calls-to-action Archives - Clairemont Communications

Maximize Your Call To Action

August 8, 2017January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Public Relationscall to action, calls-to-action, CTA, marketing messages, messaging, specificity

I’ve witnessed beautifully crafted marketing campaigns unfold, activate the target audience and then crash and burn at the very last step — the call to action. Pitfalls proliferate the path, from poor visual design to vague copy. However, one of the greatest sabotages of an effective CTA is not necessarily a swirling synergy of marketing tactics. It’s the lack of specificity.

How Specific Can You Go?

In a world of “don’t make me think marketing,” users seek an optimal conversion experience that yields the desired solution with minimal effort. And as the user’s threshold for “minimal effort” decreases, marketers must continue to simplify choices with laser-point specificity. We have to make it easier to match the user’s need with our offer. Here’s a great example that popped into my inbox recently from TheSkimm.

I read TheSkimm every day, and every day, I bypass its consistent tout asking readers to share the newsletter. Elaborate sweepstakes and posh prizes couldn’t persuade me to bombard my contacts (whoever those might be) with this email, as witty, concise and helpful as it is.

It wasn’t until TheSkimm dished out a specific CTA that I perked up. They defined a precise target audience to direct my efforts. The term “best friend” immediately called two or three specific individuals to mind that might enjoy TheSkimm, and that was certainly two or three more than I’d ever pinpointed previously! Simple, right? But that final degree of exactitude — telling me now just what to do, but to whom — tipped the scale.

Techniques to hone your CTA.

Run Through the 5 “Ws.” It’s a great safeguard checklist to ensure your CTA addresses all of the “who, what, when, where and why.” A gap in any of those factors weakens your conversation rate.

Demonstrate the Value…backwards. Naturally, a tried-and-true approach highlights the benefits directly in the call to action, such as “get the latest trends straight to your inbox!” or “grab your free car-dancing guide here!” (Alright, I haven’t seen that one, but it could exist.) Don’t pass up the opportunity to also show the losses users will experience by opting out or ignoring the call to action.

Pick Your Terrific Two (or three). Resist the common marketing pitfall of offering something for everyone. It’s certainly tempting to ensure your messages have an appeal for any customer visiting your site, reading your email or perusing your Insta feed. However, research shows that more options are not always better. Trust your target marketing strategy to connect your message with qualified leads at the appropriate place in the marketing funnel. Limit your calls to action to two or three choices.

Want a little more? Shoot us an email about your own call to actions!

Calls-to-Action You Can’t Refuse

July 2, 2015January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Copy Cat, Marketingcalls-to-action, Content Marketing, creative marketing, effective pop-ups, great calls to action, marketing strategy, PR content, PR copy, Raleigh PR Agency, writing copy

Calls-to-action (CTAs) are the life breath of advertising and marketing strategies. Why bother crafting (and funding) a hefty communications campaign without utilizing the number one catalyst to recruit leads? Click, download, listen, like, share—no doubt you’ve been peppered with these same pop-ups vying for your attention. And no doubt you’ve ignored equally as many pop-ups (probably with an eye roll thrown in for good measure).

However, communication strategies can’t afford to skip or skimp on these vital triggers. As Megan Marrs points out, effective CTAs incorporate not only striking design but more importantly compelling copy. So please note, whether in print or online, content still reigns as king.

As I was perusing one of my favorite fashion retail sites (don’t tell my husband), I encountered one of these CTAs. Same old, same old—until I read the last line.

Option 1: “Enter Your Email for 50% Off Your Entire Purchase.”

Option 2: “No thanks, I prefer to pay full price.”

Wait…back up! I don’t want to pay full price! And hence, you see the beauty of this particular pop-up, not in the actual CTA but in the opt-out text. By cleverly articulating the consequences of opting out, Ann Taylor actually convinced me to relinquish my precious personal email address…hook, line and sinker. And now I’m a regular newsletter recipient!

The lesson? Take a second glance at your standard copy and look for a fresh way to frame the customer’s or client’s options. What’s in it for them? What will they truly lose if they refuse your offer? Honest and creative positioning cuts through the competing marketing “noise,” nabs the reader’s attention and just might make the difference in your sales, clicks, shares, downloads, sign-ups, tweets, posts, replies…you get the picture.

Now it’s your turn. What quality makes your copy effective?

How to Write Convincing Calls-to-Action Copy

August 30, 2012January 31, 2023 Josephine ButlerBlog, Marketing, Public Relationsadvice, best practices, call to action, calls-to-action, copy, copywriting, CTA, CTAs, how to, projects, services, write, writing, writing skills

Like we’ve mentioned before, one of the ways that Clairemont team members work on professional development is by reading. We’re constantly seeking the latest and greatest when it comes to social media and public relations. Without further ado, here’s a review of our most recent find: an e-book from Hubspot entitled, “Mastering the Design and Copy of Calls-to-Action.”

When it comes to click-through rates, lead conversions and sales, good writing practices are important. Public relations professionals must master the art of calls-to-action (CTAs), a website’s request for a visitor to take action (think of the copy that precedes a “Like us”).

While we’d really love to write the copy for you (seriously, contact us!), we’d also like to share a few tips on how to write your own compelling CTAs. They are:

Start with subjects and verbs. It helps readers to quickly understand the meaning of the sentence and what you’re asking them to do. Never forget to include a verb – if you do, you aren’t prompting any action!
Include numbers. This way, you can be specific about what you’re offering. Research proves that CTAs with numerical data have high view rates.
Use adverbs sparingly. They have no fixed position in a sentence and are the part of speech that gets the fewest number of shares on Twitter.
Keep your CTA between 90-150 characters. In true Twitter fashion, your CTAs should also stay within the 140-character limit. It’s always better to be short, concise and to the point!
Stay away from technical lingo. If you had to look it up, your reader probably will have to do the same. Instead, use words like “insights,” “analysis,” “answers,” etc. These words suggest that your content can help improve your reader in some way.
Be specific. Instead of the vague “click here” or “submit” button, try being more upfront about what it is that you want your reader to do (i.e. “browse,” “compare,” or “grab”).

We hope you found these tips helpful. Stay tuned as we continue to share more best practices in the weeks to come. In the meantime, be sure to share your questions and comments. We’d love to help!