In its simplest form, a call to action tells the recipient to buy now.
However, sometimes saying, “buy now!” won’t be quite as effective as an alternative, more creative strategy.
Below are some tips for crafting a call to action for your print marketing campaign so you can have a better response rate than the average of 4.23%.
1. Be straightforward
Tell the reader what they can expect if they complete the advertised action.
No games, no tricks. If you say this is what will happen, then advertise it accurately. If the deal only holds if they buy $X in merchandise, then clearly communicate that. You’re not doing yourself any favors by making a misleading call to action. It’ll just frustrate the client.
Avoid misleading calls to action by including relevant numbers, such as pricing and discounts.
2. Use strong command verbs
Begin your call to action with a strong command verb.
Strong command verbs can help people follow your call to action. In one study, ads with strong action verbs performed about 89% better than those without.
Examples include,
- Buy the customer-favorite product now!
- Shop at our newly updated store!
- Order through our quick and easy website!
- Download the newsletter for insider knowledge!
- Subscribe to be the first to know about all our amazing deals!
Often, people have a hard time saying no, even to words on a page. By using confident action verbs, people will do it.
3. Be enthusiastic
Enthusiasm is contagious.
If customers feel you are enthusiastic and believe in your product and service, they’ll get excited too. In writing, enthusiasm is best shown through exclamation points, so use them often!
4. Advertise scarcity
People are busy, so you must find a way to get them to act immediately.
Including a sense of scarcity in your call to action by showing it’s for a limited time or while supplies last will prompt people to act fast. This will help prevent people from putting direct mail in their “I’ll get to it later” pile.
5. Differentiate from your competition
Companies with similar niches can sometimes advertise similar calls to action.
Make yourself stand out from the competition by brainstorming ways your call to action can be unique. First, think of the things your company does that are better than the competition. Then find a way to weave that into the call to action.
Try getting creative and unique by asking your customers to complete an action not commonly requested. For example, try telling customers to read customer reviews instead of prompting them to buy, shop, order, download, or subscribe. Customers trust other customers’ reviews. If you have positive customer reviews, advertise them in your call to action. Potential clients can see what items or services are most popular and why.
Calls to action are a crucial part of your marketing technique. Without it, customers often won’t act. Using strong command verbs and enthusiasm makes target markets likelier to respond.
With all the thought and research you put into your print marketing campaigns, you will want an easy, smooth printing process. Once you’ve settled your call to action (and a thousand other details), reach out for a hassle-free printing process!