call to action business plan

This is a great example of serving two audiences with your CTAs on your homepage.

Serve two audiences with separate CTAs on the same landing page. You can make them distinct using color to contrast the two buttons or draw more attention to the desired choice.

48. Nintendo

Cta: compare features.

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24 Call to Action Examples in Detail: How to Inspire Action

There’s only so many times you can read “the button is red which makes it stand out” before getting frustrated. “Yes ,” I thought, “ but what about everything else? Why is this call to action example where it is? Why isn’t it a circle?”

“What is this CTA designed to do, and how does it achieve this?”

I couldn’t find an easy answer to these questions, and that had to change. That’s why this post will take apart 24 CTAs in detail. No one-sentence summaries and vague details.

From landing pages to supermarket signs, you’ll see how these calls to action may play a larger part in the company’s strategy, how they are set up to achieve this, and therefore how to apply the lesson from each to your own.

Let’s begin.

What is a call to action?

A call to action is anything which tries to get the audience to take a certain action. Although usually associated with online marketing and clickable buttons, the term is applicable to everything from billboards to shop windows and SaaS pricing plans .

The whole point of marketing is to drum up interest in a product. Sales efforts take that interest, then explore and/or cement the deal.

A call to action is the bridge between marketing and sales.

It’s the thing that catches your eye and either convinces or allows you to take further action.

Not only that, but it’s possible to simplify the most valuable actions your audience can take, thus making the transition easier. You’ll see this in the later call to action examples, but let’s explore a situation to get the point across.

Imagine that you own a website. This website relies on regular traffic to make money. The main way of getting regular traffic to your posts is through email subscribers. Therefore, you’ll want to have an effective way of getting visitors to sign up to your blog so that they’re more likely to come back.

This is where your call to action comes in.

Instead of relying on a form tucked away at the bottom of your post, you could set up a popup which appears for non-subscribers halfway through your posts. For example, “Like what you see? Subscribe for blog updates!” along with a field for their email address and a colored button labeled “Sign me up” would result in more subscribers.

The sheer spread of call to action examples is hard to grasp, but by looking at the following you should be able to gain inspiration for your own purposes. Whether you want to get subscribers, sell a product or get survey responses, check out the examples below.

Call to action examples

First in our call to action examples is Netflix . This is a typical example of how to structure a site landing page while drawing on the strengths of your product and brand.

Netflix knows that their audience doesn’t want to be stuck in long commitments with set contracts. They also know that, as a streaming service, their audience is looking to have easy and consistent access to a large library of shows and movies – hence the “Watch anywhere. Cancel at any time” tagline.

The unique value of the product is sold by the page’s background; a display of recent Netflix Original shows which can’t be viewed anywhere else. This helps to reinforce the value of signing up to the viewer, giving the call to action a better chance of working.

Finally, the call to action itself is a red button which contrasts against the black background to stick out from the rest of the page. This contrast is only present on three items, meaning that your eye is naturally drawn to the Netflix logo (brand recognition), the “Sign in” button for existing users, and the main button for new users.

It’s simple but effective.

Process Street

Here at Process Street , we use many of the same techniques on our landing page as Netflix. Indeed, these are fairly commonplace in call to action examples.

The main color use this time is to make the tagline and data field box stand out, along with the “Get Started for Free” button. This allows our audience to immediately understand that Process Street is all about process management and documentation .

However, we don’t just use calls to action to encourage our audience to do something. We also let it play a larger part in our overall marketing strategy .

Above is a content upgrade for our customer success guide from our post What is Customer Success? . It uses the same tactics of making the button stand out and provides extra value for those interested in customer success if they sign up to our mailing list.

Downloading the guide also takes the audience to a special thank-you page, which reduces our bounce rate (since the viewer is moving to another page on our site) and shows that the page proved useful to them. In turn, this helps with our heavy focus on SEO and ranking for valuable keywords in order to get more viewers.

Lesson: Think about how your CTA play into your wider strategy and what can be done to make it benefit you more than as a button click.

Much like Netflix, Spotify focuses on the simplicity and free nature of their service in the main call to action on their landing page. This time, however, we have a little more information to clue us in as to why they focus on this.

Spotify has an astounding 27% freemium conversion rate – a full 667% of Dropbox’s.

With such a massive success rate, there’s much less pressure to push their paid plan from the outset. As a result, it makes more sense to draw in as many users as possible with the free plan and then convert them to the paid option.

“No credit card required” and especially the “Get Spotify free” button show this, as they’re assuring the viewer that there’s no financial commitment required or necessary. That way there’s one less barrier to getting another user.

The button itself again uses contrasting colors to draw your eye, although it’s arguably a little better at doing so than Netflix. While the latter uses a black background with the signature Netflix red, Spotify’s green hue is set against a gradient pastel orange, letting the button stand out against several colors at once.

Lesson: Spotify plays to their strengths with this tactic. Knowing their high conversion rate, they can instead focus on a CTA with as wide an appeal as possible.

Facebook ‘s landing page is more cluttered than many others in this post but in doing so they simplify the largest barrier to gaining new users.

Rather than having a “Get started” button or something similar, Facebook lays out the most basic form of their sign up process to serve as their main CTA. While there’s something to be said for putting off users by confronting them with a form first thing, it gets users signed up and using the product as quickly as possible.

The value is stated through the image and “connect and share” message, the viewer is assured that it’s free to use, and they don’t have to navigate through several pages in order to sign up.

Better yet, the user  is being shown  that they don’t have to enter pages of details and choose optional extras to get started. After all, the button isn’t “Create an account” or “Go to the next step” – it’s simply “Sign up” and you’re done.

Lesson: CTAs don’t have to be a button to start whatever process you want to get the audience to perform. They can also be used to simplify the process itself.

Amazon ‘s landing page is, admittedly, a bit of a crowded mess when compared to the previous SaaS and website call to action examples. However, that’s only natural due to its nature as a storefront, marketplace, streaming service, tech company, and so on.

They offer almost everything under the Sun, and so they need to have several CTAs to appeal to the widest audience possible.

The more options they give, the more likely they are to catch the eye of whoever lands on this page.

From the “back to school” deals in the top right, through the Amazon Original series banner, down to their sections for women’s fashion, time-sensitive deals, and wider streaming service, there’s something for pretty much anyone who boots up their site. Not to mention the other categories as you scroll down the page.

Plus, Amazon doesn’t necessarily have “sign up users” as their top priority. They’re (mostly) a marketplace, and so their primary interest is in pushing purchases, hence why the CTAs are numerous and product-based while the “Sign in” options are small and pushed to one side.

Lesson: Multiple varied CTAs are useful for catching a wider audience but make it harder to push a single action (ex. getting sign-ups).

Above is a popup CTA which appeared on Evernote ‘s homepage prior to logging in, which is an example of a halfway- approach to pushing several actions.

The primary call is to sign up for a free trial, but the main text of the popup focuses more on the Business (paid) plan. By doing this they can catch their audience’s interest with the attractive features of Evernote Business while still drawing in a wide audience.

The key is that they’re focusing on  one action for their CTA.

They’re not pushing viewers to sign up for a Business account and then also for a free trial. Instead, the free trial is the only action being pushed (which is more attractive than asking for money from the get-go) while the seed of how useful upgrading to the Business plan would be.

Lesson: Focus on  one action per CTA. Other options can be promoted, but don’t confuse your audience with what you want them to do.

The Dropbox CTAs we’ll be looking at were displayed upon logging into the app for the first time in a number of months. For context, I’m using a Basic account, meaning that they know I’ve signed up and have been using the product for a while (even if I don’t use it often).

Knowing that, it’s useful to posture why Dropbox pushed three separate CTAs on me as soon as I logged in.

Remember; CTAs count as anything which is calling the audience to take some form of action. Knowing that, let’s think about what Dropbox would logically want to call their audience to do in order to make sense of why all three call to action examples are on this page.

Although it’s purely conjecture, Dropbox’s desired user actions might look like this:

• User signs up
• They explore the key features
• They use Dropbox with their team
• Dropbox’s value is proven through its features and use
• User upgrades to business plan to get more out of it

I’ve used Dropbox for a while now, have worked with my team through it and know the core features. Therefore, the three CTAs that are shown to me upon logging in are all designed to encourage the next key action they want me to take; to upgrade to the business plan.

The presence of three of them could also mean that they know how infrequently I use the service, and so are trying to reignite my interest with the Business features.

Lesson: CTAs don’t have to be the same for your entire audience. Tailored CTAs are a great way of encouraging the next step you want them to take, and can be strategically placed to help those showing interest in complex features and the like.

Google Drive

Google Drive , meanwhile, is a different story.

Since our Process Street accounts are all linked to the same team in Google, we frequently share files and work together without the need for prompts. All of us also sync our Google Drive to our local devices to make sure we can access files no matter what happens.

Knowing that my Drive account shows that I’m working with my team, have used Drive for years, am familiar with their biggest features, and am on a team which pays for a higher plan, there’s only one logical option for a CTA to show me.

The “New” button is the most valuable action to inspire for both myself and Google, as it means that I’m getting the most out of the product while further strengthening my continued use of it.

Lesson:  You don’t always have to upsell or push a new feature. Sometimes the best CTA is one that makes it easy to perform the most basic, common action possible.

It’s easy to lose track of your CTAs and use too many. Whether you’re trying to encourage different actions or the same one through different approaches, overloading the audience with calls to action will result in them not knowing which to take.

If they don’t know what the best action to take is, they probably won’t take any of your options and go on to something less confusing.

Close.io circumvent this problem while still making full use of their home page by providing one CTA per full-page-spread. This means that they can appeal to their audience from multiple angles and encourage them to try their free trial, take a product tour, learn about their integrations, get their books, subscribe to the blog, and more without overwhelming them.

As you can see, each section of their home page serves a different purpose. If someone isn’t interested in their first offer, chances are they will be interested in one of the others.

Lesson:  One great way of spacing out CTAs on your landing page is to have one per full page scroll. That way each can be accompanied with tailored marketing material and the viewer is always looking at one without being overwhelmed.

The Freshbooks screen above shows when a user attempts to log in after their free trial has expired. As you’d expect, the action they’re calling attention to is to upgrade to one of their paid plans in order to keep using the services. Nothing unexpected.

It is, however, a great example of how multiple CTAs can be arranged in order to draw attention to one over the others.

Two options are being promoted as superior here; the yearly payment method (with “Save 10%”) and the “most popular” Plus plan, which is the second-most-expensive and unlocks all Freshbooks features.

The Plus plan, in particular, is a tad larger than the other options, given more block color to make the text stand out, and its button is given a contrasting color to the rest of the box. Not to mention that it takes position in the middle of the page – the most natural place for your eyes to go.

Whether or not the Plus plan is actually their most popular, these options are likely to be the most valuable to the majority of Freshbooks’ audience and serve as a great commitment to the service.

Lesson: Pricing plans are great examples of multiple CTAs with a single preferred option being promoted above others. In reality, it’s good if the viewer takes any of the three options but the most likely or valuable one can still be promoted further.

Business process automation is an incredibly powerful tool. It allows you to automate laborious tasks and complete them faster while achieving goals that otherwise wouldn’t be possible without a huge amount of human time and effort.

Unfortunately, one of the main automation platforms available, Zapier , can be a little difficult to understand and use at first.

Trust me. I literally wrote the book on it .

