Unleashing the Power of the Call to Action

A well-crafted Call to Action (CTA) is your secret weapon for guiding potential customers through the decision-making process.

Oct 01, 2024

∙ Paid

Image of ancient ruins generated with the assistance of Night Café AI and Canva exclusively for Cheryl Evans, Business Witch Academy, “Unleashing the Power of the Call to Action” — Generated with the assistance of Night Café AI and Canva exclusively for Cheryl Evans, Business Witch Academy, “Unleashing the Power of the Call to Action”

🛒 Shop BWA | 🌈 Shop Ophelia's Bazaar | 💸 Become a Sponsor | 🔔 Subscribe

Welcome back to the Business Witch Academy! If you’re just joining us for the first time, this is Step 5 in the Quick Sell Mastery Course, but if you missed the previous steps you can get caught up here:

If you don’t want to miss a thing, you can subscribe to The Library at the Business Witch Academy here and to the Magically Thriving Business weekly recap newsletter here. If you’d like to get your hands on the 7 AI prompts, 2 Canva Whiteboards to organize your thoughts and 2 free bonus eBooks you can either purchase the full course from the Business Witch Emporium right now, or you can become a paid subscriber to my Substack where you’ll receive each lesson as they are published plus the bonuses. Don’t worry, you don’t have to decide right now, I’ll give you these links again at the bottom of this story.

I’m about to enter the classroom with Ophelia and the other students where we’ll start on our next lesson. Why don’t you join us?

Quick Read Snapshot for Those in a Hurry

A well-crafted Call to Action (CTA) is your secret weapon for guiding potential customers through the decision-making process. Just as a Bat-Signal guides Batman to action, a strong CTA clearly directs your audience on what to do next, ensuring they don’t get lost or forget about you. Whether it’s “Buy Now” or “Schedule a Consultation,” a compelling CTA transforms interest into action, driving meaningful engagement with your brand.

Unleashing the Power of the Call to Action
How to Use a CTA
Mastering Your Magical Map: Charting the Course with Effective CTAs
Exercise 3 — Identify Ideal Next Steps

Unleashing the Power of the Call to Action

As the sun streamed in through the stained glass windows that decorated the back of my classroom at the Business Witch Academy, I stepped up in front of the class and paused a moment to let the students get settled. We were getting close to the grand finale of the course and the buzzing energy in the room palpable.

“Often, entrepreneurs rush to share every detail about their business in hopes of not missing out on any potential opportunity. If we are limiting ourselves to 30 seconds, how do we ensure the prospect gets all the information they need to actually make a good purchasing decision? We’ve now established your job title, business category, target market, the lure of a good hook, and your customer’s pain points. Next, we’re going to delve into a secret superpower you have at your disposal…”

Ophelia interrupted, “Is it a magic lasso or a super strength serum?”

“Not quite. It’s something you can craft with a few well-chosen words: The Call to Action (CTA).

Ophelia piped up, “What exactly is a Call to Action?”

“Think of a Call to Action like the Bat-Signal piercing the night sky over Gotham.”

“Ooo…I get my very own bat signal?” Ophelia crooned in excitement.

“Something like a Bat-Signal. A CTA is a clear, specific signal to your potential customer that it’s time to take action. Whether it’s ‘Buy Now,’ ‘Schedule a Consultation,’ or ‘Learn More,’ your CTA directs your customer’s next steps to ensure that not only do they get more information, but they get exactly the information you want them to have.”

“That sounds like fun, but why do I need one? Isn’t it obvious that I want them to buy something?”

“Of course they know you want them to buy something, but what if they aren’t ready to buy yet? Then what happens?”

“Well, I guess they go away and come back when they’re ready?”

“They could, but you risk all sorts of things preventing them from coming back. Maybe they forget all about you…”

Ophelia laughed, it sounded like a tiny tinkling bell. “I’m not sure that’s a likely scenario.”

“Maybe not for you, but not all of us can be so memorable,” I said kindly. “What if they aren’t ready to buy because they don’t have enough information yet, or they believe something about your product that is incorrect?”

“Wouldn’t they just ask me more questions?” asked Ophelia sounding genuinely perplexed.

