So you have a great looking, functional website… You have put all the right things in the right places to get picked up by search engines. You’re ranking well.. but the phone is just not ringing….
Maybe it is because there is no Call-To-Action! Shoppers today are looking for a Deal! Often they “surf the net” looking for the company that is offering something special or extra. Now while we all feel that we have a good product or service and offer it at a great price, it is difficult to present that message to a society that has been programmed by big box stores and internet discounts.
A Call-To-Action can help break the ice and get your phone ringing!
Something that is a “Deal they can’t refuse”. Preferably something free or a huge discount.
Here are a few to get the ideas rolling…
- 75% off Your First Service! No contract required. New Customers Only
This needs to be a bold and powerful discount, 10%-30% just isn’t very exciting to your clients.
Example: One of our Landscape Customers runs a 75% off deal on his site to get people to try him to switch and it’s effective because it’s almost free, but enough to cover his bare costs and it makes it worth it to get the new accounts. I mean, go BOLD and offer the first service free! You might end up doing 4 out of 5 jobs free but wouldn’t it be worth it to get long lasting account?
- Sign up for year of service and get two months free!
Offer a deep discount upon signing up for a year contract.
- Sign up for year of service and get XYZ Product free!
Give something away that doesn’t cost you much but has a high perceived value. Otherwise known as a “loss-leader”. Example: I used to have a sign company where we wrapped vehicles for an average price of $1500 I would offer a free set of magnets and 1000 full-color glossy business cards as a double incentive to go with me over my competition. The coolest part about it was the repeat business for business cards, so for me it was a win-win instead of a loss of the original business card cost. It doesn’t always need to be a free product, it can be one of your other services which will in turn get them to use you for more than just their immediate needs. The key is the perceived value to the customer vs. your base cost of the product or service.
Example: One of my clients has a security business where he offers 24-hour security guard services to apartment complexes and he offers a free iPad with a year contract. The reason this is so powerful for his customer is an iPad can be used throughout their property to take pictures and document various details about their property because an iPad is like a laptop in that it’s mobile but it’s not heavy and bulky.
- Double up for free!
Buy 1 service and get your second one free.
- Buy a service package and get another service free!
This works especially well for you if your service is low cost to you (mainly when it’s all labor and no real material costs) because you can tackle the job when you’re out there and it technically only cost you some additional time, no gas or materials..
So as you can see with these examples, you can offer a perceived valued product or service that can help them go from “thinking about it” to actually picking up the phone and doing business. It is important to also place an expiration on these specials.. It you give them an expiration that is 6 months away.. it is less likely that they will call quickly, giving them the opportunity to “talk themselves out of it” or even find someone else!… Make it a Limited Time Offer! or make an expiration date that doesn’t exceed 2 weeks.
Other things you can do to gain new business…
- Refer 4 and pay no more! – Refer XYZ Company and get your services for FREE!
This is a great way to get your existing clients to refer you new business. Essentially, you’re trading their service for 4 or 5 more, just like them. That sounds like a lot but think of it this way, let’s say you had 100 customers all of which were paying you $45 a month for their service; that’s $4500 per month. If all of them referred you to 4 people and those 4 people signed up for a service contract you will have tripled your income. Now of course that means everyone is getting a 25% discount if you consider the cost of the initial referring person’s free service account, but you shouldn’t look at it that way. You should look at it for what it is.. Your cost to do one person’s account is just your labor and possibly supplies so you’re still making a profit (just from the other customer’s they referred to you). This obviously doesn’t work for every business model, but it might for some.
- Team up with a buddy business (someone that offers a different product or service to the same demographic you sell to): For instance, If your customers are all businesses, find a courier for delivery company and trade out referrals like this: “Get a free pickup or delivery package from XYZ couriers when you sign up for one of our six-month service plans.” Then as your buddy business will do the same, they will offer something like this: “Get your XYZ Service by XYZ Company when you sign up for a regularly scheduled courier package.”
This will work with restaurants but in different way, you can trade out services with restaurants. For instance you might know a Pizza Place that you could work out a barter deal with so you can offer a free office pizza party when they sign up for a year service contract. Or any business that caters. Just sit and think about all the businesses that sell to your clientele and then think about how you can do direct trade with them and they will end up benefiting from the deal just like you will. It will gain both of you new business and if it’s unbalanced and one of you are not making as much as the other you just have an agreement that you will pay for the other services at a prearranged discounted amount. Either way you look at it say cost whether in discounted services that have a higher perceived value for a service you provide on your own that your cost is just your “cost”, or you can buy something they use regularly in bulk to get a discount and give it to them free when they sign up.
Using your Website Tools 
When customers come to your website what they see without scrolling is the most important coverage on your website. This first impression is what will convince them to stay and read more… or keep looking. That is why we work so hard to make web styles look so engaging, to give you that edge to keep your customer attention; but it goes much further than that. Using tools life a featured content slider, page peel and flyout tab will give them eye catching locations to view your call-to-actions and main services/products at a glance.
Wrap-up
So at the end, Call-To-Actions are not giveaways but rather calculated costs to get a lead or business from a potential customer. In this busy, competitive industry it is important to do those things to stand out from your competition and get that phone to ring! After that… it will be your phone sales skills that will turn that lead into a client… But if that phone doesn’t ring or that web order doesn’t come in… then there is no sale. Your compeditors are using call-to-actions.. don’t sell the short.
To find out more about upgrades and eye catching features for your website call John or Rick at (888) 932-9966
To see the many different dynamic web styles available that will help keep your customers engaged click here.