To help solve this problem, Zapier’s home page shows this CTA when a user has signed in. Instead of telling them to just “Make a Zap!”, they’re asked which two apps they want to connect together and what they want to happen.

This then lets users create a Zap (integration) with the basic information already completed. It’s a fantastic way of simplifying what is usually a difficult process to describe into a couple of options in plain English.

Lesson: CTAs don’t always have to be promoting a particular action to provide value. Zapier shows how a CTA can instead be used as a simplified shortcut to a more complex, useful action.

Bodyweight365 (Will Owen)

Email marketing is hard to get right at the best of times. People have low attention spans and tend to be reluctant to click links that will take them out of their inbox, so an effective CTA is a must-have in order to make the most of your cold emails and subscribers alike.

Most of the time this means emails get filled with large, highly contrasting images or buttons in an attempt to immediately draw the audience’s eye.

Bodyweight365 owner Will Owen takes a different (and very on-brand) approach.

The site itself focuses on simple exercise routines which serve to keep you fit and build muscle no matter your experience level or how much equipment you have. It’s actually the source for many of the office exercises (and routines) that I still use today to keep myself fairly in shape.

This no-nonsense attitude is reflected in Will’s email CTA, giving a sense that he and his brand are genuine and human rather than some kind of gym-focused upselling program.

Despite breaking most rules-of-thumb for effective CTAs, it fits with the target audience and so it works.

Lesson: CTAs can be used to reinforce a brand message or identity through presentation and wording. Conversely, one that is off-brand and poorly thought out could not only make the CTA ineffective but also slightly damage your brand image.

To mix things up, let’s take a look at an example of a physical call to action – one from my local Co-op .

The call this time is to sign up for their membership program, which grants minor rewards to their customers in return for repeated business. However, most telling about this call to action is how it is presented.

In order to see this, you have to already be in the store. If you’re in the store, you’re probably fulfilling the primary function they want their customers to do; buying their produce. They already know that you’re going to be a customer of theirs, so the need to push further action is reduced.

It’s still important to avoid driving away customers by being too pushy, hence why the call to action examples here are all either above your head as you shop or on small signs attached to shelves. Even on the larger signs, the actual call to action is pushed into the bottom right-hand corner.

That’s not to say that it isn’t noticeable or doesn’t work. Every aisle has one of the larger boards advertising the benefits of the membership program above it, selling shoppers on the benefits as they make their rounds.

The takeaway here is that you don’t have to push your call to action in your audience’s face if they’re already providing you value. Yes, it would be preferable for every Co-op shopper signed up and had the incentive to come back again but the program isn’t necessary to generate the main share of their revenue.

Lesson:  Multiple subtle CTAs can be a better choice than one or two intrusive ones if they’re not related to a key action. If the audience is already interacting with your business’ core value stream it’s better to be unintrusive than off-putting.

Optimization is always possible

These lessons are the kind which can be gleaned from literally any call to action example around you. The key is knowing where to look and getting in the habit of thinking about why they are where they are, what they’re promoting, and how they’re doing so.

Billboards, commercials, online videos, store as, CTAs can be found literally anywhere if you keep an eye out for them. Yet that doesn’t mean all of the lessons learned will work for you and your own uses.

The key is to have a solid AB testing process  so that you can continuously improve the calls to action you have. That way you’ll be thinking not only about how effective they are in hard numbers, but also in terms of what they can do in your larger strategies.

Do you have any tips for improving calls to action or have any novel examples? Let me know in the comments below.

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Ben Mulholland

Ben Mulholland is an Editor at Process Street , and winds down with a casual article or two on Mulholland Writing . Find him on Twitter here .

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16 call to action examples (and how to write a CTA)

What comes to mind when I try to think of a powerful CTA (call to action) is the one my dad expertly executed daily by bellowing at me to get a job . Fresh from a college experience that promised the world but mainly delivered a mountain of student debt, I was under the assumption that adulthood was supposed to be full of quirky adventures and unexpected meet-cutes, not unsolicited career advice from a man who still struggles to connect to Bluetooth.

Eventually, his CTA successfully motivated me to become a productive member of society. And  that's the magic of a compelling CTA—it jolts you out of your passiveness and into action. In my case, I got a job despite a lifelong belief that work is something to avoid unless absolutely necessary. (Look at me now, Dad!) 

Just as personal CTAs can lead to transformative life decisions, marketing CTAs have the potential to significantly impact user engagement and conversion. Want to craft your own magnetic calls to action? Keep reading for tips and examples of what makes great CTAs, well, great.

Table of contents:

Why calls to action work

How to write a call to action, how to design a call to action, call to action testing and iteration, 16 call to action examples (and why they work), what is a call to action.

A call to action is a prompt or message, usually formatted as a button or link, that encourages the audience to take a specific action. 

CTAs are commonly used in marketing and sales contexts to guide users toward the next step in their journey, whether that's purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or forwarding that chain email to all of their friends to avoid eight years of bad luck.

I know what you're thinking: "I'm a human adult with a brain. I'm not going to let a shiny button on the internet tell me what to do." But the reality is that the psychology behind CTAs taps into our innate desires and instincts, making us more inclined to follow through. Remember that one time you got lost down a YouTube rabbit hole, and six hours later, you're watching a documentary on bioluminescence in deep sea creatures? You have a few "Watch next" or "Smash that like button!" CTAs to thank.

Types of CTAs

You should calibrate your call to action with the relevant stage of a customer's journey. From the curious browser lured in by a "Learn more" button, to the nearly convinced shopper beckoned with a "Why choose us?" link, and finally to the ready-to-purchase consumer presented with a decisive "Buy now" directive—you want to ensure the user is always met with a suitable and enticing invitation, guiding them seamlessly down the funnel. Here's a primer on some of the most common types of CTAs.

The effectiveness of a CTA depends on its copy, design, placement, and relevance to the user. The choice of words can significantly impact user engagement, as phrases like "Snag your copy" might resonate more than a generic "Download now," depending on your audience. Identify which action(s) will bring the most value to your business, then use your CTA to steer users in the right direction.

As a user of the beloved internet, you've absolutely seen calls to action that were pushy or patronizing, begging the question: "do I really need someone to tell me where to click?" But just like the difference between an aggressive sales rep and a sales rep that actually listens, a CTA that's written with care can get you a conversion without the negative connotations. 

Why? Because having a strong CTA in your online sales pitch fits the psychology of your visitors. 

For starters, having a clickable link or button coincides with the Action > Reward system our brains love so much. It's the extension of the childlike joy in pressing an elevator button: humans crave interaction, and our curiosity alone is often enough for us to push and click things. 

But more than that, a call to action—like any good sales closer—acts as a climax to the pitch. It serves the same function as a joke's punchline, and without a CTA, the visitor is left in a sort of directionless limbo. 

A good CTA not only signals that the pitch is over; it also recommends the next course of action. One core tenet of digital design is Steve Krug's rule : don't make the user think. By providing a suggestive call to action, the user doesn't have to wonder what to do next. They see the next step in front of them, and all they have to do is take it. 

All in all, the call to action is the best online equivalent we can get to a personalized, face-to-face sales closer. We may not be able to tailor our final pitch to a particular customer, but we can use the same techniques and strategies on a broader, more inclusive scale. And therein lies the art of writing a CTA. 

Your calls to action should be unique, specific to where it's featured as well as your particular audience and targets. That said, the best CTAs do share some characteristics that you can apply wherever they may be. 

If you're looking for one secret to effective CTAs, here it is: give them a reason to click, share, or hand over their email address . More important than the wording, placement, or color of your CTA is the underlying incentive a person has to follow it. How will answering your call to action help them? 

A good call to action restates its benefit bluntly and succinctly. 

If you're offering a discount, remind them what percentage. 

If they're getting a free PDF, mention the words "free" and "PDF." 

Here's where you can borrow from traditional sales techniques, such as adding urgency with a time limit or bringing up the pain point they're trying to avoid. Just remember the CTA shouldn't be too wordy, so stick to the highlights and keep it brief. 

If you're using a standard link, typically you write the incentive in your CTA's anchor text (the clickable text). In the case of social media posts and ads, you should reserve the last line in your message for your call to action, so mention any benefits there.

If you're using a button CTA, you have to limit the number of characters you use, so it's better to add secondary text. While the button can say something basic like "buy now," nearby you should include a line or two to remind visitors about the advantages to clicking. 

Transparency

One of the biggest reasons CTAs fail is because people don't trust them. Most web users have a healthy suspicion when clicking links online, especially on new or unfamiliar sites. You can mitigate this fear, and increase conversions, by being open and honest. 

For starters, say exactly what will happen when you click. Remove all mystery with specifics. For example, saying "start your download automatically" is more descriptive than "click here to download." (For button CTAs, with limited space, you can include secondary text nearby.)

You want to acknowledge any user doubts and assuage their fears. If visitors are worried about security, they're not going to click, so reassure them that you understand their concerns. One of the big fears, in the case of email signups, is spam. You might want to gently remind visitors that you won't share their information and that you'll only email them once a week, twice a month, or whatever the case is, to keep their imagination in check.  

You can build trust just by being upfront about everything from the beginning. You'll find people are more receptive to your CTA pitches when they know precisely what to expect. 

Command and wording

Don't be shy about calls to action! Some people soften their language to avoid being pushy, but CTAs should be strong and unapologetic. After all, if you followed rule #1 (incentive), then what you're offering is beneficial to the visitor. 

That's not to say you should be rude or demanding (please don't); there's a perfect balance somewhere in there between a strong suggestion and a forceful command. Above all, the reader must always feel they have a choice; your call to action is there to convince them of the choice you think they should make. 

In practical terms, calls to action should be imperative sentences , which is the grammatical term for commands. A best practice is to start CTAs with an actionable verb :

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This makes the statement sound stronger, and at the same time, clearly communicates what the user should do. 

Likewise, avoid wording that weakens your call to action, including "please" (no matter what Grammarly tells you) and modifiers like "could" and "would." There's a time and place for gentle language, but calls to action are not one of them.

Word choice is important to CTAs, not only for making a persuasive argument, but also for fitting the space allotted.

So which words should you choose? The consensus among professional copywriters is that certain words work better than others for sales and persuasive writing. And while there's no official collection, the words below generally end up on most copywriters' lists: 

They're not foolproof, but in my experience, these words tend to improve CTA performance and the effectiveness of most sales copy. And because most of them are short, you should have no problem fitting them into your CTA space. 

Now that we've covered the writing, let's talk about how your CTA should look. The design, layout, and typography of your call to action all play major roles in its success. 

CTA design best practices

If you're placing your call to action on a web page or other content you design yourself, you want to place it at the top of your visual hierarchy. Your CTA should be the most noticeable element on the page. To achieve this, you want to pull out all your design tricks:

Contrasting colors: CTAs should generally contrast with the rest of the page's design. Visitors shouldn't have to work to find what to do next. Use a vibrant color for your CTA, especially against a dull background. Can you spot it from six feet away? Good.

Optimal size: Make the button and text larger than the surrounding elements but not so large that it overwhelms other content. It should also be easily clickable, especially on mobile devices.

Clear typography: Use a legible font that complements your brand. Ensure the text is large enough to read but doesn't crowd the button. You can play with typography to emphasize key words. Commonly, operative words like "free" are set in a different color or sometimes even a different font to attract more attention.

Negative space: Surround your call to action with plenty of negative, or empty, space. Setting your CTA apart from the other elements makes it more noticeable and gives it more importance in the eyes of your visitors.

