3 Killer Real World Call’s to Action

3 Killer Real World Call’s to Action

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Once in a blue moon, you’ll find an online phenomenon that applies just as well in the physical realm. Today I’m referring to calls to action, the same calls to action that we find on every successful landing page are also out there in the real world. Look around you – see any yet? A call to action is nothing more than a signal or sign that influences us to do something. That “Caution: Hot” sticker on your latte, maybe? How effective calls to action are, however, be it online or offline, can be a combination of many factors. Let’s take a look at a few every day examples:

Text Message Notifications: Unless you’re having one of those unfortunate days where no one has felt the urge to contact you (on the bright side, this probably would mean no one close to you has suddenly died) then you’ve probably been a slave to the siren call of your text message tone. Sure, you’re not being prompted to buy anything, but you’ve been given a signal that’s hard to resist. Text message bleeps and vibrations are so effective at getting you to do something (that is, read them) because you know exactly what they’re telling you to do – do the calls to action on your web page have the same clarity?

Rail Road Crossings: Raise your hand if you’ve ever been hit by a train (you guys can just sit this one out.) For the rest of us non-flattened folk, getting hit by a train is a pretty daunting prospect. Those helpful people designing our road systems have, after many meticulous studies, reached the conclusion that being run over by any type of locomotive is probably an undesirable thing. Therefore, these kind souls have done everything in their power to make sure you notice their call to action, using lights, bells, and bright colors to signal an oncoming train. Railroads succeed when many landing pages don’t because they make their call to action the most prominent thing a passerby will see.

Delicious Bakery Smells: While a bit less obvious than the ding-ding-ding of a railroad crossing, those nearly irresistible smells wafting from the local bakery might be even more effective as a call to action. Often times signals can be too over-the-top, too in-your-face, too craaaaaazy – see what I mean? The tasty yet subtle scents from that bread shop down the street let customers know that there’s something wonderful cooking inside without making them feel like they’re being beaten over the head with it (baguettes can be surprisingly painful.)

Calls to action on your landing pages aren’t so different from the ones you see in your everyday life. Something to draw a person’s attention and invite (or command, if you’re one of those macho types) them to act. Speaking of which, have you done those dishes yet?