“They might, or they might not. I know it sounds very straightforward, but human interactions are rarely as straightforward as we’d like them to be. Maybe they’re shy and afraid to ask, or maybe there isn’t enough time, or maybe they are hearing your pitch through a one-sided medium such as a podcast guest appearance, or an article you published. In these situations, your call to action might be instructing them on how they can find your contact information.”

“Oh! Well that situation makes a lot of sense.”

“Or what if, they don’t need your Enchanted Sleep Acorn right now because they aren’t having trouble sleeping. But in 6 months, they toss and turn all night. What might happen in that situation?”

“Well, they’d just go to my website and purchase my acorn wouldn’t they?” asked Ophelia, sounding more unsure than when we started this conversation.

“They might, if they remember you. But what if, 2 weeks ago, they talked to a fairy who was selling a Sleepy Herbal Tea? She’s fresh in their mind. Maybe they buy from her instead.”

Ophelia’s eyebrows flew up into her ears and her mouth opened and closed in outrage as she struggled to find the right words. Finally she spat out, “How dare that fraudster go after my customers! She’s all sparkle and no spark. Those aren’t real herbal teas, she’s just hocking black tea in fancy packaging!”

Woah! I just made up a scenario, I didn’t realize I was stepping on a landmine! “Well, Ophelia, it could happen. If you only gave that prospective customer a 30 second pitch and haven’t been in touch with them in 6 months, odds are, they’ll purchase from someone else. The strongest businesses understand that it’s more about building a relationship with their customer than it is making a sale. The path from awareness that your brand exists to trust and knowledge to purchase to repeat business or referrals can be as long and winding as a labyrinth. As your customer’s trusted guide, you provide them with a map and signs that direct them. That’s what a CTA does -it places signposts at crucial turns, ensuring your prospect feels directed and confident about what to do next.”

Without clear, compelling CTAs, your potential customer may feel lost or unsure of what to do next. With a well-crafted CTA, you’ll guide them towards their transformation.

Ophelia nodded, her expression thoughtful as she absorbed the analogy, her small form casting playful shadows on the floor. “So, without a CTA, they might just wander around lost?” she mused.

“Exactly,” I affirmed, pleased with her quick grasp of the concept. “And we wouldn’t want our guests wandering lost in the maze, would we? With a well-crafted CTA, you’ll guide them straight to the treasure.”

quote meme: “Guide your prospects straight to the Treasure with a clear Call to Action” — Cheryl Evans. Image of cute dragons sitting on a pile of treasure.

Her laughter rang out, clear and bright as she imagined herself leading a band of adventurers to treasure, a perfect metaphor that captured the essence of our lesson on Calls to Action.

How to Use a CTA…

continued below for paid subscribers…

The Library 📖 at the Business Witch Academy is a reader-supported publication. To learn how to craft the perfect CTA, get this week’s homework assignment, and get your hands on my eBook “The Power of Persuasian: 100+ CTAs that Convert”, subscribe now. It costs less than drinking Folgers Instant Coffee for a month!

Generated with the assistance of Night Café AI and Canva exclusively for Cheryl Evans, Business Witch Academy, “The Power of Persuasion: 100+ CTAs That Convert” course.

Discover the secret to transforming your social media posts into high-converting sales tools with my latest ebook, “The Power of Persuasion: 100+ CTAs That Convert”. Small business owners like you need impactful ways to stand out and prompt action — let me show you how!

Boost Engagement: Learn how to craft compelling CTAs that encourage interaction and engagement.
Increase Conversions: Turn followers into customers with CTAs designed to drive sales.
Save Time: Stop guessing what works; use proven phrases that get results.
Versatile Use: Perfect for a variety of marketing platforms from Instagram to Facebook.

Buy the book now, or get it for free by becoming a paid subscriber to my Substack where you’ll receive each lesson as they are published plus the bonuses.

Already a card carrying member of the Library? Don’t worry, Ophelia will have your bonus for you in your next study session! For now, keep going to learn How to Craft Your CTAs!

🛒 Shop BWA | 🌈 Shop Ophelia's Bazaar | 💸 Become a Sponsor | 🔔 Subscribe

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to 🪄Business Witch Academy💸 to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.