Emoji use: Some brands find success with emojis, but if you choose that approach, remember that a little goes a long way.

Consistent styling: While CTAs should stand out, they should still align with your brand's overall design aesthetic. Consistency in design builds trust.

Last but not least, you should evaluate how successful your final call to action is and identify room for improvement. Creating your CTA may feel like a lot of guesswork and shooting in the dark—because it is. Testing it is much more clear cut. 

To get a basic idea of your CTA's performance, take a look at your analytics. Compare the page traffic to the number of conversions, and see what percentage of your total visitors clicked. 

Don't be alarmed if your conversion rate percentage feels low. Although there's no universal figure that applies to everyone in every industry, a reliable general metric is around 4% . If your conversion rate is higher than 4% but you're still not hitting your goals, try focusing on improving traffic to the site or page rather than tweaking the call to action. 

If your conversion rate is significantly lower, it's worth doing an A/B test on your design and copy. Try two different versions of your call to action, experimenting with different phrasing, colors, or fonts, and see which one performs better with your target audience. It's the most efficient way to reveal what works and what doesn't with concrete, empirical data, ensuring your CTA resonates with the target audience and drives the desired action.

Let's dissect some real-life CTA examples to learn how to use strategic copy, design, and placement to transform an ordinary CTA into a magnetic, can't-resist-clicking force.

1. JD + Kate Industries

CTA placement: Exit intent popup

CTA type: Lead to purchase

What it does right: Attention-grabbing, offers a valuable incentive, humorous and lighthearted

The brazen use of "WAIT" isn't a gentle suggestion; it's a command. Like someone grabbing your elbow just as you're about to duck out without a goodbye. It's intrusive, but in a way that makes you think, "Alright, what did I miss?"

Combine that with the sheer audacity of telling someone they've forgotten to buy not just one candle but HUNDREDS of candles. It's dramatic, it's over-the-top, and frankly, it's memorable. With copy like that, it's hard to resist giving away your email address because one can only wonder what their emails would be like.

2. Giftwrap.ai

CTA placement: Display ad

CTA type: Lead generation

What it does right: Engaging, personalized, visually appealing

It's refreshing to see something that doesn't pretend to know you better than you know yourself. Instead of telling you what your significant other might want, it's asking you to fill in the blanks. A little bit of personalization without the personal touch. Clever, really.

As for the CTA button, the emoji is a nice touch. Plus, the use of "show" rather than "buy" or "see" is like a little magic trick. "Voila! Here are your gift options."

3. Who Gives A Crap

CTA placement: Facebook ad

What it does right: Benefit-oriented language makes the CTA more appealing to users and encourages them to take action 

By comparing "Us" and "Them," they're not only offering a quantitative argument (385 sheets versus a paltry 299), but they're also injecting a bit of humor. And while I've never been one to count sheets, if you're telling me I get more for my money and it'll look cute next to my collection of HUNDREDS of candles, I'm sold. Also, describing the competitor as "objectively very boring" is a sentiment I've often used to describe my social life, but to see it on toilet paper? Well, that's something.

"28% cheaper than Charmin," followed by a "Shop Now" button isn't just a call to action; it's a call to revolution! A revolution of, well, saving on toilet paper and perhaps bringing a touch of flair to a decidedly unglamorous aspect of life.

CTA placement: Homepage header

What it does right: Creates curiosity, addresses pain points, social proof

There's something oddly reassuring about a direct, no-nonsense headline promising exactly what every website on this overcrowded internet wants: visibility.

The name-dropping of heavy-hitter customers serves as a strong endorsement. It's not saying, "Look who trusts us," but rather, "Look who you'd be in company with." And that "17,961 users joined Ahrefs in the last 7 days" is a nice touch. It's not boastful, but it's certainly not modest. It's a subtle prod to the undecided that says, "While you're contemplating, thousands have already decided."

This CTA is a perfect blend of self-assuredness, social proof, and just the right amount of peer pressure.

5. Ruggable

CTA placement: eCommerce email

CTA type: Limited-time offer

What it does right: Straightforward, creates a sense of urgency, sparks curiosity

There's something unapologetically direct about this ad. "Final hours to save until next week Black Friday"—it's not asking you, it's telling you. Time's running out, and if you're the type who thrives on the thrill of a last-minute decision, this is your moment.

The CTA is a master class in suspense. That "% OFF" lurking behind the button is like when someone says they've got news, but they'll tell you later—except instead of being left alone with your intrusive thoughts, conjuring up worst-case scenarios, you get a sweet discount on a cute, machine-washable rug.

CTA type: Product demo

What it does right: Solution-oriented, benefit-driven, relatable

"Email sucked for years. Not anymore—we fixed it." You mean that thing everyone's been complaining about since the dawn of the internet? It's about time, and I'm all ears.

The rest of the copy succinctly addresses customer pain points and aspirational desires. It paints a picture of a world where checking your email might feel more like reading a postcard from a friend rather than sifting through a pile of bills.

The CTA button, "See how HEY works," is straightforward. No flowery language, no over-the-top promises. Just a simple invitation.

7. Big Blanket Co

What it does right: Creates a sense of urgency, visually appealing, reassuring

The urgency of "limited quantities available...Reserve yours now before it's too late" is classic retail psychology. It's both an announcement and a challenge, like when a kid hears the whistle signaling the end of adult swim and races to be the first one to cannonball into the pool.

The "Limited Restock [Massive 10'x10' Blankets] 100 Night Guarantee + Free Shipping" is the clincher. It promises a combination of rarity, quality, reliability, and convenience, like a call to action Megazord.

What it does right: Addresses pain points, benefit-oriented, actionable

The genius of this homepage lies not just in its promises but in its initial question—a direct prod at the pain point of its target audience that immediately evokes a visceral response. Most, if not all, travelers will mentally answer "yes" to this, recalling their own airport nightmares. It's a calculated reminder of a situation everyone wants to avoid, making the solution they offer even more enticing.

"Get up to $700 compensation per passenger, no matter the ticket price." The clarity here is commendable. They're not promising the world, but a very tangible, specific amount. And the Trustpilot rating is a nod to credibility. It's like a friend vouching for a restaurant they swear by, but in this case, it's 157,892 friends.

The two fields for the departure and destination airports are a clever touch. It's interactive, pulling me in, like when a quiz promises to tell me which '90s sitcom character I am based on my questionable life choices. (I'm George Costanza.) The button, with its sharp contrast to the rest of the page, effectively captures attention while still aligning with the brand's colors and aesthetic. "Check compensation" offers an inviting, low-effort action, subtly guiding users toward their potential relief without overwhelming them.

In a world where we're constantly sold solutions to problems we didn't know we had, this CTA addresses a very real grievance with a straightforward promise. And in the often convoluted world of travel woes, that's a breath of fresh, cabin-pressurized air.

9. Crazy Egg

What it does right: Actionable, benefit-oriented, simple

Crazy Egg's CTA isn't trying too hard to impress. It's just good—well thought out, concise, and to the point.

First, the headline: "Make your website better. Instantly." A rather bold proclamation but commendably straightforward. Its use of the word "instantly" suggests that Crazy Egg has the answers, and they're not going to waste your time.

The "Show me my Heatmap" CTA button is, once again, admirably direct. It's not pleading for a click or asking for a moment of your time. It's telling you, in no uncertain terms, what's on the other side of that click.

What it does right: Clear and concise, visually appealing, strong call to action verb

First off, big ups to Zappos for not making me do math. Half off? I'm already intrigued and haven't even seen the shoes yet.

"Reveal today's deals" feels like a game show moment. What's behind door number one? A pair of boots? New house slippers? It's that momentary thrill, like unwrapping a gift—even if you end up paying for it yourself.

In an endless sea of emails screaming for attention, this one from Zappos does what it needs to do: it grabs you, shakes you gently by the shoulders, and says, "Hey, want something good for half off?" And in this economy, who can say no?

CTA placement: Landing page header

What it does right: Interactive and dynamic, personalized, sparks curiosity

By providing three clear choices (drive or deliver, eat, and ride), Uber shows that they understand and cater to the diverse needs of their users. This personalized approach instantly makes the user feel valued and attended to, whether they need a ride to the airport or just want to stuff their face.

The interactive nature of this dynamic content creates a sense of empowerment and involvement for the user. Even the tens of people unfamiliar with all of Uber's offerings will be intrigued by the distinct options, sparking curiosity and potentially leading them to explore other services beyond their original intention.

12. CareerBuilder

What it does right: Clear and concise, click-worthy secondary CTA

"Find your next job…fast!" Who are you, my dad? Although I suppose if someone's clicking their way onto a job-finding website, they're there for one reason: to snag a job, and preferably one that doesn't make them want to put a campfire out with their face.

CareerBuilder doesn't dilly-dally—they allow you to type in your wildly specific and/or desperate job requirements. And who's going to turn down the resume help offered in the secondary CTA? Talk about a lead magnet.

13. Airtable

CTA type: Gated content

What it does right: Social proof, sneak preview, clear and concise

You may be wondering why I included a very basic "submit" button in a CTA showcase, but pairing a straightforward button with great supporting elements like the headline, social proof, and sneak preview, is like sipping top-shelf wine from an old jelly jar. Sometimes, the simple stuff just ties everything together.

The large headline is as direct as my comments on whether a hotdog is a sandwich. (It's not.) Aimed at the so-called professionals in campaign planning, it speaks to a certain crowd, much like literally anything speaks to Swifties looking for Taylor's latest Easter egg.

The mention of leading companies like Shopify, Time magazine, Spotify, and Hearst adds credibility and trustworthiness. It's basically saying, "If these giants trust us, maybe you, in your comparatively minuscule existence, should, too."

The bullet list detailing what's inside the eBook provides clarity on the content, letting users know exactly what to expect, including insider tidbits from recognized brands. So, not only do you get smarter, but you also get to casually name-drop at the next girls' night. "I've been implementing campaign planning strategies inspired by Equinox and Taylor Guitars. NBD."

CTA type: Closing the sale

What it does right: Showcases diverse selection, clear and concise, highlights affordability

Max presents an impactful CTA through the Neapolitan ice cream of hero images, featuring Anderson Cooper, Ketel Marte, and Margot Robbie with Ryan Gosling. Collectively, these three flavors depict a panoramic view of Max's offerings, emphasizing a wide variety of choices only rivaled by the Cheesecake Factory menu. 

In a world drowning in content, they've managed, quite succinctly, to sum it all up with "It's all here. Plans start at $9.99/month." The ensuing "Sign up now" button invites visitors to subscribe, anchoring the CTA by providing a straightforward pathway to accessing all the consumable content your heart desires.

15. Adobe Stock

CTA placement: Google Search ad

CTA type: Free trial

What it does right: Benefit-oriented, actionable, relevant to the target audience

This paid search ad nails the CTA with a clear and easy-to-understand message. The headline "Free trial - Find the right image faster" immediately grabs attention by offering a low-risk way to experience the service. It also addresses a common pain point for users, highlighting the platform's efficiency. 

In very few words, Adobe found a way to combine attention-grabbing language, address user concerns, highlight the platform's strengths, and offer a valuable deal, making for a cleverly crafted CTA. If I were into such things, I might even click on it. But I have people for that.

