A Call to Action, or CTA, is a stop sign. Or more accurately, a go sign. It’s intended to make you act on the spot. If you recognize marketing verbs like sign up, donate, buy, order, share, follow and click here, then you’ve heard or seen a CTA.
No CTA, No Sale
Imagine you’ve spent your hard-earned money on a corporate video. Maybe you’re hoping to increase profits, or you want to let your audience know about a new product. If the video doesn’t include a CTA, the viewer doesn’t know what to do. Or it may take some research to figure out next steps. Either way, you’ve wasted time with a captive audience and left them hanging. Don’t do that!
Make sure your video has a call to action. Some CTAs demand attention, and that’s your goal. You can repeat the CTA or leave it until the end. Either way, be clear and be specific: For a free sample of Spot’s Savoury Snacks, text SSSDOGZ to 5555.
Soft Sell, Hard Sell
The goal of a CTA is to convert viewers into leads and leads into customers. CTAs are all about sales, and there are a lot of different sales pitches. Let’s keep it simple by talking about the two main types.
The hard sell is pretty much what you think it is. The tv ad that screams “BUY NOW!” is a hard sell. This kind of CTA prompts you to act immediately and usually asks for something in exchange: your email address, your order or your first born.
The soft sell is more laid back. The soft sell plays the long game. It asks you to watch the next video or visit the website. The soft sell invests in the customer relationship and looks for a sale somewhere down the road.
CTA Approaches
A call to action can be used to build your email list (Sign up for a free report now), increase your social media following (Get more tips and coupons by following us on Facebook), keep readers on your site (Click here to read more about…) and much more.
One thing to keep in mind is where your viewers are in the marketing and sales funnel. Let’s say a customer is close to buying, then your CTA can be a hard sell. If they’re middle of the funnel, ask them to click for a download. However, if the potential customer is just learning about your product, keep it casual. Some marketers even recommend being less aggressive and holding off on the CTA at this point.
Seal the Deal
Now that you know more about CTAs, you can create a video based on the action you want to inspire in viewers. Or readers. Call us today to find out how a CTA can improve your business.
