In many ways, raising awareness of a brand or company isn’t the most difficult part of marketing a small business. Of course, it may not be easy to articulate an image or message that resonates with customers, but once this is accomplished, all that’s necessary is the time, effort and resources to put out the message. At that point, promotional products, internet advertising and print media can be used to good effect.
Once a company’s name or identity has gained some traction among a certain demographic or in a certain area, the real work can begin. If organizations should keep in mind one thing about their marketing and advertising efforts, it’s that they need to include a clearly-defined call to action. This should be present in all types of media. There are different types of calls to action, so consider them carefully before deciding on a direction to take.
Understated
Some calls to action may not seem like imperatives at all. If a company manages personal finance, an understated call to action might simply recommend that customers begin to take their personal finances more seriously and invest in some kind of planning or accounting service. Marketing messages of this kind wouldn’t explicitly recommend that consumers try a particular financial service. However, the presence of a brand or logo is enough to solidify the connection.
Direct
A direct call to action tells customers exactly what they need to do to get the product or service that they’re seeking. This is simple and straightforward – if a consumer is interested in new bath liners, they should immediately call Rex’s Bath Fitting Service and start planning their remodeling project now. A call to action like this will presumably be self-obvious to customers, though they may not mind if they’re impressed with a company’s brand, services or track record.
Enticement
Sometimes it’s necessary to make it worth a customer’s while to heed a call to action. An enticing call could encourage people to stop by or call a cafe so that they can take advantage of a seasonal promotion or discount. In fact, this type of call to action could even offer a discount for mentioning the advertisement. A slogan that appears on advertising, on a promotional product or on a company’s website can be the password that unlocks significant savings or even free products.