CTA placement: Email

CTA type: Event promotion

What it does right: Multiple engagement opportunities, attention-grabbing, personalized

Much like the free sample stations at Costco, the strategic placement of three CTA buttons ensures the reader has multiple opportunities to engage, regardless of how far they wander (or scroll).

The header image immediately grabs attention with its vibrant graphic detailing key event highlights. This provides a quick snapshot of what to expect and builds anticipation.

Personalizing the body of the email to address readers by name creates a sense of intimacy. Instantly, they're all ears and feeling special.

Improve your CTAs now, free! 

While my dad's approach might have lacked the finesse of a well-designed button or the allure of clever copy, the sentiment was clear. And that's the heart of every good CTA. Whether you're nudging a visitor to make a purchase or nudging your offspring out of the nest, the principle remains the same. CTAs are about engaging your audience, prompting action, and, occasionally, a very pointed reminder to update your LinkedIn profile.

Now it's our turn to practice what we preach— try Zapier for free !

Related reading:

How to write great copy

eCommerce email marketing: A beginner's guide

How to write better

How to treat and prevent common marketing copy maladies

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Allisa Boulette

Based in New England, Allisa is a content marketer and small business owner who hopes to make the internet a more interesting place than she found it. When she’s not working, you can find her lying very still not doing anything.

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How to Develop a Call to Action (With Examples)

Table of Contents

When creating any type of marketing strategy or tactic, you should always have an endgame in mind. The goal of any marketing material is to get your prospects or customers to take some type of action.

Whether you’d like prospects to download your e-book so you can capture their email address, sign up for your course, go straight to buying your products, or take a different action, it isn’t easy to get them there without a strong call to action, or CTA. In this article, we’ll discuss what CTAs are, how to develop them and how other brands make CTAs work for them.

What is a call to action?

A call to action is a set of words or a phrase that pushes people to take action. A poorly crafted and executed CTA can result in subpar marketing performance , while a good CTA could make a positive difference in your company’s bottom line.

CTAs are often clickable, embedded elements in an ad or email or on a website. They are generally aesthetically distinct from other text and encourage users to engage by clicking through to a landing page , downloading a file or making a purchase.

Marketing copy that does not have a CTA can leave prospects feeling unsure of what to do. In the worst case, it results in them doing nothing, moving on, and forgetting all about what you offered.  

Benefits of good calls to action

Obviously, good CTAs get consumers to act, but these are some more specific benefits:

• Building up your audience (by collecting social media followers or subscribers to your email newsletter, for example)
• Adding purpose to your marketing
• Giving consumers clarity on what you want them to do after they’ve digested your content
• Helping push prospects along through the buyer journey process
• Increasing your leads and sales

If you don’t include a CTA in your marketing campaigns , you could be missing out on the above key benefits. You could be wasting your time creating marketing materials in the first place.

How to develop a strong call to action

Follow these best practices when creating your CTAs.

1. Put yourself in the shoes of your target customers.

If you were your target customer, what would inspire you to take action? If you can’t answer that, put a plan together to learn about your audience. Ask yourself these questions:

• What motivates your audience to buy your products and services?
• How do their minds work?
• What kind of offers do they prefer — such as “buy one, get one free,” or a percentage off the final price, or free shipping?
• Are people so passionate about your brand that you don’t need to entice them with an offer and can instead get them to act by asking them in a fun and engaging way?
• What problems does your audience have that you could solve for them?
• Can these problems be solved with an educational e-book, a free webinar or another type of giveaway?

Understanding the way your customers think and buy can help you create CTAs that speak to them, or maybe even tug at their heartstrings to get results. 

2. Experiment with length.

What’s better — a shorter or longer CTA? Like other factors, this depends on your audience. As a rule of thumb, don’t use unnecessary words; get straight to the point (unless you’re strategically adding humor to your CTA). In general, CTAs shouldn’t exceed 15 words; if they’re any longer, your prospects may lose interest and not follow them. However, if you’re torn on what to say, experiment with CTAs of slightly different wording and length to see what gets through to your audience.

3. Cater CTAs to where prospects are in the buyer journey process.

If your company has products and services that lend themselves to a long sales cycle, a CTA that prompts prospects to take action right away on their first touchpoint is unlikely to be effective. For products that are typically cheaper and require less planning to buy, though, you can often score the sale with a simple “buy now” CTA. Here are two examples:

Long sales funnel in the business coaching industry

Prospect Sally learns about you through your Facebook ad, which targeted people who have expressed interest in business coaching on the topic of managing staff. Your Facebook ad has a compelling photo and links to an article that promises to solve a common problem: learning how to be a good manager. The text in the ad offers a snippet from the article, compelling prospects to click the CTA button to find out what they can do to be a good manager.

Sally reads your article and is impressed by your content. She learns something new but has never heard of your brand before, so asking her to spend $1,000 for five coaching sessions is a big stretch. Instead, you conclude the article with a CTA to watch a free video that solves more of her problems. To access the video, she must provide you with her contact information.

Sally wants that information, so she gives you her name, email and phone number. In the video, she sees your face. She learns something about you and better connects with you. At the end of the video, you make your call to action more of a direct ask: “Sign up for my coaching program today and get one free session.”

Sally is now more likely to buy from you. Even if she doesn’t make the purchase, you have her email address, so you can send her drip campaigns with more great content and calls to action.

Short sales funnel in the skin care industry

If you sell products that lend themselves to consumers making impulse buys or overall cheaper purchases, such as skin care products, the CTA on your Facebook ad may only need to say, “Clear acne fast!” and link to a product page to get prospects to buy.

4. Experiment with different CTA writing styles.

Testing different CTA copy is key to getting the best results. Try these types of copy:

• Words that evoke emotion: “Make a $5 donation to help provide meals to hungry children.”
• Questions: “How can this be only 99 cents? Learn more.”
• Time-sensitive offers: “Buy one, get one free — today only!”
• Humor: Dancing figure pointing to a swipe-up button
• Solution to a problem: “Stop being confused about why she didn’t call you back. Get the answers.”
• Personalization (in a drip email campaign): “What are you waiting for, Sally? Claim your free session.”
• Your copy shouldn’t be overly complicated.
• If the CTA doesn’t work, don’t worry. Try again with different tactics until you strike gold.
• Your text should demonstrate value to the reader.

5. Make it look like a CTA.

A call to action can’t look like all the other text or images on your website; it needs to distinguish itself as a CTA. Consider a button design (as shown in the examples below), bold font or text within an image. When creating CTAs for social media posts , you could use emojis that point prospects to links. The bottom line is that you want to draw attention to your CTAs.

Best CTA examples to learn from

To give you a better idea of how to write CTAs, here are several examples of what’s working for other businesses.

Foot Cardigan

“For a while, we were using ‘subscribe now’ instead of ‘join the club.’ However, once we changed the CTA, the [click-through rate] doubled,” said Daniel Seeff, CEO of Foot Cardigan, a sock subscription company. “I believe that ‘join the club’ is more persuasive, as it uses unique wording and suggests some exclusivity.”

This CTA, he also explained, is a kind of social proof, as it hints that there is a “club” of other customers already enjoying the product.

“‘Join the club’ works better because users don’t get the feeling that they need to pay for something immediately,” explained Seeff.

Source: Foot Cardigan

Scalefluence

The team at Scalefluence found that keeping its company website CTAs short, to the point and at the top of its pages works best. This is a tactic that founder and CEO Tony Newton always advises other businesses to follow.

“Most people don’t have time or [won’t] take the time to scroll to the bottom of your website. With that being said, you may need to have one or two CTAs if you have two different types of audiences and position them at the top of your website.”

Newton offered this example from the Scalefluence homepage:

Source: Scalefluence

“This example from our website follows that strategy. Our CTAs speak to our influencers , with a little play from a well-known milk campaign of several decades now (‘got influence?’), and potential clients (‘need influence’), emphasizing ‘need’ first and foremost for marketers in the influencer space.”

Next up, he offered a CTA example from a bit further into his company’s subpages that adds context to the concerns of influencers who want to make sure they don’t compromise their audience by joining Scalefluence’s marketplace.

“Influencers are still in control of their creative process. Plus, we add a little bit of fun.”

Finally, because he believes that agencies and brands are more serious, Newton then focuses on an ROI CTA.

“Their concerns are spending money and not getting anything, which we also address, but now without any color or humor,” he added.

These three examples offer direction on how to integrate different CTAs for different parts of the sales process throughout your website.

Store Space Self Storage

As a marketer, you want your prospects to take action right away. A CTA with the word “now” in it encourages that. In the case of Store Space Self Storage, that word makes perfect sense and would be a natural action for prospects looking for a space near them.

Source: Store Space Self Storage

“Our CTA on StoreSpace.com is as simple as we can make it, and it works for us,” said Greg Birch, SEO manager for Store Space Self Storage. “It tells customers what they can expect to do by using this CTA: ‘Find storage now.’ This is what people come to our site to do, so we try to present it with as few frills as possible to make it happen quickly.”

A key point of this CTA, as Birch pointed out, is the flexibility for prospects to enter a street address, city or ZIP code.

“This way, it decreases the chance that they’ll have to search again, which would increase their chance of exiting our site and going to a competitor,” he added.

Delta Sonic

Calling prospects instead of emailing them can help you close a sale, but getting prospects to share their phone numbers can be a difficult task.

Meghan Tocci, a former content marketer with SimpleTexting, a text message marketing company that represents Delta Sonic Car Wash, found a way to incentivize prospects to offer up their phone number. [See our SimpleTexting review ] She noted that this single CTA earned more than 50,000 text subscribers across all 29 car wash locations:

Source: Delta Sonic

“Their CTA was a simple appeal: ‘Send us a text and we’ll reward you,’” Tocci said. “However, by adding the element of surprise by advertising a ‘prize’ versus a full description of what they would receive, the intrigue drove thousands of people to opt in to their marketing channel.”

Courtney Elmer

Sometimes you’ll need to create CTAs that push prospects through a sales funnel, as business coach Courtney Elmer, founder and CEO of The EffortLESS Life, did. She directed prospects to listen to her podcast episode in this Instagram post’s CTA:

Source: Courtney Elmer

Podcasters and entrepreneurs can pull tips or quotes from their podcasts, post them on Instagram, and prompt followers to listen to that specific episode to increase podcast downloads. This CTA helped Elmer increase engagement and prompted her followers to download and listen to her podcast, as noted by her marketing team. Then, if listeners like what they hear, they might sign up for one of Elmer’s services, such as a retreat or online coaching.

Bad examples of calls to action

Avoid these common mistakes for the best possible calls to action. 

The “learn more” button

A button directing readers to “learn more” or “get started” at the bottom of a page isn’t an inherently bad CTA, but it can feel generic. Calls to action should indicate clear steps to take so you can convert prospects into customers. With something as simple as a “learn more” or “start here” button, you might not incite a strong emotional response — or any action.

Single-word CTAs

A one-word call to action typically inspires a weak emotional response from the viewer. Ending an advertisement with “buy,” “join” or “subscribe” can read as cold and forceful, whereas a longer CTA gradually guides prospects to take action. 

Additionally, single-word CTAs are often too vague. Even if they’re clear action words, a prospect could have trouble interpreting them, causing you to miss out on valuable conversion opportunities.

Guilt-tripping

Offering a reward is a great way to get new customers, but guilt-tripping customers for turning it down won’t convince them to change their minds. If anything, this sort of last-ditch attempt can come off as annoying or offensive. That could cost you customers in the long run.

