A Great Call to Action: When, Where, Why, and How

Always, everywhere, because that’s the point, and dynamically. Okay, wait. Let’s slow down for a minute…

All effective marketing messages, regardless of whether they are delivered online, in print, or through television or radio advertisements, have one thing in common: a call to action. The importance of including at least some sort of call to action in every communication to your audience cannot be overstated.

I don’t want you to feel left out of this discussion if you’re not marketing or communications buff and you have no idea what a call to action is, so let me explain. Simply put, a call to action is a message that concludes your copy or content and clearly instructs your audience on what to do next in light of what you have just told them about your good/service.

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Calls to action come in different shapes and sizes although their function is always the same. Below are some examples of behaviours frequently encouraged in calls to action:

• Make a purchase
• Visit website
• Sign up for e-newsletter
• Follow or share content on social media
• Provide feedback on product/service

Since calls to action transform communications from one dimensional strings of words into actionable items that can influence your audience and prompt behaviour, it is critical to craft a killer one. By “killer” I mean compelling, clear, and concise.

Seems pretty simple, right? Kind of; however, sometimes it is the seemingly straightforward things in life that turn out to be the most challenging. I have a few tips for writing a winning call to action that will help you get the results you’re after, again and again. No, thank YOU!

• Remind the audience of the problem you can solve
• Use strong language and power words
• Create a sense of urgency
• Address the audience directly with words like “you” and “your”
• Keep it simple

Do you have tips for crafting a call to action that can’t be beat? Share your wealth of information in the comments section or connect with Interkom on Twitter! (See what I did there?)

 -Lauren