If people simply did what we wanted, marketing would be simple. Unfortunately, it requires a bit more work and customers need direction, motivation and incentive to do what we want them to do. An effective call to action (CTA) accomplishes these goals and should always be used in your direct mail campaign.
Crafting an effective CTA requires effort and thought. Suggesting someone check out your website or follow you on Facebook isn’t enough when it comes to direct mail. You must provide incentive for the customer to do what you’re asking. For a successful campaign, create a CTA that is so enticing, it can’t possibly be ignored.
Tips for Developing a Strong Direct Mail CTA
- Build Hierarchy: Establish, in order, what you want your customers to do. Create goals, a plan of action and a CTA that is straightforward. Don’t ask too much of your customer. Ask them to visit your website, location or contact you; but don’t ask them to do all three at once.
- Research: Consider your customer. What do they want? More important—what do they need? How do you fill that need? Don’t forget you are dealing with real people. Refrain from referring to them as customers, consumers or buyers. Make your CTA both personal and inviting.
- Strive for Simplicity: Your CTA should be easy to understand and complete. If the customer has to jump through hoops they will lose interested. Provide clear instructions and shortcuts, such as QR codes for completing the process.
- Follow-Through: How do you measure the effectiveness of your CTA? Consider crafting a secondary CTA that requires further action, such as making a purchase. Consider an incentivized promotional code. Following through and tracking the outcome of your CTA is important to determine success.
Your CTA must be bold and relevant if you want someone to respond. It should evoke a personal, emotional response from your audience and inspire them to action. A CTA should motivate, provide a goal, be interactive and include strong content. Include these elements, and you’re on the right track.
Ways to Encourage Direct Mail CTA Response
Responding to a CTA within direct mail requires action. The goal is to get the person to visit a website, call a number or visit a physical location. How can you encourage people to do this? Include phrases such as:
- Call us now at (X) for your free quote!
- Visit our website for more information at (X).
- Save an extra 20% with this code at our website today!
A CTA converts a prospect into a lead or customer. Remember, a good CTA should be clear and convincing while motivating your prospect to act immediately. Consider making your CTA a different color or font than the rest of the content. Employ these tips and you’ll be writing a strong CTA!