Develop a stellar call to action

A good call to action isn’t just a witty way to end advertisements — it can entice potential customers to continue down your sales funnel. The better your CTA, the more long-time customers you stand to gain, so don’t let a bad one hold you back. Use the tips above to develop CTAs that can help your business really stand out. 

Additional reporting by Isaiah Atkins and Max Freedman.

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MARKETING INSIGHTS

30 powerful call-to-action examples that visitors can’t resist

• Lena Sernoff
• 15 min read

When marketers and business owners create a website , they’re advised to use compelling calls-to-action (CTA) to persuade their target audience that clicking on their content is a must. A powerful CTA directs people to take action — whether to purchase, subscribe, book or do any other activity that serves the business’s goal.

Writing and designing effective CTAs isn’t always straightforward. On the one hand, you want your CTA to stand out, but you don’t want to appear too salesy or desperate. On the other, there are only so many words you can use to encourage visitors to buy, register or sign up without sounding repetitive. Through researching other successful calls-to-action examples, you, too, can master the art of crafting your own. To help, we’ve gathered our favorite call-to-action examples and compiled the best practices for writing one.

What is a call-to-action?

A call-to-action is a short phrase that prompts your audience to take the desired action on your website, landing page, email or advertisement. They are often clickable texts, images or buttons that guide the user to the next step you’d like them to take. However, call-to-actions can also be plain text with no link. Implementing good CTAs is essential for your business’s growth as it can significantly impact the success of your marketing strategies, and specifically your conversions, sales and lead capturing efforts.

Tips for crafting a call-to-action

Before we look at some call-to-action examples, let’s first define what makes a good CTA. This will help you understand why we've chosen the examples in this article, as well as make you better equipped to create great CTAs . Using the following CTA tips can help you get more clicks:

Use action words: The best way to build a sense of urgency, thereby encouraging people to take action, is through using action words in your content. Here are some examples of common action CTAs: buy, add to cart, order, shop, try, get started, sign up, subscribe, download, learn more, swipe up, continue and see more.

Write in the first-person: Writing in first-person can grab and hold readers’ attention, thus prompting them to respond.

Keep it short and simple: Be selective with the number of words you use in your CTA and how many calls-to-action you use on a web page or ad. When you avoid lengthy text, your message is able to stand out because it won’t get lost amongst other less crucial information.

Know what your audience needs: If you can anticipate your audience's "lead temperature" and readiness, you will be able to best influence their choice in clicking. Is the user realistically ready to "Buy now," or would they prefer to "Download" more information first? You should see your conversion rate and click-through rate increase by showing the most relevant information to a user at the right time.

Make your CTAs easy to find: By contrasting colors, sizes and strategically designing your CTA buttons, you can create the best user experience that could lead to conversions. Moreover, our website templates and landing page templates come with built-in customizable CTA buttons. These templates are arranged to make it easy to grab your audience's attention by being strategically placed on the page layout. They have also been designed in an optimal size and visual colors that nicely contrast with the background.

Best call-to-action examples

Domino's

International Rescue Committee

Carissa Potter

The Chef and the Dish

Saint-Isadore

Greek Sandals

Amazon Music

The Syntopia Hotel

Booking.com

Website call-to-action examples

01. wix.com.

CTA: Create a website you’re proud of

When we ask first-time users to create a website, we invite them to start something great for themselves — a business website, an online portfolio , a free blog or a digital CV — all offer opportunities to build a successful future. This is precisely what our CTA on the Wix.com homepage is meant to inspire. We are also tapping into emotions and feelings that can help trigger action. Paired with the message "Get started," this secondary CTA button is meant to convert the lead and motivate them to open an account with Wix.

CTA: Now is your moment to build a better tomorrow

To understand the strength of Slack's call-to-action examples, you need to consider its company mission which is to create “a better future.” Furthermore, they say "Slack is where the future works" and "Now is your moment to build a better tomorrow." These CTAs contrast nicely with the action word "now," thereby motivating you to make a purchasing decision today that will impact your tomorrow.

Slack’s homepage also includes a navigation menu that offers more information, such as pricing and other products. Yet, what stands out here are more CTAs like "Try for free" and "Talk To Sales" buttons. This straightforward web design compels visitors to progress in their customer journey.

CTA: Request a demo

The company Box offers cloud storage servers for large organizations like hospitals, universities and corporations. The company realizes that these types of ventures need to be able to establish personal connections between customers so that they are more willing to commit to the product. This is why the "Request a demo" CTA button is featured prominently on their website. It is a solid call-to-action example that addresses how important demos are in the SaaS world and how valuable it is to have the option to book them without going through extensive steps.

04. Domino’s

CTA: Delivery or carryout

Sometimes, one CTA is not enough to capture all audiences. That's what Domino's figured out when it decided to address visitors with two options, either get a pizza via "Carryout" or via "Delivery." The great thing about both CTAs is that the language is clear and actionable, prompting visitors to move forward with the purchase. While most call-to-action examples nearly always rely on a verb, the invitation to choose between the two is so clear that no verb is needed.

CTA: Why Zoom

Zoom's CTA success begins with its powerful opening statement on the homepage. In bold letters, the company announces: "Zoom is ranked # 1 in customer reviews." Its reputation as a top video-conferencing platform is well-known. That said, all that remains is for its CTA to make a final appeal for those who may not be customers yet: "Why Zoom" and "Sign up, it's free."

A combined effect of customer testimonials and a powerful CTA can drive users to sign-up and learn more about why Zoom is ranked so high. Afterward, they can simply register to be part of the experience. We are impressed by how Zoom has shown its competitive advantage by "flaunting" its strong reputation in a bid to nurture more trust.

06. International Rescue Committee

CTA: Donate

When simplicity and creativity meet, you can rarely go wrong. The International Rescue Committee's website makes very simple use of the word "Donate." There's a powerful message behind this word, especially with the bold and complementary color combo of black and yellow. The addition of a little heart icon to accompany it, reminds us of the art of giving and caring. This "Donate" call-to-action example summons our sense of moral duty.

07. Carissa Potter

CTA: Submit

Illustrators aren't famous for sending emails. That is until you see Carissa Potter's newsletter registration, who writes she "will only send you love and sometimes some words to go with it" with a delightful illustration of a hand-drawn envelope. Potter is able to make a personal connection and share her authentic voice in the form of a unique call-to-action. We are certain that many people who visit her Wix website to check-out her projects are more than happy to subscribe to her newsletter based on her heartfelt message.

08. The Chef and the Dish

CTA: Book your private cooking class

If you've ever used a cooking site, you might have noticed that many of them opt for a layout that centers around their most recent blog posts. There's nothing wrong with that, but it does make the process of searching for older recipes or cooking courses a bit more cumbersome. That's why we love The Chef and the Dish's Wix website and call-to-action examples. They highlight the option to "book your private cooking class" as the main element at the center of their homepage.

Also, The Chef and the Dish have added CTA buttons on their site that are customized by cuisine type. This tailored and clearly labeled design makes it extremely easy for a site visitor to find the kind of food they're interested in and immediately be able to move to the next step.

CTA: Let’s talk

Phone sales consultations are essential for digital service providers like Lever, a recruiting and hiring service. The company offers prospective clients the possibility to speak with a representative, thereby giving them a good first impression of the product before signing a deal. That’s why we like Lever's use of "Let's talk" in its CTA. This adds a sense of immediacy to the process using a casual tone that sounds approachable and friendly.

eCommerce call-to-action examples

10. modcloth.

CTA: Shop Halloween

As an online eCommerce website , ModCloth knows that it can get more sales using personalization in its messaging, which is adapted to seasonality and shows brand personality. This is why ModCloth's homepage keeps its CTAs up-to-date. For example, it currently has a "Shop Halloween" section with Halloween on the horizon. They've even added a friendly rhyme, "Have no fear, Halloween is here! And we're looking on the fright side with a collection inspired by the scream queens of the silver screen." This playful copy is far from mundane. If there's a way to create CTAs for holidays or big events, then take the extra step of demonstrating relevancy and freshness to customers.

11. Patagonia

CTA: Take action

Patagonia eliminates the need to search through a long list of links on its navigation menu. Instead, the outdoor apparel store guides you right away to the categories that most matter to customers: shop, activism, sports and stories. This is a terrific way to streamline shoppers toward their desired destinations.

On its activism page, Patagonia highlights its environmental efforts using a large CTA that reads "Take action," hoping to prompt site visitors to sign-up for volunteer work with a number of grassroots groups. This call-to-action example uses a nice play on words because by taking action on their site, visitors will also be taking action in improving their community.

12. Saint-Isadore

CTA: Shop online

Saint-Isadore's Wix website has two CTA buttons on it: one is outlined in a black frame that reads "Shop online," and the other is a classic button in pink that reads "Shop all." Both of these call-to-action examples take visitors to the same page, which is a common and effective CTA technique that casts a wider net to gain more clicks.

Different visitors may be attracted to one or the other for various reasons. What's important here is that Saint-Isadore did not simply replicate the button. They slightly altered both text and design so that these buttons remain unique but related.

13. Greek Sandals

CTA: Discover the collection

Wix user Greek Sandals evokes vacation and summer vibes across its website. With product images featured on the beach, site visitors know they're in for an adventure. Greek Sandals connects aesthetics with its CTA language in "Discover the collection." We believe the word "discover" was specifically chosen due to its association with uncovering new places while traveling.

Facebook ad call-to-action examples

CTA: Understand why users are leaving your site

Hotjar’s Facebook ad immediately informs its audience that the business can create better web experiences. The message “understand why your users are leaving your site” together with the phrase “Try Hotjar free” complement each other perfectly. Hotjar knows what troubles its target market and offers a solution in return.

15. SoundCloud

CTA: Get paid for your plays

Music streaming company SoundCloud, "talks music to our ears" with its Facebook ad copy. Their message is to the point, as it knows exactly what its audience hopes to achieve—get more plays. As being the only text on the page, the words seem too pop. On top of that, "get paid for your plays" rolls off the tongue because the letter "p" repeats throughout.

16. Outreach

CTA: Read now

Many of us say that if we had more time, we would read more. However, Outreach, a sales engagement platform, creates a sense of urgency around reading their guide now .

Outreach also has done a fantastic job using varying CTAs on the bottom right of its ad, "Download," and “Read now” at the top. This small change in wording allows users to choose between what messaging they best respond to, thus increasing the chances of converting.

Instagram ad call-to-action examples

17. amazon music.

CTA: Get offer

Getting six months of free Disney + sounds magical. But in order to make this Disney dream come true , you have to act fast. Amazon's use of the words "limited-time only" urges people to act on this special deal now. Amazon has done a superb job of tying it all up in a short and sweet final CTA "Get offer."

18. The Syntopia Hotel

CTA: Visit Instagram profile

Ever wondered how to get more profile views on Instagram? Apparently, you just need to ask according to the Syntopia Hotel. With an inviting CTA, "Visit Instagram profile," the hotel brand is able to bring its target audience to its page.

If you have a visual product or great hotel views like Syntopia does, then driving users to your Instagram profile is an effective way to promote your offerings. Besides, with a strong Instagram marketing strategy in place, you'll be able to make the most of your paid profile visits. From optimizing your professional Instagram business account, using all of the app's formats, to building robust content pillars, we've covered it all in our guide.

Google search ad call-to-action examples

19. stitch fix.

