Get your referrals to take the next step

blog 2021
Written By Andrew Ford

When a prospect visits your website or social media, what do you want them to do? Most people don't know and so miss out on referrals because there are no clear bread crumbs to their desired solution.

When someone refers a client to you is it clear to them what the next step in the process is? Does it help them or just you? A great call to action (CTA) should be clear, logical and help the right people move forward in your sales process because it’s of value to THEM. 

For example, if you are a consultant and a previous client refers a friend to you, LinkedIn will likely be the first place they will check you out. We have already discussed the importance of LinkedIn to demonstrate your expertise. Do you look great there and is there something else for them to do? It will be useful to direct them to either your website to read your blogs, a podcast to get to know your work or Instagram to see your personality. Do this with discrete CTAs in your profile summary, work history and also in the blogs you write. The more time they spend with you online, the more likely they will become a client. 

Different types of CTAs

CTA’s come in many shapes and sizes to suit different circumstances. The type of CTA you use will depend on whom you are targeting, your clients’ needs and your sales process. It also varies on where the CTA is featured such as email, websites, blogs, social media and so forth. We will explore some of the different usage situations, and give a few recommendations, but remember there is no perfect solution. Your CTA should feel natural to you and your client, don’t force them down a direction. Guide them and let them buy.

Examples of CTAs:

  • Blogs: if you are a blogger there are many great ways to create effective CTAs. The most common one is at the bottom of the blog, where you insert a clearly labelled button with the next step such as ‘join us’ referring to an email subscription or whatever is the next step or desired action in your process. You can also embed hotlinks to your website when you reference your company or experience. The other popular CTA is at the end of the blog, after the salutation, in the P.S. section. This feels like a special message just for the reader and receives more clicks than any other links! (see my real example below...)

  • Social Posts: Lovers of Facebook and Instagram will be producing regular posts containing pictures, hashtags and messages to grab attention. But where are you sending them? It’s great to get them to your page, but even better to offer links to your website for more quality information. Often people do all the hard work to get the attention and interest but lack the crucial step of getting the prospect to the next stage in the buying process with a CTA.

  • Websites: The goal of a website is to take an interested client to the next step in the buying process towards a sale. That could be a phone call, collect an email address with an eBook or fill in a qualification form. To do that you have to insert effective CTA buttons and links that are tempting for the prospect to click on. Think about what the client needs in the interest stage of the buying process. Would an eBook, a video or checklist be helpful? All of these can be offered as value in return for collecting an email address or to build engagement in your CTA.

Effective CTAs are an essential part of the marketing process for your business. It helps people to know what the next step in the process is and gives them the option of buying from you, instead of you selling to them.

Cheers Andrew

P.S. If you are in Melbourne and keen to update your LinkedIn, check out my next Workshop - https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/linkedin-live-masterclass-tickets-145608852999

Andrew Ford
Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.
http://www.andrewford.com.au/
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