Effortlessly Improve Your Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Calls-to-Action, or CTAs, are prompts sprinkled throughout service and marketing materials. Typically written in imperative verb form, CTAs lead customers along specific routes by urging them to take desired actions. They create clear paths to purchase, removing barriers that might otherwise dissuade customers from going further. Some CTAs you may be familiar with include “Join Now,” “Free Trial,” and “Let’s Chat.”

CTAs are compelling when used correctly. Dealerships can improve both their service and their sales marketing by employing clear, direct, and strategic CTAs. Here are four tactics that can instantly upgrade your CTA performance.

Clear the Clutter

Many dealerships have several CTAs going at once, often near each other on the same web page. The close proximity makes it difficult for site visitors to focus on any one CTA and can overwhelm them to the point of moving on to a different dealership. Too many flashing prompts can also give the impression of a scam.

Remedy this problem by eliminating any redundant CTAs on a page, orienting the remaining ones to the right, and narrowing them down so that there are rarely more than two per page. 

Focus on Needs

Another trap dealerships can fall into is using generic CTA phrasing. For example, they may use “Free Offer” or “Live Chat.” While these are useful, they don’t speak to what customers necessarily need from a dealership page.

When focusing on services, use CTAs that speak to what your customers need, such as “Shop Auto Inventory” or “Find Parts” rather than the nondescript “Shop Now.” Other dealership-specific CTAs could include prompts like, “Schedule a Test Drive” and “We Fill Out Your Forms.” Both address well-defined customer needs and lets them know that your dealership will make things easier for them. 

Frame the Pitch

Another effective strategy is to frame the CTA with information that reinforces the benefit. For example, beside or below a CTA telling site visitors to “Find Your Dream Car” you could include the number of cars your dealership has sold. Customers feel more compelled to try your selection when they know you’ve helped match hundreds of thousands of drivers with their fantasy machine. Posting a particularly glowing review right by the button can also help seal the deal.

Framing the Pitch also can come in the form of the images you choose to pair with your CTA. Pick pictures or graphics that reinforce your brand or audience. If you specialize in first-time drivers, next to your CTA to “Contact Us Today!” you could run a picture of a teenager blowing out candles as their parent dials your dealership number behind them. 

Track and Adjust

Finally, it is crucial to keep track of CTAs and to adjust them as needed. Many platforms and marketing software provide metric tracking that allows dealers to see how well their CTAs perform. These should be looked at regularly. If a CTA isn’t converting customers, it should be evaluated and adjusted.

When doing so, don’t scrap a CTA entirely unless it is a complete and utter failure. Otherwise, make one or two small changes at a time, such as swapping its position on your website, or switching the coloring. Doing so can help you keep better track of the small things that work, things that could be applied to other CTAs on your dealership site.

Finally, in that same vein, remember that you do not need to reinvent the wheel. Pay as much attention to your successful CTAs as to failing ones. Take note of what your successful CTAs have in common with each other, and see if you can replicate their success in the others.

Did you enjoy this article from Chana Perton? Read other articles from her here.

Car Biz Today, the official resource of the retail automotive industry.