CTA: Take your style quiz today

Stitch Fix, an athleisure brand, opens with an intriguing offer to its clients. It asks people to take a style quiz to refine the looks and styles they'll show the visitor on the site. Then, using the incentives "Save 25%" and "Free shipping and returns" encourages visitors to take immediate action. Don't be shy to use quizzes in your next ad and CTA.

20. Booking.com

CTA: Quick and secure booking

Hotel website Booking.com knows just what its target audience yearns for when booking a hotel. The website's intro text reads "Quick and secure booking," paired with a smaller font that says "Book your hotel in Chicago now," thereby showing trust and readiness. The Google search advertisement also wraps up the copy with "Read real guest reviews." This intentional step demonstrates confidence in the company's ability to share past customers' voices.

21. Overstock

CTA: Last chance summer savings

The only good thing about summer ending is the sales that follow. Overstock, the furniture and home decor seller, really knows how to jump on the seasonal trend. Its Google search ad shows current relevancy and adds strategic words, such as "Last chance." Even if it's just subconsciously on our minds, the timing strikes us to act fast before summer has ended.

Display ad call-to-action examples

22. tableau.

CTA: Get the whitepaper

Spreadsheets enthusiasts are part of a niche target audience who appreciate advanced products and services. Tableau captures this very well in its choice to use the statement "5 things your spreadsheets can't do." The CTA helps potential clients imagine all the possibilities of Tableau products. Building suspense and hinting that Tableau can make their life easier, they add a final touch with the CTA "Get the whitepaper." We love how few words or imagery are on this ad, yet the message and inclination to click are still high.

23. Volkswagen

CTA: Find a dealer

Sometimes it's good to get straight to the point. In the carmaker Volkswagen's banner ad design , you can click on the "Find a dealer" button, leading you to where you want to go. Instead of a "Learn more" guide about the car's features, Volkswagen is confident it can help people find the perfect vehicle right away.

24. Upstart

CTA: Learn more

Some of the best call-to-action examples are those that spark curiosity. Upstart, a company that provides personal loans, knows just how much information to include in its display ad and still generates interest to click-through.

In its promotion, Upstart lists three of its value propositions with a very noticeable next step: "Learn more." This business knows that it would be best to offer more information for a first-time user as opposed to a "Sign-up today" CTA. It's essential to align your call-to-actions to the customer’s readiness.

Pop-up call-to-action examples

25. balloon.

CTA: Sign up to be notified of screenings in your area

Balloon's Wix website promotes a short film and provides information about upcoming screenings. Its "Watch now" CTA button is intentionally placed to cover the mouth of one of the movie's characters, which sends a strong message about the movie's plot. Additionally, Balloon has a pop-up call-to-action example with a window appearing at the bottom of the website.

This lightbox collects emails and notifies users of screenings in their area. The pop-up is too invasive since it's at the bottom of the page. With the help of a form builder , they've customized (and limited) the information in the required fields to increase their submission rate.

26. Backlinko

CTA: Get the free guide now

Backlinko knows why people come to its site and wastes no time giving them what they're looking for. The company is widely known for SEO training and link-building tips, so the minute you land on the homepage, a pop-up promotes a piece of gated SEO content with the CTA "Get the free guide now."

What Backlinko did in this CTA example was select a highly relevant guide to tempt its site visitors to give their emails. Later it can nurture its email list with marketing emails and newsletters. Who said pop-ups have to be invasive? In the case of Backlinko, we find it extremely useful.

Email call-to-action examples

CTA: Ride and save

The ride-sharing app Lyft keeps it short and sweet in its email marketing campaign . Lyft demonstrates that brief copy helps the brand's message come across powerfully and allows the "Ride and save" call-to-action example to roll off the page. It’s even designed with a shadow around it to create a 3-D visual effect. Lyft also uses the first person in order to speak directly to its readers with phrases such as "just for you" and "treat yourself."

CTA: Register now

Asana is a workflow solution that keeps projects organized and on track. Its marketing email immediately reveals that Asana can help with burnout, bounceback, and keeping employees motivated. After stating this workforce pain point, Asana calls for a solution that will be shared at its upcoming online event. Furthermore, it gives a glimpse of what you'll learn at the conference and asks you to "Register now." Since we’re all very busy professionals, make sure you, too, can entice people to make time for your next event.

29. Headspace

CTA: Get some Headspace

Meditation and sleep app Headspace use a wonderful call-to-action example that incorporates its brand name into the CTA. After introducing the different capabilities and features the app offers, it signs off with "​​Get some Headspace."

Typically the word "Get" is followed by phrases like "Get the app" or "Get the offer," but here, it uses the company name "Headspace" instead. They've found a clever way to create a pun with their name because by getting the app, hopefully, you'll get some clarity in your mind.

30. Chipotle

CTA: Get my guac

On National Avocado Day, Chipotle Mexican Grill jumps on the opportunity to make its customers happy with free guacamole. Instead of sounding robotic or mundane, the Mexican American fast-food chain makes this special day feel fun with its CTA: "Get my guac." The shortening of the word guacamole makes the brand's message easily digestible. Having an authentic brand voice, Chipotle succeeds in piquing interest and getting people to take action on its offering. Think of ways you can be playful in your CTAs, whether it's by shortening a word or using slang to connect with your audience.

Types of CTAs

Here are some common types of CTAs and their applications:

Lead generation: These CTAs aim to collect user information, such as email addresses or phone numbers, for lead generation purposes. Examples include "Sign Up for Our Newsletter" or "Download Our Free Ebook."

Sales: These CTAs encourage users to make a purchase or transaction, driving direct sales or conversions. Examples include "Buy Now" or "Add to Cart."

Content engagement: These CTAs promote further engagement with content, such as reading blog posts, watching videos or exploring additional resources. Examples include "Read More" or "Watch Now."

Social sharing: These CTAs encourage users to share content on social media, increasing brand awareness and engagement. Examples include "Share This Post" or "Follow Us on Facebook."

Event registration: These CTAs prompt users to register for events, webinars or workshops. Examples include "Register Now" or "Save Your Spot."

Contact CTAs: These CTAs direct users to contact the company or organization for inquiries or support. Examples include "Contact Us" or "Get in Touch."

Download CTAs: These CTAs encourage users to download resources, such as eBooks, whitepapers or case studies. Examples include "Download Now" or "Get Your Free Resource."

Subscription: These CTAs prompt users to sign up for recurring services or subscriptions. Examples include "Start Your Free Trial" or "Subscribe Now."

Feedback: These CTAs encourage users to provide feedback, reviews or testimonials. Examples include "Leave a Review" or "Share Your Feedback."

Donation CTAs: These CTAs encourage users to donate to a cause or organization. Examples include "Donate Now" or "Support Our Mission."

Remember, the effectiveness of CTAs depends on tailoring them to specific goals, target audiences and the context in which they are used.

CTA buttons and how to use them

CTA buttons play a crucial role in guiding users towards desired actions and achieving marketing goals. They serve as clear instructions that prompt users to take specific steps, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase or downloading a resource. Effective CTA buttons can significantly improve conversion rates and drive desired user behavior. They also allow for tracking and measuring their effectiveness, providing valuable insights for optimization.

How to use CTA buttons effectively:

Clear and compelling text: Use concise, action-oriented language that clearly conveys the desired action.

Visual prominence: Make CTA buttons visually prominent using contrasting colors, appropriate size and strategic placement.

Strategic positioning: Place CTA buttons in prominent locations where users are likely to see and click them.

Mobile optimization: Ensure CTA buttons are optimized for mobile devices, with appropriate size and touch-friendly design.

A/B testing: Continuously test different CTA button designs, placements and copy to optimize performance.

Remember, CTA buttons should be tailored to specific marketing goals and target audiences to maximize their effectiveness.

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• 17 Call To Action Examples (+ How to Write the Perfect Social CTA)

October 21, 2022 46 Comments Mark Quadros

A call to action can make or break the success of your social media campaign. If you use the right words, your CTA will inspire your audience to take action — click on your ad, download your ebook, add an item to cart… you name it. On the other hand, if your CTA isn’t catchy and persuasive, your audience will simply scroll past without noticing it.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about social media calls to action : what they are, what makes a CTA successful, and how to craft a persuasive CTA for your next campaign. We’ve also included 17 call to action examples (from social media and beyond) to get you inspired. That’s right: we’ve also included great examples from email campaigns and landing pages — because a good CTA is a good CTA, regardless of where it’s placed.

Let’s jump in!

What is a call to action (CTA)?

A call to action (or CTA) is a text prompt designed to inspire the target audience of a marketing campaign to take a desired action. For example, a call to action can encourage people to click on a link, leave a social media comment, visit an online store, make a purchase, etc.

A call to action can take up different forms:

• Plain text with no link

“Buy Now” or “Download Now” are typical examples of simple calls to action.

But a CTA can run longer, too, such as “Subscribe today so you’ll never miss a post.” The possibilities are endless.

Call to action examples from AdEspresso

A good CTA can help with decision fatigue and give meaning to your content. Even if it’s just a two-word phrase, users need some direction to know what to do next.

CTAs that create a sense of urgency will also help increase conversions .

As long as it encourages potential customers to stay engaged on your site, then your call to action has done its job.

Note that having one CTA highlighted is the most common way. At the same time, some marketers use both primary and secondary call to actions in their marketing. We’ll review some best practices of this later on.

How to write an effective CTA for social media (and beyond)

Social media is all about getting users to click on your posts and ads and engage. However, it’s no longer as easy as it sounds. 22.3% of people using ad blockers say there are “too many ads.”

It’s tough out there.

To combat this, increase your conversions and engagement with a compelling call to action on your ads and elsewhere on the web. Let’s see how you can achieve this.

Use strong action words

Writing short and strong CTAs is not only more persuasive, but it’s also necessary due to the character limits on ads. Start with a verb (“buy”) and follow with an adverb (“now”) or a subject (“ebook”) or both.

Here are two call to action examples to the above statement: “Buy Now” or “Download this ebook now.”

Below are some of the most common call to action verbs broken down by intention. Simply pair them with the offering of your business.

Tip: check your call to action against the LIFT Model (see below).

If we took our example from above, it would look something like this:

Download = relevance

this ebook = clarity

now = urgency

Download this ebook = value proposition

Use the text surrounding your call to action to:

• Reduce distractions (i.e., remove unnecessary links, images, etc.)
• Ease anxiety (e.g., add the disclaimer “no credit card required”)

Provoke emotion or enthusiasm

If you want to evoke an emotional response in your users, opt for a longer CTA. You’ll need to incorporate more modifiers in this case to get the desired effect.

Here are some examples:

• Add numbers: “Buy now and get 50% off!”
• Add adjectives: “Find your dream home with us!”
• Make a promise: “Lose weight in just 6 weeks!”
• Influence their FOMO: “Limited time offer. Get free shipping!”
• Play up your USP: “Order a hand-made soap now!”

Think up your own

You don’t need to stick to the good old examples, though. Get creative and make up your own call to actions.

First, verbalize to yourself what your company does for its customers (or simply look at your mission statement). For example, I run a spa where people get facial treatments.

Next, transform the verbs and modifiers into a 2-5 word call to action. Add relevant information where necessary → “ Get a free mud mask” or “ Treat yourself today!”

“Period better” – Thinx opted for the unique use of the word “period” as a verb in their CTA.

Tip: nobody gets their CTAs right the first time. Run at least one A/B test (but preferably more) on your ad to evaluate the strength of your call to action.

