How to write call to action in emails that are more persuasive and increases conversions

Sometimes I struggle to write about the topic I have chosen.

Do you have this problem too?

Scheduling a topic helps me keep on track, but sometimes I get to the subject and just scratch my head. The topic then gets tabled until my brain begins to come up with some insight.

Recently, I scheduled a topic about call to actions in emails, and I hit a wall. I wasn’t sure how I was going to talk about that. Then something wonderful happened.

My friend Nikki did a presentation, and the ideas began to flow. The title of her presentation for the Product Led Summit was How to Use Cold Email to Drive More Free Trial Signups (not an affiliate link, just an excellent presentation).

So, I scheduled some time to listen to the talk.

Then I realized, some of the information she was sharing could be useful for regular emails we send to our list. You do have a list, don’t you?

Now, here’s the caveat (there’s always a caveat, right?). Nikki’s presentation was for cold emails for SaaS companies. No problem because she used the power of basic copywriting tactics. This article is written for you, website consultants, who send emails to your list regularly. I hope it is at least weekly, but it could be monthly, etc.

You send an email regularly in an attempt to nurture those on your list. Even so, you need to add a call to action. I encourage it. It doesn’t have to be too salesy, and it doesn’t have to be over the top.

So, let’s get started.

Here are some great tips on how to write a call to action in emails that are more persuasive and increases conversions

Remember the copywriting basics

When remembering the basics, let’s focus on three things: The Rule of One, copywriting formulas, and elements of persuasion.

Remember the Rule of One

In her presentation, Nikki reminded me of the Rule of One. This is something we hear loud and clear from the Copyhackers camp and Joanna Wiebe.

The Rule of One: one reader, one big idea, one promise and one offer. pic.twitter.com/HqXsl8331X

— Joanna Wiebe (@copyhackers) April 23, 2016

As you see in the twee above, The Rule of One states one reader, one big idea, one promise, and one offer.

She explains the Rule of One quite passionately in this video.

It is easier to write a page when you are only convincing one person about that one idea, with one promise and one offer.

The Rule of One is something we use in almost every piece of copy we write. It is harder, of course, for pages like your homepage. It applies to your email too.

Use Copywriting Formulas

The not so secret of copywriters is that we use formulas. Now you know. A formula is a great way to give you a framework for your copy. When it comes to email, there are several you can use, but the PAS is one of the easiest and best formulas to follow.

The PAS stands for Problem, Agitate, and Solution

You can easily use that in your email.

So, you start with your problem.

Here’s a little example:

Problem:
Having trouble updating your website? Maybe you don’t have time, after all your a business owner.

Agitate:
The last time you logged in, and you tried to update a plugin, something broke. It took you 12 hours to get it fixed. You lost an entire day of business.

Solution:
Let us take that off your plate. You make more money when you are running your business and not chasing technology problems. At WP Site Care Company, we do this every day and that 12-hour problem is more like a 5-minute problem. We also keep your site secure. You can sleep easier at night, knowing we have a shield up protecting your online business.

Now, you have your business owner’s attention. Naturally, the business owner needs to already be on your list.

You can literally use the PAS formula for any email you write whether it is someone on your list or someone you are reaching out to for business.

Any problem you solve with your site care business you can use the PAS formula to communicate to your list.

Call them to take an action!

The next thing you need to, of course, is to call them to action. I mean, if you are going to use a call to action, then you need actually to use one. It seems simple enough. Here are a few tips.

Avoid Friction Words

Often, we use the mundane words for our call to actions. Never again. It’s time to put those friction words in a bucket and set them on fire.

Moving on.

Wiebe describes friction words thus,

Friction words are words that describe things people have to do – not things people want to do. They cause cognitive friction. Web copy that converts is focused on what people want to do.  Copyhackers

Here are some examples of high friction words(warning, they aren’t pretty):

• Sign up (ugh)
• Buy (why?)
• Give, Submit
• Donate
• Invest
• Complete
• Support
• and one of the worst, Download.

Okay, it is easy to use these words for our CTA because they are default words.

Words like “Submit,” “Buy,” “Sign Up,” and “Download” are high friction words when used by themselves. These words imply that the visitor has to perform chores, and who likes doing chores? Nobody I know. Instagpage

It is crucial to think about what you are accomplishing when writing a call to action.

Be direct and call them to your benefit

Be direct. Don’t hem haw around about what you need your reader to do.

Nothing like this: “If you think we can help, we would love to help you out.” No. Just no.

Billy McCaffrey says in this article at Wordstream,

Let your audience know exactly what you want them to do, and don’t dilly dally – start the CTA with the desired action. Wordstream

To be direct, you have to know the exact benefit you are offering with your call to action. Calling them to benefit is as simple as a little reframing. Consider this from Copyblogger’s Pamela Wilson.

If you are going to have a call to action, you need to sell the benefit of clicking that button or that link. It can be as simple as filling in the blank “I want to ______.” That’s a little trick that we have learned from [Joanna] Wiebe over the years. Pamela Wilson, Copybloggers

Here’s an example:

“I want to have a faster, healthier website.”

“I want to manage all my websites from one dashboard.”

What is the benefit you are providing, and what is the problem you are solving? Use that in your call to action.

Don’t just think about a call to action as a button.

Wrapping it up

Writing a call to action in emails do not take a doctorate in rocket science. Simply tap into some basic copywriting principles, use a proven copywriting formula like PAS, and finally, call them to an action.

There are persuasive enhancers you can add to your process, including social proof and various types of persuasion principles. Another thing I think helps is to tell a story at some point during your email.

How do you use a call to actions in emails? Let us know in the comments below or follow the conversation at the MainWP Users Facebook Group.