Copywriting Lesson #6 – Writing Call to Actions and Sense of Urgency

In many instances, a well-crafted sales letter leaves potential buyers baffled about how to actually obtain the product being promoted. This is a crucial aspect of copywriting and one of the areas where most errors occur.

 

 

To avoid confusion, it’s essential to provide a clear and specific call to action. Customers should have no doubt about how to place their order, and the more detailed the instructions, the better it is for both the salesperson and the customer.

Deliver the instructions with the same clarity and directness that one would expect from an ER surgeon instructing their team or a military leader directing their forces. Use straightforward, comprehensive statements.

Instead of saying “Call Now!” specify “Call 1-800-555-1212 and ask the operator to place your order for Product X.”

Instead of “Send your order today!” say “Fax your completed order form, including billing information, to 1-800-555-1212. Ensure you provide a non-PO box address for delivery.”

These directives serve as commands, equipping the customer with all the necessary information to complete their order in a clear and concise manner.

A call to action should also create a sense of urgency. This involves specific strategies, which are outlined below.

Why should they act immediately? Instilling urgency is so vital that it deserves its own section. Often, this is achieved by presenting an offer with a clear expiration date.

For instance, “Respond within 30 days to receive 10% off!” provides customers with a reason to act sooner rather than later, enhancing the appeal of the offer.

Another approach could involve rewarding the first specific number of clients, such as “This offer is available only to the first 100 customers.”

Time-sensitive offers not only generate urgency but also reward quick action. When making these types of offers, it’s important to remain honest.

The goal is to create urgency while ensuring that the product being sold is perceived as valuable and useful to the customer. This aligns with the newsworthy aspect of sales writing. A product might be available for a free trial because it is newly launched or a significantly improved version of an existing product. It could also be offered at a discount due to ample stock, not a lack of demand.

Inform customers that they have a limited time to take advantage of the deal, but ensure they have enough time to make a thoughtful decision without feeling rushed. For example, a 7-day special offer may seem contrived if extended immediately. A 30-day special offer is more reasonable, allowing customers to contemplate their purchase while still creating a sense of urgency that can boost sales during its duration.

After all the effort put into building a customer’s trust, it would be unfortunate to undermine it with dishonesty, whether intentional or not.

If an offer is time-sensitive, any related materials must be updated once the offer expires. For example, if a webpage promotes an incentive for the first 100 customers, it should be revised promptly once those spots are filled.

This relates to the most valuable asset a salesperson possesses: credibility. If customers cannot trust the salesperson’s claims, how can they believe in the product? There are ways to phrase these offers that help maintain the salesperson’s credibility.

Free trials exemplify how to make such accommodations. If a salesperson has an offer that cannot last indefinitely while still being profitable, using qualifiers can help avoid over-promising. Closed, definitive statements versus more vague, unmanageable ones can be illustrated as follows:

“Customers will receive free resale rights to this book!” versus “The first 30 customers will receive free resale rights to this book.”

“Free trial version available!” versus “Limited quantities of free trial versions are available.”

In each case, the latter statements are safer, while the former are too broad and risk becoming untruthful. If a customer calls expecting a free trial based on the first statement and discovers none are left, they may feel deceived. With the second statement, they can simply be informed that all free trial versions have been distributed. In this scenario, they haven’t been lied to and won’t feel cheated; they’ll just understand they acted too late.

Understanding the importance of honesty is crucial. A customer who feels cheated is likely to view the salesperson as a fraud. Even if the salesperson is innocent and merely careless, the damage to their reputation can be lasting and hard to fix. They can expect no future business from that dissatisfied customer.

To your success!

A.BERRICHI

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