13 of the Best Call to Action Examples for 2022

In the following section, you’ll see what the techniques mentioned above look like in practice. Steal and customize the best CTA examples for your campaigns!

Facebook Ad CTAs

We’ll examine some Facebook ads with classic call to action examples. They may seem simple at first, but there’s more to uncover than what you see on the surface.

This ad from ClickUp is likely part of a retargeting campaign . Even if you don’t watch the video, the ad copy offers plenty of calls to action on its own.

Why it works

• Same CTA in the headline and the first sentence of the ad = the offer is clear (“Get 15% off”)
• The CTA is supported by objection-handling statements, such as “save 1 day a week”, “guaranteed,” and a list of features
• The “Learn More” call to action button assures the audience that they’ll get more info before committing

2. Shaw Academy

Can you spot all the call to actions in this Facebook ad? Hint: there are at least seven. Every element is coordinated here to instill a sense of urgency in the audience. Take note of the exploding colors, the alarm emoji, the many exclamation marks, and the multiple CTAs.

• Beautiful, contrasting colors with a CTA that stands out
• Multiple call to actions
• Sense of urgency to take action

Babbel is a language learning app that comes at you strong with various CTAs for their Facebook offer. It works because even if you don’t know this app, it quickly establishes a trust factor (“over 500,000 5-star reviews”). The post then draws you in with an attractive offer.

• The primary call to action is clear and direct: “Get up to 60% off!”
• They use the “Get Offer” CTA button to instill a sense of gratification in the audience
• Including the action word “join” + the number of reviews in the same sentence is a way to evoke the feeling of belonging to a community

4. Hootsuite

Hootsuite keeps it brief and concise with a few very targeted CTAs.

• All the call to actions are focused at the bottom while benefits are at the top of the post
• The “Learn More” CTA button leaves any extra info for the landing page

Instagram Ad CTAs

Sure, “swipe up” is available on Instagram ads, but you can get more clever than that. Below are some creative call to action examples for your Insta campaigns.

5. Headspace

Headspace’s Instagram ad is the perfect example of a custom-made call to action. “Snuggle up to Headspace” evokes a cozy feeling in users and personalizes the brand. Words like “snuggle” fit into the category of sensory words .

• They (smartly) opt to draw attention to the custom-made CTA and leave the “Get 30% off” as a secondary CTA
• They use the CTA button “Subscribe” after that to make it clear how that snuggling up will happen
• Coupled with a sweet, serene image, the whole CTA experience feels more like a gentle nudge for meditation and less like an ad

6. Elementor

As an event-type ad, Elementor gets it right. It displays all the key information regarding the event (name, speakers, date, and time).

Why it works:

• The two most eye-catching elements on the ad are the headline and the call to action button. They both have the same contrasting colors that stand out against the dark background.
• Both call to action buttons (‘Save Your Seat’ and ‘Book now’) are very concise and direct
• The old-school flair of the ‘save’ icon next to the CTA button works well with the target audience (likely consisting of more technical people)

7. Nøie Skincare

You have probably seen call to action examples like this in the advertising strategy of ecommerce brands. The main goal is to sell. At the same time, the ad focuses on the experience instead of rushing to take the user to a web page. In this case, “Shop Now” is the type of CTA that is direct, yet, the ad copy does most of the selling.

• The emphasis is on the product experience, which makes having just one call to action sufficient
• “Shop Now” is direct and to the point. The prospective customers know where they will be taken from the post

8. VAI Course

Esther Inman’s VAI Course ad keeps it fresh with the colors and a simple call to action button.

• The CTA text on the ad itself boasts about its main USP: the user gets a remote job pack every Friday
• The “See More” call to action button leaves the audience at ease knowing that they can still learn more about the product before signing up

Email conversion rates can soar as high as 15% . Take a look at the following email call to action examples from some brands who are doing it right.

9. Black Illustrations

Design agency, Black Illustrations prefers to use multiple CTAs in their email marketing. You can run your own test on this strategy, but it makes sense to include a few secondary call to action buttons if you have a relatively long email. Black Illustrations also adds a hyperlinked CTA to further help guide users to take action.

• Multiple CTA buttons (and hyperlinks) in a long email can increase your conversion rates.
• “Free with a subscription” stands out and keeps the main message clear for the user
• The color choice for the button works well with the brand yet still stands out

10. Audiense

The audience analysis tool, Audiense, prefers the long CTA route in their email marketing. Phrases like “show me…” or “take me to…” create a clear value proposition and helps the user feel in control.

• Using multiple words and first-person phrasing in your call to action could increase your relatability and CTR
• Users get a better sense of the type of page that awaits them after clicking
• When using a long-form CTA, you get to test a wider variety of versions

Landing page CTAs

Landing pages are great subjects to run a CTA test or two on. Below are some great call to action examples for your next campaign.

11. Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss’s email sign-up landing page is as minimalistic as it gets. No top menu, no links, or other distracting web components.

• The distraction-free page keeps the focus on the main CTA: to sign up for the newsletter
• The black headline and black CTA button provide a striking contrast to the white background
• “Get access” is a great call to action to use if you want to establish the feeling of receiving exclusive content in the user

Joy is a Canadian company that offers a razor subscription service for women. Their landing page is concise and fits all information to the visible area. The CTA button stands out as it’s the darkest element on the page.

• The contrasting color of the button helps users easily navigate to the next step
• The CTA copy itself follows ecommerce best practices: “add to cart” is an easy-to-recognize button in the industry
• The small-cap lettering (which fits the brand) lends a unique look to an otherwise highly used CTA

13. Leadfeeder

Leadfeeder’s own lead-generation landing page is simple with a clear value proposition. On the left, you get a summary of the ebook. On the right, you will need to provide some basic info and then click “Get the Guide” to submit your request.

• The CTA button is the only green item on the page
• “Get the Guide” engages the users with a clear offer

Website CTAs

Your landing pages may be the focus of your ad strategy. Still, it’s necessary to create a homepage with just as much converting power. Meet a few thought-out CTA examples below for your website!

14. Touchland

Touchland is here to sanitize your hands without making a mess. The “checklist” on the left (keys, wallet, phone, touchland) is cheeky. It’s a clever storytelling technique to place visitors into a familiar scenario while introducing the product.

• “Get yours” implies that a lot of people already have one – you will only fit in if you get yours
• The transparent call to action button gives the website an airy feel to it, which is on track for a business that sells a mist

With COVID-19 restrictions coming and going, travel sites like Airbnb have to develop ways to stay top of mind. They achieve this by featuring a wishlist of outdoor spaces and a dreamy illustration on their website.

• “Get inspired” is a soft CTA that invites the user to explore ideas for future travel (and remarketing)
• The call to action button itself stands out against the pastel-colored background

16. Smartlook

Smartlook is a user behavior analysis tool. They closely follow website best practices by placing a “hero” section above the fold (tagline+description+CTA). The main goal of the site is to prompt visitors to sign up for a free trial.

• The colorful call to action button provides a stark contrast against the grey and blue background – an immediate eye-catcher
• Using red and yellow colors on the button evokes a mixture of excitement and optimism in hesitant visitors
• The copy on the button says “Create free account” and the supporting text underneath is “No credit card required.” Both copies aim to overcome the subconscious objections of prospective users (Will it cost me anything? Will they charge my credit card?)

17. Ecom World

Ecom World is the website for “The World’s Largest Ecommerce Event.” They placed all of the most important info above the fold: what+when+where+the CTA.

• The call to action button coordinates well with the rest of the design elements. Throughout the site, the most crucial info tends to be highlighted in black.
• Multiple CTAs could increase conversions . Here, the “Buy Tickets” CTA appears three times above the fold alone (main navigation, in the hero, and in the sticky nanobar)

CTA buttons: Why they matter & how to use them

You can — and should — use CTAs on all types of marketing materials and on every platform you’re marketing on. This includes PPC ads of course, but it also includes landing pages, websites, blogs, newsletters, emails, and more. Sometimes, this means that you just need to stick to a plain-text CTA that’s possibly hyperlinked.

In plenty of cases, though, there’s a good chance that you would benefit significantly from clickable CTA buttons.

That’s why even Facebook has short, clickable CTA buttons that you can add to every ad campaign, and why you’ll see so many landing pages with bright “Sign Up Now!” text in a big yellow button. Clickable CTA buttons specifically have been proven many times over to increase conversion rates significantly. One study found that adding a CTA button to their article templates increased conversions by 83%, and it boosted ecommerce conversions by 22%.  Copyblogger found something similar; when their CTAs looked like buttons instead of plain text, they saw a conversion rate increase of 45% .

Let’s take a look at a few best practices for CTA buttons and how to use them in ads and on your site (including site pages, landing pages, and even your blog.

Facebook Ads

You know we had to start with Facebook Ads!

For a few years now, Facebook has had clickable CTA buttons built into the native interface. Button options include “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” “Download,” “Send Message,” and more. The idea is that you can use these CTA buttons to reinforce your ads, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

You should absolutely always include a CTA button on your ad campaigns in addition to using a CTA in the headline and/or description copy, too. Users intuitively are more likely to click when they see that button prompting them to take action without even realizing it.

Remember to tailor your CTA based on the ad that you’re running and the stage of the funnel that you’re targeting. Opting for “learn more” for users earlier in the funnel can feel lower-risk and less pressure than starting with a “Shop Now,” but this depends on the ad and the audience.

And if you’re wondering if these CTAs matter, know that they most definitely do. AdEspresso recently ran a $1000 experiment testing different types of CTA buttons on Facebook Ads to see what was most successful – and the result was astounding.

Overall, the top performer (Download) gained 49 conversions for $5.10 each, while the worst performing CTA (no button at all) achieved only 20 conversions at $12.50.

This means that you can end up paying more than twice as much for a conversion depending on the CTA you choose – something we would have never figured out without split testing.

We recommend testing out your CTA buttons using our internal split test engine to see which your audience responds to. This will allow you to test every possible combination of CTAs, and allow you to easily determine which is giving you the most conversions for the cheapest price.

 AdEspresso can even automatically pause your underperforming combinations using our Automatic Optimization feature , taking the guesswork out of campaign management altogether.

Your Website & Landing Pages

It’s always a good idea to use clickable CTA buttons to help users navigate through your site and to take certain actions. This is important both for your general website and your landing pages, too.

You can use these buttons to prioritize certain actions or to take users through typical paths that users follow when they’re most likely to convert. (On my site, for example, Google Analytics has shown that people who visit my portfolio page first are 6x more likely to get in touch with me than those who just view my contact page first.)

On landing pages and the home page of your website, you’ll want to make sure that the CTA button meets the following criteria:

• It uses contrasting colors to jump out at the user.
• It’s clearly a clickable button designed to improve navigation.
• It utilizes brief copy on the button itself but is often surrounded by copy that adds context and makes it more persuasive (like the example above).
• It should appear above the fold on the page, meaning that users can see at least one CTA button before they’d need to scroll down to see more information on the page. Make sure you take this into account on both desktop and mobile sites.

When you’re creating landing pages and site pages, remember to test them. Most people don’t realize that you can test site pages just like you would PPC campaigns when you’re using tools like Unbounce . Test different types of CTA copy, different placements, or even different colored buttons. Look for what works best, and optimize your pages accordingly. You can learn more about how to do this by checking out our $1000 case study here .

