How to Create a Motivating Call-to-Action for Your Website

The purpose of a call-to-action (CTA) is, first and foremost, to provide an instruction to website visitors to contact you immediately, as well as a reason why. It tells them what they will gain from working with you and motivates them to take action to make that happen. Therefore, a good CTA will invoke the customer to contact you on the spot.

Here's how you can create the perfect call-to-action that will have consumers off your site and in your office.

Whatever you choose as your CTA, make sure it’s appropriate for your line of work. Some of the most popular calls-to-action for service-based businesses include something along these lines:

• “Call today for a free quote”
  
• “Stop by our showroom to get started”
  
• “Fill out the form below to schedule your free, in-person consultation”
  

You’ll find that there really isn’t much of a difference in CTAs . Some are long and fancy, while others take the short and sweet route. Either way, all CTAs tell the user to take action toward using your service.

The first step in coming up with your CTA is deciding how you want people to contact you. If you aren’t at your desk to answer the phone all day, provide a contact form that sends you an email. Or, if you never check your email, only list a phone number or encourage leads to come into your store.

Including an online scheduling feature is also a good option, so you can have customers schedule an appointment or phone call at a time that works for them.

No matter how you want people to contact you, having a phone number and your location clearly displayed throughout your website is an absolute must. If your phone number is displayed at all times—like in the top right corner—it shows your business is easily accessible at all times. Plus, having a local area code that people recognize shows that you aren’t just some corporate, 1-800 company. It gives them a friendly reminder that you’re right in their neighborhood.

Speaking of the importance of location, having your address or location mentioned in your CTA is another important feature. Look at the following two CTAs and notice the subtle difference:

• Visit our showroom for a free consultation
  
• Visit our showroom in Dublin for a free consultation
  

Lastly, you have to give people a reason to contact you. With so many other choices out there, what makes you the best option? Tell clients what they will gain from working with you right off the bat. Oftentimes, this includes the mention of a discount, promotion or award-winning service. Whatever it is, it must provide a value to the customer and convince him or her to contact you immediately.

The Bottom Line: It may seem like a minor part of your business’s website, but if done incorrectly, your call-to-action could end up hurting your business.

This article is just one part of a larger series, “Is Your Website Helping or Hurting Your Business?” To read the article in its entirety and learn more about leveraging your website, click here .