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5 tips to a killer call-to-action

copywriting social media website copy
Michaela Bucchianeri drmichaela health and wellness copywriting 5 simple copy tips to refresh your website laptop on white blanket with reading glasses

Wondering how to boost your audience's engagement with the content you're sharing? In this post, you'll learn 5 tips to writing a call-to-action that will actually help invite action from your dream clients, patients, and customers! From what to think about when writing your calls-to-action to choosing from call-to-action button examples, these tips are perfect for health and wellness professionals looking to market their solo private practice, group practice, or other wellness business.  



Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Tip #1: Pay attention to your own behavior
  3. Tip #2: Choose wisely
  4. Tip #3: Connect it to a larger strategy
  5. Live Q+A Replay
  6. Tip #4: Minimize distractions
  7. Tip #5: Mix it up!
  8. Recommended resources
  9. Let's take action
  10. Share this post

 


 

                           

I was posted up at a coffee shop in my hometown, knocking out some tasks for copy coaching clients before catching my flight back to Minnesota.

When she served up my coffee, the barista casually said:

“We’re growing our Instagram! Feel free to tag us if you post while you’re here.”

Such a simple call-to-action, yet so effective…

I totally did tag them, moments later.

Friend, as a fellow health + wellness professional, I know this call-to-action stuff can be a tough nut to crack.

Either we tend to overthink things, worrying that we’re coming off as "sales-y" or coercive by asking our people to take some kind of action…

…or the idea of a call-to-action doesn’t even cross our minds(!), and we’re left wondering why the engagement is so low on our blogs, social media accounts, and professional directory listings.

But I’m here to tell you:

These little invitations really do work.

And they don’t have to be all that complicated. (In fact, it’s better if they’re not.)

Your people are on the edge of their seats, waiting for you to tell them what to do next.

So, tell them!

Read on for my top 5 tips to a killer call-to-action. (Then check out the replay of our live video Q&A on this topic below!):  

                           

1. Pay attention to your own behavior


Sometimes we get so wrapped up in wanting to create the “perfect” call-to-action that we jump straight into the strategies, and overlook the most obvious source of information:

Ourselves. 

Think about your own habits for a minute:

  • How do you engage with the content you follow?
  • What makes you click on a link? Type a comment? Hand over your precious email address?

By observing your own patterns of behavior online, you can use this data to make educated guesses about how your dream client will behave.

Then it’s simply a matter of testing, tweaking, and testing again!

                           

2. Choose wisely


As long as you’re reflecting on your own behavior, and testing different approaches, it’s worth cultivating a little (or a lotta) empathy for your dream client.

Put yourself in their shoes + ask yourself:

  • Is the action I’m asking them to take reasonable?
  • Does it make sense, given our relationship? (Are they a brand new site visitor, an engaged follower, or a longstanding client/customer?)
  • Is this an action I’d be willing to take if I were my own dream client?
  • How might my dream client benefit as a result of taking this action?

These questions will help you clarify whether the type of call-to-action you’re considering is a wise choice.

For instance, let’s say your dream client is a sleep-deprived new mom seeking support and validation.

Inviting her to post her #1 frustration in the comments might be a reasonable, sensible choice with the potential to connect her with like-minded dream clients in your community.

On the other hand, if your dream client’s a teen struggling with trauma?

Asking them to post their #1 most shameful secret would not be the way to go.

                           

3. Connect it to a larger strategy


Chances are, you’ve already got a Netflix subscription. But, let’s say you didn’t and you landed on their site today…

Guess what you’d find?

You’d see a minimalist home page with the heading:

WATCH ANYWHERE. CANCEL ANYTIME.

And beneath those words?

A bright red button that says:

TRY 30 DAYS FREE

See, Netflix understands that getting you signed up is the hard part. Once you’re a subscriber, you’ll be so dazzled by the enormous array of viewing options that you’re unlikely to cancel once the free trial ends.

(Plus, they’ve already got your credit card info by then, and– clever kids that they are– they understand a thing or two about human nature as it relates to canceling subscriptions. #WeLazy)

So, what's my point here?

Netflix has matched their homepage call-to-action to their specific goal of signing you up for a paid subscription.

And that’s exactly what you should be doing with each and every call-to-action you create:

Consider your specific goal. Then, pick a call-to-action to match it.

Let’s say in your business, you ultimately want your dream client to enlist your paid services.

Your strategy might include posting a call-to-action that invites them to download a free resource that gives them a “quick win” to a minor problem related to the (larger) one(s) your paid stuff solves.

                             

Live Q+A Replay 

 

What are some reasons why an individual might not engage with a call-to-action?

That was the Question of the Week, submitted by community member, Tatyana!

Tune in below to learn:

  • practical + psychological barriers to call-to-action engagement
  • how to build trust with your audience
  • the "Tumbleweed approach" to generating conversation online

      

                           

4. Minimize distractions


Choosing the right call-to-action for your piece of content is only part of the puzzle.

If your dream client can’t find it, there ain’t gonna be a whole lot of action.

Set your call-to-action apart with some simple design + formatting choices:

  • play with font + color combos to help it stand out
  • create a clickable button that catches the eye
  • use attention-grabbing copy that sounds conversational + fun
  • limit options on the page to help lead your dream client toward 1 specific action

Whichever platform you’re on, it always helps to limit distractions.

For instance, in my Instagram posts, I like to highlight my call-to-action in a little “P.S.” at the bottom. This helps prevent it from getting lost in my (lonnnng) captions.

And at the end of each blog post (including this one… scroll down and see!), I invite readers to take 1 specific action on the info we’ve just covered.

The easier you can make it to take the action you’re calling for, the more effective your call-to-action will be!

                           

5. Mix it up!


There’s a whole world of goals we’re working to achieve in our work as health + wellness professionals… and there’s a call-to-action to match each one of them!

If you find yourself gravitating to the same calls-to-action over and over, why not try mixing thing up with a little variety?

This list is by no means exhaustive, but here’s some inspiration to help get you started:

  • post your answer/vote/question(s) in the comments
  • DM me your reaction
  • drop your answer/vote/question(s) on my latest Story 
  • click here to learn more
  • tag a friend
  • tag your favorite account
  • click the link in my bio
  • if you liked this post/video/episode, you might also enjoy… 
  • call for your free consultation
  • grab your freebie at…
  • join the community at…
  • join the conversation at…

                           

Recommended resources 


Want to explore more ways to sharpen your copy skills so you can grow your health and wellness business? 
Check out these blog posts:

                           

Let's take action!


Ready to implement what you learned in this post? I like your style!

  1. Create a unique call-to-action for 5 pieces of your best content (new or old).
  2. Keep the momentum going by signing up for my (FREE) #5DayAboutPageChallenge!
  3. Want more actionable tips + real-life examples to help you reach more of your dream clients? Join my Close Friends list over on Instagram! 

                           

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