How to Increase Your Website Sales With Effective Calls to Action
by Carrie Hinkel
Published October 31st, 2007
A Call to Action is a phrase used to get the customer to take some sort of action. For an e-commerce site, that can mean something like:
* "Add this item to your shopping cart"
* "Click here to subscribe"
* "Order now"
* "Upgrade to the Power Pack"
* "Click here to download"
Typically, an e-commerce site has a goal in mind for their visitors: perhaps a sale or a subscription to a newsletter. A Call to Action is a strategy that tries to trigger visitors into doing something you want them to do.
Why do Calls to Action work?
Customers are on your site for a reason: you’re offering something that they want. A Call to Action gives your visitors a clear and easy method to obtain the products or services you just offered. Don’t leave them wondering what the next step is.
What are some of the benefits to having Calls to Action on your website?
* Increasing Sales
* Gaining Subscribers
* Building Your Mailing List
* Lead Generation
* Obtaining Testimonials
* Finding Out What Your Visitors Want (from a survey).
How to implement effective Calls to Action on your website
Give your visitors the answers they are looking for - Think like your customers and answer all the questions that they would ask. Be sure to give enough information to answer their questions in a clear and concise format. Just make sure you are not overstating your point or drowning your visitors in too many words.
Have reader-friendly website text - Blocks of long, uninterrupted text are hard to read and are sure to drive visitors away. Use bold headlines, bulleted points and short paragraphs to make your points. Take a look at your website’s content - make sure it’s inviting and easy to read.
Give them a reason to act - After visitors have learned about your products or services, it’s time for them to take the next step. That can be something as simple as an "Order now" button to something as tantalizing as a "Click here NOW to receive an instant 25% off coupon!" The use of action words is the key - the point is to get them to move forward, without looking back.
Minimize their risk - Give visitors a guarantee that they will be satisfied with their purchase. Perhaps a 30 or 60-day money-back guarantee or a 1-year warranty. You’ll need to decide what is best for your particular website, just be sure to keep your customer’s interests in mind. If you are confident with your products or services, you should have no problem offering a substantial guarantee or warranty to give your customers a sense of security.
It’s important to remind visitors why they came to your site in the first place. They came because they were interested in something that you offer. After you have given visitors all the necessary information, it’s time for them to either take an action (buy, subscribe) or decide that they are not interested. Of course, you don’t want to be pushy or annoying - just helpful, by making their decision easy with having the information they need readily available.
