Does your web site have a bold, daring call to action? Do you have something on your home page – a coupon, an amazing guarantee, a free but limited-time offer – that will make your customers pick up their phone THAT DAY and call you?
The average person visits a given web site for only 7 seconds – about as much time as it takes to sip from a cup of coffee.
So if you don’t have an in-your-face, buy-me-right-now hook that keeps people from immediately leaving your site… you are leaving money on the table.
Here are examples of some effective call-to-action items you could include on your web site:
1. “Purchase my widget by December 8 and I’ll include a free report: ‘103 Ways Your Widget Can Make You Money.’” 2. “If you are one of the first 107 people to call 1-692-BUY-STUF, you will be entered in a drawing for a 2007 Hummer.”
3. “We have only 27 of these widgets left… and once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. Call today!”
The concept is basic. You can show a customer the most beautiful item – or offer the most incredible service – but if you don’t take those extra few seconds to boldly and directly ask for them to actually buy what you’re selling, they will most likely leave your site empty-handed.
Your goal is to make each customer feel like if they don’t pick up the phone and call you right away, the item they want might be gone.
But make sure that the reason you give for your call to action is believable to your customers. Otherwise you will lack credibility in your customers’ eyes.
For instance, if you’re going to cut your price in half for the month of December, give a legitimate reason. Such as:
1. “In the spirit of the holidays, we are discounting our widgets 50%!”
2. “We received twice as many widgets as we ordered – and we need to get rid of them fast!”
3. “These widgets were printed with the wrong date – so we’re obligated to sell them at a 50% discount.”
4. “We are so eager to have you come and check out our store, that we’re offering you a bribe to get you in our doors – 50% off everything in the store until 6:00 p.m.”
And another thing. Make sure that your call to action is complete. In other words, having a coupon for 20% off is good. But it is even more effective to have a coupon for 20% off, with the added incentive that if your customer orders before midnight, they will also receive a free gift.
Be honest. Be enticing. But most of all, create a genuine sense of urgency – that if your customer doesn’t order your product or service right away, they will regret it forever.
Jim Gratiot is a professional copywriter who is conducting a very limited number of web site critiques this year. But his plate is filling up quickly… so if you’re ready to take your web site – and your business – to the next level, click on UltimateWebSiteCritique.com today.
