In marketing – especially direct mail marketing – the call-to-action is king.
You’ve seen them before. “Buy now!” “Learn more!” “Sign up today!” Calls-to-action get you to take action, to do things and go somewhere and click something or send something or call someone. They are that final push many consumers need before they act on whatever offer you’ve presented them.
And, they are very important. Direct mail pieces, along with emails, websites, and blog posts, are not nearly as effective without calls-to-action.
Here’s how you can build a better call-to-action for your piece.
Focus On Urgency
The best calls-to-action have a sense of urgency.
Think about it: telling someone to call soon isn’t nearly as imperative as telling someone to call today. Or now. Using words that put a timeframe on action are best because people naturally respond to those better than indefinite or vague compulsions sometime in the undefined future.
Instead of merely asking people to learn more, ask them to learn more today. Or call now.
Use Strong Action Verbs
You can also use strong action verbs to get people to act.
‘Act’ in and of itself is a strong word. So are ‘call’, ‘check’, ‘get’, ‘learn’, ‘order’, ‘go’, ‘give’, ‘register’, ‘sign’, ‘buy’, etc.
A strong action verb entices someone to act and places a powerful suggestion in their subconscious, one they will be more likely to act on.
Personalize Your Call-to-Action
This part isn’t always possible, but if you have a means to personalize a call-to-action, do so.
Including someone’s first name makes it far more likely that they’ll listen and bide by your call-to-action. There are ways to include personalization in your targeted direct mail marketing pieces. This is as simple as including their first name – and the more targeted your piece is, the easier it becomes.
Putting It All Together
In summary, a call-to-action should be:
• Timely
• Strong
• Personalized
If you can say, “John, call today to receive your free guide to building a better website”, you are more likely to succeed than if you merely offer a free guide.
Include an offer with your strong call-to-action and you’re more likely to receive positive results from your direct mail marketing campaign. Learn how DMS provides direct mail marketing solutions for businesses today – and see how you can take advantage.