When you’ve finally earned a prospect’s attention, your call to action, or CTA, can make or break the moment. It will either inspire them to move forward or give them an excuse to walk away. Whether it shows up in a sales email or a LinkedIn message, getting your CTA right matters.

In a post on the Wordstream blog, writer Billy McCaffrey says a CTA is a signpost that leads people down the road to becoming a buyer. How do you write the kind of CTA that keeps them on course? We share McCaffrey’s tips in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

  1. Begin your CTA with a strong verb. You don’t have much space to get your point across, so let recipients know exactly what you want them to do. McCaffrey says this might be using words like “shop” or “order,” or you might use “request a consultation” or “click here to see the latest trends.”

  2. Include words that provoke emotion or enthusiasm. If you want more clicks and conversions, McCaffrey says you need to elicit a strong response from your audience. You could add an exclamation point to the end of your CTA to max out the excitement. It’ll make your CTA pop and give it a little extra kick, he says.

  3. Give your audience a reason to act. Let people know what’s in it for them if they click now. McCaffrey says this will tie in with your value proposition or unique selling point.

  4. Take advantage of FOMO. Fear of missing out, otherwise known as FOMO, is an extremely effective motivator, he says. When people think they might lose out on an opportunity that might not come around again, they’re usually quick to hop on the bandwagon.

  5. Match CTA to device type. McCaffrey advises customizing your CTA based on the device your audience is using. Mobile devices tend to have different user behavior and search intent than desktop/tablets. He says you could try some CTA phrases like “call now to get started” or “call us today for more information.”

  6. A/B test your CTAs. A good, old-fashioned A/B test is a great way to identify which CTAs bring you clicks and which don’t, McCaffrey says. You won’t know how your CTAs perform until you actually use them.

  7. Add numbers when possible. McCaffrey likes using pricing information in CTAs because it lets you know someone is still interested. Now you know you have a valuable click and an increased chance at generating a conversion.

  8. Be bold in your CTA copy. Add a dash of brash to your CTA copy if you really want to catch someone’s attention, he says. Just use this technique sparingly as it can be over the top sometimes.

Make your CTAs work harder for you by applying some of the tips above. Lead with strong verbs and tap into people’s emotions. This is how you get more clicks and spark real action.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Writer Billy McCaffrey for the Wordstream blog.