In the dynamic world of direct response marketing, the 'Call to Action' (CTA) is not just a part of the content; it's the heartbeat of your marketing message. The turning point transforms a reader, viewer, or listener into a lead or customer. Understanding and leveraging the best call-to-action phrases can significantly impact your campaign's effectiveness.
Understanding the Call to Action in Direct Response Marketing
A Call to Action in direct response marketing is an explicit instruction designed to provoke an immediate response from the target audience. This could be downloading a guide, signing up for a newsletter, purchasing, or any other desired action. The strength of a CTA lies in its ability to guide the audience toward taking a specific step, making it an indispensable tool for marketers.
The Role of CTAs in Marketing Strategies
In marketing, CTAs are pivotal in guiding prospects through the sales funnel. From initial awareness to the point of purchase, CTAs act as signposts directing customers on what to do next. Without effective CTAs, even the most captivating and well-crafted marketing messages can fall flat, failing to convert interest into Action.
Crafting the Best Call to Action Phrases (Examples Below!)
The effectiveness of a Call to Action hinges on the phrase used. The best call-to-action words are clear, urgent, and resonate with the audience. They should create a sense of urgency or offer something so compelling that the audience must act immediately.
Tips for Creating Effective CTAs
- Be Clear and Concise: The CTA should be straightforward, leaving no room for ambiguity about what the audience should do next.
- Create Urgency: Phrases like "Limited Time Offer" or "Act Now" prompt immediate Action.
- Use Action-Oriented Verbs: Start your CTA with verbs like 'Download,' 'Subscribe,' 'Join,' or 'Buy.'
- Provide Value: Determine what benefits the user will get by taking Action, such as 'Get Your Free Ebook' or 'Start Your Free Trial.'
Examples of the Best Call to Action Phrases
- "Buy Now - Limited Offer": This phrase creates a sense of urgency and scarcity.
- "Subscribe Today for Exclusive Tips": This CTA offers exclusive value, encouraging subscriptions.
- "Join Now and Start Saving": This phrase promises immediate benefits.
- "Download Your Free Guide": Offers something valuable for free, a powerful incentive for many users.
- "Get Started with Your Free Trial": Invites users to experience a service without any initial investment.
Integrating CTAs into Your Marketing Content
The placement and presentation of your Call to Action are as important as the phrase itself. CTAs should be prominently displayed and easy to find. Whether in an email, landing page, or blog post, they should stand out visually and contextually with the content surrounding them.
Visual and Contextual Considerations for CTAs
- Contrasting Colors: Use colors that stand out and align with your brand.
- Strategic Placement: Place CTAs where they are most likely to be seen and acted upon.
- Consistent Messaging: Ensure that the CTA aligns with the overall message of your content.
The Best Call To Action Phrases For You To Use!
Call-to-action phrases have existed since the inception of online sales, but just as the internet has drastically changed since then, so have the most efficient CTA practices.
It is common for businesses to think that the easiest way to optimize their CTA is to tweak some colors on their landing page, add a few buttons with snazzy text, and call it good.
But Calls to Action and Call to Action phrases are much more than that.
With CTAs experiencing diverse click-through rates depending on location, business category, page location, and more, it should be no surprise that guiding your customers along their buying path with CTAs is a delicate art. Picking the perfect combination of text, colors, style, and energy to fit your business is crucial.
Don’t worry; We have 10 CTA examples and phrases to help you succeed.
“Get Started”
“Get Started” is easily one of the most popular CTA that you’ll see, no matter what category the business is in.
The simple reason behind this is that it works well. It suggests to your visitors that it will be simple for them to progress through using your product and that the best is yet to come after they click. View it on Prezi’s site.
“Sign up Free”
“Sign up Free” or “Free Sign Up” hits the ground running, informing your customers precisely what they can expect when they click through.
You’re promising they can begin their experience without paying, which will surely increase your conversion rate. Purple combines this tip and our number one tip on their landing page.
