Adventures in Business and CRM

Every now and again, after consulting with, or helping launch a large campaign for a client, I go back and take a look at the initial waves of traffic coming in from the newly implemented internet marketing efforts. At that point, it’s close to 100% new users on the site. What better time to get a fresh perspective on what fresh pairs of eyes are really doing on your site, right? Time and time again, there is one element that always holds true about the habits of users on a site, and it’s as dependable as the sun is. This one element holds the real key to harnessing the power of your new-found web traffic, and it’s probably THE most important aspect of internet marketing that I’ve yet to encounter.

I am eluding to The Call and The Response.

The call and the response is just that; a call to action… and the response to that specific call. Even offline marketers know that when you’re marketing something, you’ve got to provide a call to action. A simple shout of your business’s name isn’t going to do as much good as an even larger shout telling your consumers what action they need to do to take next. Your call to action is as important as, if not more important than your actual marketing campaign itself.

You would be surprised at how many clients I have initially encountered who are running what I call “lost man” internet marketing campaigns. I have dubbed campaigns with a weak or nonexistent call to action the “lost man” campaign because that is exactly what your users end up being on your website without a clear call to action…lost men (and women).  What is the point of spending precious marketing funds on aimless traffic?

Gain better leverage and better return on your marketing efforts by always having a clear and concise call to action on your website, along with every landing page you implement.

I always laugh to myself at the response of my clients when I tell them the following:

Like a 3-year old child, you need to put, in very simple terms, in an “attention grabbing” matter… what your web users very next action should be on your website. Just as a 3-year old, you need to tell them exactly what is expected of them to reap the full response. In doing so, always remember that the call should be directly associated with how it will help the user.

What is a call? A call to action can be:

Sign up for our newsletter!

Join our club!

Buy our limited edition chocolate before it’s gone!

and so on…

Your call to action should be done in an “in your face” manner that grabs their attention. Using brighter colors, different fonts, and special graphics generally gets the point across well.

I challenge everyone to take a closer look at their site, and those of their competition. How does your call to action measure up to theirs?

For more ideas on how to implement a solid call to action, simply browse the website of any big company that you admire. Chances are, they will have a very specific call to action that you can learn a great deal from.

What are some of the most creative “call to action” methods you’ve seen?

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