A “call-to-action” (CTA) is an imperative sentence that urges the reader, listener, or viewer of a piece of marketing to take immediate action. CTAs are often used in sales situations, but they can also be used to persuade someone to sign up for a newsletter, download a white paper, or even just read the rest of your blog post!

In this post, we’ll explore why calls-to-action are important in B2B marketing and offer some best practices for crafting effective CTAs.

The Power of the Call-to-Action

Humans are creatures of habit; once we’ve established a certain way of doing things, it can be tough to convince us to change our ways. That’s why it’s so important to have a strong call-to-action in your marketing materials. If you want someone to do something that they’re not already doing, you need to give them a very clear and concise reason to do so.

For example, let’s say you’ve written a blog post about the benefits of meditation and you want your readers to sign up for your online meditation course. You could end your blog post with the following call-to-action: “If you’re interested in learning more about meditation and how to incorporate it into your daily life, sign up for my online course today!”

This CTA is clear, concise, and to the point. It tells the reader exactly what they need to do (sign up for your course) and why they should do it (to learn more about meditation).

Best Practices for Crafting Effective Calls-to-Action

Now that we’ve explored the power of the call-to-action, let’s take a look at some best practices for crafting effective CTAs:

1: Use active language:

The use of verbs such as “download,” “subscribe,” or “read more” helps encourage readers to take action. 

2: Make it specific:

Be as specific as possible in your CTA. Tell the reader exactly what they need to do, and why it’s important.

3: Create a sense of urgency:

If you want someone to take immediate action, create a sense of urgency by using phrases such as “sign up today!”

4: Make it blatantly obvious:

Your CTA should be impossible to miss; use large font sizes and/or contrasting colors so that it stands out from the rest of your content. 

5: Keep it short and sweet:

As with any other piece of marketing copy, less is more when it comes to CTAs. Keep your CTAs brief and free of fluff or filler words. 

Now that you know all about calls-to-action and how important they are in B2B marketing, put these best practices into action and start crafting effective CTAs today! Your bottom line will thank you for it.