Call To Action - How to Convert Visitors into Leads (and hopefully Customers)

Website design often concentrates on presentation, trying to give visitors a mind-blowingly visual experience. Many of the key elements of effective search engine optimisation (SEO) such as content development and link building of are overlooked.

A fatal mistake of much website design is to overlook the need for a “call to action”. A call to action is the start point to engage people, to get them involved and hopefully convert visitors into leads and finally customers.

Web design is highly subjective, what works for one website may not work for another. Listed below are some suggested ways to develop your call to action, not all may fit with your design but some should be incorporated to convert visitors into leads.

1. Telephone Number – a prominently place telephone number gives viewers the immediate feel that they are dealing with a living, breathing entity that can be contacted. Backed by an effective customer service calls can become leads.
2. Use Proactive Language – employ dynamic wording such as contact, request, call, register, donate, subscribe, test, try. Words that ooze positivity and interaction.
3. Offer Free Services – nothing helps convert visitors more than a call to action that gives them something back. Offer to review their current situation or products, propose to evaluate their current spending on x, suggest calling them back at their convenience.
4. Publish a Newsletter – ask viewers to subscribe to your newsletter allowing you to keep a growing database of leads updated with any news, products or service offerings your make.
5. Test Different Layouts – continually evaluate placement of your call to action. Use techniques such as Multivariate Analysis to see if placement can alter lead conversion.
6. Consistent Calls to Action – position your call to action throughout your website, ensure that as visitors navigate through your site they do not lose focus on your call to action.
7. Do Not Overkill Information Request – gather only the necessary information. If you request too much information it may alienate leads.
8. Time Limit – drive urgency in your call to action. Use keywords such as “Only Until X date” or “Request Information by Y Date”.
9. Immediacy – ensure that any call to action is replied to as soon as possible. Having filled in a form, viewers expect something back soon. Full response may not be possible but an email confirmation with next steps will continue to engage.

Now as leads it will be down to the success of your sales team to convert leads into customers.