“Book a Demo” or “View Demo”
“Book a Demo” or “View Demo” is certainly more geared towards sales-focused business funnels, but it can also cleverly be applied to various businesses. Offering an actual consultation with real people can increase your conversion rate because you allow people to feel like humans in an overwhelmingly digital world.
Although they serve similar purposes, inviting people to “Book a Demo” is a far friendlier way of saying “contact sales.” See it in Action at Zendesk.
“Learn More”
“Learn More” is an ideal Call to Action phrase when your product might need a bit more explanation than you can comfortably fit on your landing page, whether because of an extensive subscription plan or a complicated product concept.
Either way, allowing your customers to learn more in a commitment-free fashion will lead to more conversion than forcing your visitors to sign up for more information.
Bonus tip - “Learn More” can also be used as a CTA phrase on pop-ups since it is clunky to provide more than a few sentences of information on these mini-advertisements.
“Add to Bag” and “Add to Cart”
“Add to Bag” and “Add to Cart” are straightforward ways to encourage visitors to buy your product. Yes, they are straightforward and cut right to the chase, but is this a bad thing?
Depending on your product, your business style, and how the visitor ended up at your page, an “Add to Cart” button could lead directly to a sale and skip all the in-between of the buying process.
“Buy Now”
“Buy Now,” like “Add to Bag,” can skip the process that usually goes into buying. If pulled off correctly and the customer is given a chance to immediately buy the product through a simple cart/payment system after clicking the button, the results can be overwhelmingly positive.
Check out DeathWishCoffee, and notice how quickly you can go from “first-time visitor” to “customer” in a few clicks.
“Schedule a ____”
“Schedule a ____” is nearly the opposite of “Buy Now.” Although it feels similar to “Book a Demo,” this strategy is most effective for service-based businesses. Using this CTA helps them along their path since it can be tricky to get a solid commitment from potential customers until they’ve learned more about your business.
This CTA style flourishes for specific types of businesses, typically ones with an online presence but selling their goods/services in person, such as gyms, spas, salons, etc.
The last three tips or call-to-action phrases of this call-to-action list will focus more on style, which is worth mentioning because sometimes the effectiveness of your CTA depends on more than the words.
CTA example: Netflix
Netflix delivers on all fronts with their “WATCH ANYWHERE. CANCEL ANYTIME.” Call To Action, and that statement, coupled with their “Join Free for a Month” offer, will put almost anyone at ease. But look at their landing page and notice the color scheme.
Notice how the Netflix logo is the same color as the join button, and everything else is more muted? This isn’t by accident, and coloring CTA buttons the same as the logo makes it extremely easy for users to know where to click; it also automatically draws attention to itself in the best way possible.
CTA example: Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club presents a different type of landing page, using some of the same key elements that Netflix uses (such as color synchronization between brand and CTA buttons) but also incorporating short, high-quality videos that auto-play in the background.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and Dollar Shave Club delivers their entire sales pitch in a video less than 8 seconds long. Please pay attention to their language and notice how it is genuinely crafted to match their expected clientele.
CTA example: OkCupid
A smooth experience, from start to finish, will ensure that your customers don’t abandon their funnel. OkCupid hits the mark from the landing page, through their forms, and to completion with quirky, exciting language, pleasant images, and soothing colors.
They don’t overwhelm the visitor but instead invite them on a fun journey, guiding them gently by the hand until they’ve made it all the way through.
Call To Action Phrases And Examples: Putting it all together...
You may be curious how to put it all together. There is no easy answer, but help is always available if you have any questions.
Remember that keywords and Call to Action phrases are tried and tested with proven results: try, now, free, save, start/stop, me/my/you/your.
Combine these with the ideas that make your business unique, create a friendly atmosphere to welcome visitors, and don’t overwhelm them.
As always, please get in touch with us with questions about Call to Action phrases, landing pages, or sales funnels.
Are you complicating your sales funnels at a time when it’s only getting more challenging to generate leads online?