Copywriting Basics for Kids Entertainers: Calls to Action
In my previous post, I listed words that can help you convince your readers that you’re the best entertainer for their event. Now we’ll go into words that can move your potential clients to action.
Whether you’re writing content for your website, copy for your promotional leaflet or poster, or an email/newsletter for your mailing list, you would find that calls to action are one of the most essential parts of your content. Calls to action nudge your reader into the direction you want them to take—whether to ask for a quote, ring you up to make an inquiry, or check out your latest blog post.
You can’t take any chances if you want your potential clients to turn into actual ones. You have to tell them what to do next or else they might just say, “Hmm, okay,” and then close their browser tab or click to the next email on their inbox.
Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to direct your readers into action. All you have to do is make sure to insert strong calls to action in your copy. Check out the list below for some words that you can use.
Now that you have lots of ideas about what calls to action to insert in your copy, let’s get on to four useful tips you have to keep in mind when using them.
1. Be confident and compelling.
You have to remember one thing when using calls to action: you have to sound sure, never wishy-washy. Don’t commit the mistake of building yourself up throughout your copy only to come off as modest and unsure of yourself at the end. Be consistent, be unambiguous, and tell your reader clearly and directly what you want them to do.
For example, if you want them to call you to inquire about your availability for their child’s birthday party, urge them to pick up the phone immediately by using these calls to action:
Want a party as amazing? Get in touch today.
Don’t delay! Call now and be a step closer to giving your child the best birthday party ever.
Why wait? My schedule fills up quickly, sometimes months in advance. Call immediately to reserve your slot.
2. Make your calls to action impossible to miss.
Your calls to action must stand out so your readers can easily spot what they’re supposed to do next. If you’re working on your website or blog, you can try putting the text of your calls to action on buttons. Make sure the buttons are bright and bold and in colors that contrast with the background so they would leap from the page. Look at how Muse Website Design did it.
3. Place your calls to action in strategic places.
For best results, position an appropriate call to action in select places of your copy. If it’s for your website, you might need to place two to three on every single page. The keyword is appropriate. Don’t waste the opportunity to get a response from your reader by placing random calls to action that might not make sense in the context of your text.
In your Packages or Services page, for instance, you can place “I Want to Know More” and “Send Me My Party Quote” in between chunks of your copy. And to help your potential clients make up their mind to click on those buttons, consider placing social proof like reviews and testimonials before your calls to action. Seeing the votes of confidence and glowing customer recommendations you have garnered during this crucial time when your readers are deciding whether to click that button or not will greatly help turn the odds in your favor.
Take note though that social proof can sometimes be uncalled for. Again, look at the context. If you’re discussing payment options or online payment security, it may not be effective to place a testimonial there. Trust seals may work better in these circumstances. You can place third-party badges and certifications on your page and don’t forget to cite your physical address and contact number. You can also use icons for Paypal, Visa, and VeriSign as these are among the highest-rating trust elements among online buyers.
4. If you can, don’t use generic calls to action.
Be creative, not just compelling. The language you use in your calls to action can either convince your readers to continue their conversation with you or click away. They would see you as the more interesting, more memorable, and more likable choice if you use calls to action that speak to them, and sometimes to do this, you have to be out of the ordinary.
Some copywriting and SEO experts recommend writing calls to action in the first person (I, me, my, mine). The reason is simple: it’s more effective if the action that you want your potential clients to do seems to be their idea, not yours.
So instead of using the generic “Submit,” “Sign Up,” or “Click Here,” why not use something like these:
See My Party Options
Let’s Do This!
Book My Party Now
Get Everything I Need to Know about Party Planning
Let me end this post with my own call to action for you: Go look at your website, emails, and marketing copy now and see how you can improve them using several calls to action. You might need to experiment with them a bit to figure out which calls to action work best on which part of your copy, but no matter. With a few trial and error, you will see how your visitor or client engagement improves in time.
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Need more copywriting tips? Check out the other articles in this series.
