When a visitor arrives at your website through skillful lead generation and clever SEO page optimization, it's usually only the first step on a longer journey.
Often their arrival point will be a specific landing page, one that is keyed-in to meet their needs. It's also their departure point to another location in your web presence – perhaps a sign-up page or an e-commerce operation.
One thing that any web page you create should always have is a call to action. This might simply be to click another link. When your visitor has done so, the next call might be to move on – or even return to that original page once important information has been gained.
If there is no call to action, then you have likely simply created a "so what" or "terribly interesting" page. In other words, it might be packed with useful content, but if there is no request to action it, many visitors will simply decide on their own action – and that's often just to leave and search elsewhere.
You do want a soft landing when people arrive – in other words, for them to feel welcome and comfortable. They quickly recognize that your carefully crafted content is speaking to them. You then need to match this with a hard sell to get them moving on!
The hard sell is not impolite or even rude, it isn't threatening or too demanding. However, it should be compelling enough to have the reader feel they should take the action – and to do so immediately. Therefore the real key is to invest their next step with a sense of urgency. This can be through time pressure, where there is an expiry date on an offer. It can be through a limited number being placed on availability. Add the two together and how often, say in a market, have you heard the exhortation: "First come, first served – and when they're gone, they're gone"?
The hard sell might also highlight what is missed by not acting – either in an opportunity lost or an unwanted outcome (that's how life insurance has traditionally been sold).
Whichever option is best for your situation, make sure you always have this call to action. Otherwise, it's just like seeing someone attractive in a bar but never offering to buy them a drink!
