Sean McCool

Direct Marketing Strategist

Your brochures and ads are great. Your website is well-designed; the content is simple and easy to read. But after waiting for your phone to ring, no one is calling.

Which leaves you asking: “Why aren’t there more sales?”

Chances are, you’re missing an important tool in your marketing – the call to action.

A call to action is the part of an ad that instructs a reader on what you want him or her to do after seeing your ad. A call to action can be as simple as telling the prospect to request more information. You could also ask them to “call now” or “stop by the shop this Saturday to see our latest products.”

There are no rules on what the call to action has to say, as long as it moves the prospect closer to becoming a customer. 
With any marketing material, it’s important to get your prospective clients to take action immediately after seeing your ad.

So how do you do that?

Glad you asked…

The 3 C’s To Creating a Call to Action That Works

Be Clear – When creating your call to action be very clear. Tell your prospect exactly what to do, who to call, what time, who to ask for, the exact spelling of the website, etc. Do not assume they will know what to do. Also tell them what will happen once they take you up on your call to action.

For example…

Don’t say: Give Us a Call To Discuss Granite Counter Tops.

That sounds like what everyone else does and there’s nothing to set you apart.

Try this instead: Call Mary Smith in the office at (555) 555-1212 between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm and ask her about our free consumer guide,  “5 Mistakes Homeowners Make When Choosing Countertops.” She’ll take your name, address, and number, and get the guide out to you the same day.

Be Concise – Don’t use fancy words or long descriptions. Check to see if you can say the same thing in fewer words or shorter words. Get rid of adjectives.

For instance…

Don’t say: Call us on our phone at (555) 555-1212 immediately for an exciting offer on our wonderful special where you’ll get an amazing 20% off of an installation of your choice of granite countertops in your choice of colors and profiles. Mary Smith, our receptionist will be waiting eagerly for your call all day long as the office hours are from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30 in the afternoon. She’ll make sure you get an appointment time that works for you and don’t worry about whether or not you are ready to buy because there is no pressure and no obligation. It’s a free estimate of the cost and installation, too.

That’s an extreme example, but here’s a better way to say the same thing:

Try this instead. Call Mary Smith in the office at (555) 555-1212 between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm and ask her about our “20% off February Install Special.” She’ll get you set up for a free, no-obligation quote.

See how the adjectives in the first example make the copy sound more like a sales pitch? The second is just instructions on what to do next if the prospect is interested.
Finally…

Be Consistent – If your ad talks about kitchen counters, don’t make your call to action about polishing concrete floors. Make sure your call to action matches what you’ve been saying and showing in your ad. Your call to action should be the next logical step for your prospect after seeing your ad – not a new idea.

There you have it. Whether you write your own ads or you have someone like me do them for you, make sure each ad tells the prospect what you want them to do next.
If you do this in every ad and every piece of marketing, you will see your sales increase regardless of what’s going on in the economy.

Sean McCool is a an award-winning marketer and success coach. He can help you create marketing materials or just talk with you about what’s possible for your business. You can contact or leave a message for him through his website www.SeanMcCool.com.