't
include a clear call to action!
Take a moment to consider the purpose of your website. What is
it you want people to do when they visit your site? Find out about
the benefits of your product? Sign up to receive your free
newsletter? Make a purchase, perhaps? Now ask yourself: Does your
site tell your visitors exactly how to do these things?
Your visitors need to know what you want them to do. If you
don't tell them to purchase your product or subscribe to your
free newsletter, how can you be sure they're going to take that
action? Be explicit about the actions you want your visitors to
take. Your straightforwardness will have a direct impact on your
sales!
The Power of Suggestion
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Just in case it's been a while since you brushed up on your
marketing lingo, a call to action is a strongly worded suggestion
that clearly states what action you want your visitors to take. It
encourages people to take that action and tells them what will
happen if they do. For example, the following phrases are all calls
to action:
- "Click here to subscribe!"
- "Join our affiliate program."
- "Add to your shopping cart."
- "Order now to take advantage of this limited-time
offer!"
It's a good idea to include an emotionally appealing benefit
in your call to action. This convinces visitors of the value of
your product and encourages them to take the action. For example:
"Read on to learn how you could save tens of thousands of
dollars on your next home purchase."
You want to pique people's interest and make them believe
that taking the specified action will offer them a direct benefit.
After all, who wouldn't want to save tens of thousands of
dollars?
The most obvious and important call to action, of course, is the
one that asks visitors to make a purchase. This is the crucial
moment: asking for the order and closing the sale.
You know, it's amazing how many people simply neglect to ask
for the order. This simple oversight can be deadly for your
business; in fact, studies show that you can increase your sales by
at least 80 percent by clearly instructing your visitors how to
make a purchase!
The call to action that asks visitors to make a purchase is
the make-it-or-break-it moment. However, closing a sale is
like lining up a pool shot--you don't want to rush it!
It takes a lot of work to close the sale, which is why you
can't just skip to this point right away. Before you get there,
you have to:
- Emphasize the benefits of your product or service by answering
the all-important customer question "What's in it for
me?"
- Establish your credibility by citing credentials, including
customer testimonials
- Overcome objections to buy
- Build value into your offer
- Back up your offer with a strong guarantee
- Offer valuable bonuses with the purchase
Once you've done all these things, then you can ask for the
order. In fact, you must ask for the order at that point!
Otherwise, all the great work you've done will be wasted.
Online entrepreneurs often make the mistake of
"implying" what they want their visitors to do rather
than explicitly stating it. Don't be coy! You may wish to avoid
coming across like you're "ordering" your visitors to
do something, but unless you blatantly explain what you want them
to do, you're going to see mediocre sales.
So make sure you tell your visitors exactly what you want them
to do! You have to spell it out as clearly as possible. Use direct,
action-oriented words such as these:
- Subscribe (to a newsletter)
- Click (on a link)
- Fill out (a survey)
- Read (an article)
- Enter (a contest)
- Join (an affiliate program)
- Buy (your product)
Don't leave it to your navigation to direct people to the
things you want them to do. Most visitors will only click on a link
if they know it will lead them to something they're looking
for.
Make Them an Offer They Can't Refuse
In your call to action, draw your visitors' attention to the
benefits of your product or service. Neglecting to emphasize the
value of a product is the number one mistake copywriters make! Be
sure to highlight benefits such as:
- Saves money
- Easy and convenient to use
- Saves time
- Good for the environment
- Children can't get enough of it
- Your dog will never have fleas again
Mention the problem your product addresses and present your
product as the only real solution to that problem. For example, you
can urge visitors to "Order now--don't delay!" or you
can add a more persuasive argument by stating "Order now and
boost your energy levels through the roof in less than a
week!"
Promise specific results, and back them up with a guarantee.
Instead of saying "By using this product, you'll increase
your sales," say "Your sales will increase by up to 20%
in 30 days or less--guaranteed!" This establishes a higher
perceived value in your product.
Whenever you can, include a persuasive tidbit that piques your
visitors' interest or adds to your credibility. For
example:
- A link that says "About Us" is informative, but it
doesn't give the reader a good reason why they should care. A
call to action like "Discover why more than 20,000 business
owners trust us" is far more effective.
- A link that says "Products" is far less compelling
than a link like this: "Click here now to find the best tool
for the job."
Encourage visitors to think of your product or service as
something that already belongs to them. Transfer ownership by
actually including them in your call to action: "Order now,
and your mirror will be showing a new you with a full head of hair
in less than 60 days--guaranteed!"
Try to instill a sense of urgency so your visitors feel
compelled to make a purchase right away rather than leave and
return to your website later. You can create urgency in several
ways. For example, you can...
- Limit the time for which your offer is available:
"Available for the next 5 DAYS ONLY!"
- Limit the quantity of products or services you offer:
"Available only to the first 100 people who order!"
- Include a discount for a limited time or on a limited quantity
of products.
- Include bonus items for a limited time or on a limited quantity
of products.
However, you have to be sure to follow through on any such
claims you make, or your credibility will be ruined.
Final Thoughts
After your headline, your call to action is the most
important element on your website. It should stand out from the
rest of your copy and be easy for visitors to find. To draw
attention to it, use bolding, a larger font size, a different
color--whatever best suits the style of your site.
To test the effectiveness of your call to action, ask some
friends to look over your homepage. How long does it take them to
find your call to action? As a general rule, it shouldn't take
people more than three seconds.
Don't forget, your call to action is what reflects the true
purpose of your site. It's the key that gets your visitors to
do what you want them to do. So take the time to craft enticing
copy that really encourages your visitors to take action. If you
make people an offer they can't refuse, your sales will really
soar!
Corey Rudl is Entrepreneur.com's "E-Business"
columnist and is the founder and president of the Internet
Marketing Center. He's also the author of the bestselling
course Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the
Internet.