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February 21, 2018 at 9:03 pm

March 14, 2018 at 1:14 am

What a list! Huge! Thanks for sharing such an incredible list. Either way, keep doing good work!

July 10, 2018 at 2:14 pm

My name is Kevin and I am a Senior Project Manager at IdeaPros, a company that turns ideas into real life businesses – similar to an incubator. Our team consists of experienced professionals, which have the capacity to turn any idea into a successful business. There is one aspect that we are lacking, which is the copywriting and compelling call to actions for landing pages/websites. We need someone that has experience in creating compelling call to actions and copywriting in order to intrigue customers/visitors to purchase a product.

Our company has over 120 clients, which is growing everyday. We are a high-caliber company with constantly growing client list.

We are looking for a marketing professional to refine the copy and call to actions on the websites that we make. From describing the product to creating simple sentences, we need someone to produce this content. There will be numerous projects a week and the work will never end, hence we will negotiate a price that is fair for the long run. Please let me know.

Warm Regards, Kevin Nguyen IdeaPros | Senior Project Manager [email protected]

July 11, 2018 at 11:18 am

Hey Kevin, I think this FREE webinar can be very helpful More Than Words: How To Write the Perfect Facebook Ads Copy It will go live on Tuesday, July 17th, at 10 am (PST). Mark it on your calendar and reserve your spot now by clicking here !

August 9, 2018 at 9:38 pm

Great!! nice to read!! thanks for sharing it Dth Button Bits Exporters

September 15, 2018 at 4:01 am

The information you’ve got shared is extremely attention-grabbing. this may extremely useful for users. Thanks for sharing such a meaty weblog

November 15, 2018 at 9:33 am

Very informative article with good reference. Very useful and informative for front end designers. Keep up the good work.

October 10, 2021 at 2:53 am

Can we have updated version of this article. Web has changed a lot since this was published first. Thanks

November 29, 2018 at 10:44 am

Thanks much, practical suggestions.

December 15, 2018 at 10:28 am

Thanks for the nice article, Ana. Just wondering whether the rules are sort of persisting or a fashion thing. If everyone is doing it the same way, won’t readers get fed up with it and resist the CTA? By the way, Happy New Year!

December 29, 2018 at 3:42 pm

Excellent article! Thanks for sharing exceptional value-added content.

January 8, 2019 at 1:33 am

thanks to sharing this very good article about call to action good examples ..good job

January 8, 2019 at 1:35 am

the wonderful information call to action thank you so much great job thank you

January 16, 2019 at 8:01 am

Thanks for sharing!

January 17, 2019 at 7:29 am

Hi Buddy, thanks for the nice and informational post… Loved it!

February 3, 2019 at 7:29 am

Thank you for sharing this valuable information which is easy to implement.

March 2, 2019 at 4:17 am

Excellent information

April 9, 2019 at 11:45 pm

great post on CTA

April 11, 2019 at 11:53 pm

These CTA examples are very useful.

April 15, 2019 at 10:45 am

Very informative & keep sharing, You are a student and don’t know how to earn? So don’t worry Now, you can Make Money As A Student easily.

April 17, 2019 at 10:09 am

Loved your article!!! Very detail explanation, thanks for sharing the information! I need to try it now 🙂

April 20, 2019 at 4:31 am

I am continually browsing online for ideas that can help me. Thank you! http://rahuldigital.org

April 21, 2019 at 10:48 pm

Nice information. Thanks

April 30, 2019 at 4:41 am

Amazing article – it is good to know, that other websites also name small details as the most crucial ones. We can see, that every step requires personalization, that is the reason why we created unique CTA phrases generator – http://www.ctagenerator.com

July 4, 2019 at 1:36 am

Hey Ana, I want to thank you for shariing your knowledge with us. I really appreciate you for such a great post. You have provided lots of information in an easy and understandable way.

September 20, 2019 at 10:33 am

Thanks for sharing such awesome call to action examples just loved it. definitely going to try these example in our next campagin.

November 9, 2019 at 4:10 am

A call to action is an invitation for a user to take some desired action. You often see call to action examples in persuasive writing. Once a brand has made its case in a blog post or video, for instance, they’ll often include a call to action at the end.

November 30, 2019 at 6:53 am

One of the best uses of FOMO in your CTA is to mention a sale or promotion that your company is holding, and which won’t last forever. You probably get emails with this sort of messaging all the time, I know I sure do. I’m talking about messaging like “Shop today! Sale ends on Monday,” perhaps during a three-day weekend. Or even “buy now while supplies last!” during the holiday season. It’s tough to ignore a prompt like that, especially during a time-sensitive, under-the-gun type of situation (e.g. the Christmas season). Similar to provoking enthusiasm as we discussed earlier, provoking fear of missing out in your CTA is sure to get you some additional clicks.

December 21, 2019 at 2:00 am

Getting the balance of ‘you’ and ‘us’ is important everywhere else in your website (and emails!). (Re #37 above)

January 24, 2020 at 3:14 am

Great post always testing different CTA on both Facebook and Adwords to see what can improve CTR and Conversions. The examples above are highly useful to get me thinking more creatively.

March 7, 2020 at 12:53 pm

Do you have a preferred call-to-action, or perhaps one that surprised you with how well it did? What about one that you were hoping would perform well but ended up bombing? I’d love to hear about it, so feel free to sound off below!

May 20, 2020 at 6:02 pm

I used CRO based CTR label variations with button colors and it helped me to improve leads.

June 7, 2020 at 11:31 am

informative article, thanks for sharing this article.

June 11, 2020 at 10:02 pm

Nice post I learned a lot here thanks.

June 19, 2020 at 2:20 am

Thanks for sharing such awesome call to action examples. you have explained it very will. i have also written on same you can visit my website: Hestabit

July 24, 2020 at 9:01 pm

This list is just what I was looking for. I was in need of a CTA for my ad I was doing so this was timely. Thanks!

January 26, 2021 at 10:38 pm

Absolutely useful article, I’m crafting my first landing page and I so need it.

February 13, 2021 at 2:42 am

You have a very good list of CTA examples here. Thank for working hard to provide these example with great explanations.

May 16, 2021 at 12:51 am

Very much useful article, I have been using this, But in different industries it’s very much useful.

Thanks again.

May 18, 2021 at 6:36 am

Having the right CTA can make all the difference to your business’s bottom line.

May 18, 2021 at 8:23 am

CTAs have always been a weak spot, but this is super helpful. Thanks!

[…] Almost all of your marketing content should have a well-crafted call to actions meant to encourage action. https://adespresso.com/blog/call-to-action-examples/ […]

[…] Call to Action […]

[…] to https://adespresso.com/blog/call-to-action-examples/  you cant just have any call to action, it must be strong enough so people will be convinced enough […]

[…] put a cap on this, without a call to action on your visual content, you risk drawing zero leads to your brand. Your CTA must not be less than three words. Even more […]

[…] 31 Call To Action Examples (And How to Write the Perfect One) https://adespresso.com/blog/call-to-action-examples/ […]

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• How to Write the Perfect B2B Call to Action (With Examples)

In this post, we share tips on how to create an effective b2b call to action (with examples). 

A call to action (CTAs) is arguably the most important element of an effective B2B website . You can have stellar messaging , a design that demands attention and a top-notch user experience, but if you don’t give your prospects the opportunity to engage with your brand in a meaningful way, is your website really doing you any favors?

A call to action is an invitation to your prospects to take the next step in their purchasing journey by asking them to complete a specific task. When you think about B2B call-to-action examples, you likely think of a “Contact Us” or “Learn More” button, but there is so much more to B2B CTAs than those lackluster examples.

We’ve put together a guide to help you craft and design a B2B call to action that will convert more of your prospects into paying customers.

How Does A B2B vs. B2C Call to Action Differ?

You’ll notice in this guide that we’re specifically emphasizing B2B call to action buttons. That’s because there are some big differences between which CTAs will work for B2B customers vs. B2C.

For starters, the B2B buying journey is different from the B2C customer journey. For example, the B2B purchasing journey often:

• Involves more research by the purchaser before a decision is made
• Has a longer sales cycle than B2C purchases
• Requires additional input and/or approval from multiple stakeholders
• Targets different customer personas
• Tries to accomplish multiple objectives based on where the buyer currently is in their purchasing decision

Because it’s important to cater call-to-action buttons to your specific audience and offering, the best CTAs – and often the entire website structure – for B2B websites will look vastly different than a B2C product, service or e-commerce site.

5 Elements of Effective B2B CTAs

Not all B2B CTAs are created equal, so how do you know which ones are best for YOUR organization? This will take a deep understanding and consideration of your target audience and their motivation for considering your product or service.

While a B2B call to action should be catered to your business, there are a few best practices you can use as a launch pad.

1. Offer Instant Gratification

Depending on the level of investment required, B2B sales cycles can be long. What can you offer your prospects that will give them immediate gratification if they’re not yet ready to purchase?

One great way to do this is to add a timeliness element to your call to action. For example:

• “Take our 5-minute quiz”
• “Download our free how-to guide now”
• “Chat with us live”
• “Start your 7-day trial”

Other examples of a B2B call to action that focus on instant gratification include offering a free add-on service when a user signs up for your email list or offering a pre-recorded demo they can watch immediately instead of scheduling a live demo in advance.

2. Focus on One Specific Action

B2B CTAs should always focus on one action you want your prospect to take. Offering multiple options at once can be confusing and make it less likely that a user will take any action at all.

It’s also best to be specific and to make it easy for your prospects to take the desired action. This can often be done with a call-to-action button that leads directly to a contact form, quiz, video or landing page that contains content that is directly relevant to the action they’ve taken.

For example, if you want your prospects to learn more about a specific feature for your SaaS product , you might lead them to a landing page that focuses solely on that feature. The CTA in this case might be, “See this feature in action” or “Sign up for new feature updates.”

3. Use Meaningful Messaging

Your website visitors will only engage with your brand if they feel they have something to gain from doing so. This is why it’s critical to understand your particular audience .

Ask yourself:

• What are their motivators?
• What are their pain points?
• Why should they choose your product or service over the competition?
• What do they value?
• How would your product or service be integrated into their existing business structure or workflows?

Ultimately, you are trying to convince them that your B2B product or service can help make their life easier. To do that effectively, you must understand what their daily work entails.

For example, if you’re selling a SaaS product that helps companies understand their website traffic, your visitors are motivated to find a tool that can help them see what visitors are doing on their website. As a CTA, you could invite them to input their site URL in exchange for preliminary information about their site’s performance.

This example speaks directly to their motivation AND offers the instant gratification of seeing their own site’s performance and how your software works.

4. Place Them Strategically

Your website should tell a story, and it should go something like this:

• Acknowledge your customer’s pain point(s)
• Explain how your offering can solve it
• Share a little about who you are and what makes your solution different than competitors
• Maybe share a few case studies or stats that give your solution added credibility
• Encourage a purchase

Your CTA buttons should be placed where it makes the most sense based on the action you’re trying to get your user to take.

For example, it makes more sense to add a CTA to “Start Your Free Trial” after you explain how your offering can solve their problems than it does to place it directly under a section that only acknowledges their challenges.

Similarly, a CTA to “Download a Comparison Sheet” that compares your solution with competitors should match with the section where you outline your differentiators as opposed to being placed at the very bottom of the page.

Aside from ensuring your CTAs align with your content, you should also ensure you place a compelling call to action in the following places:

• “Above the fold” of your website, which refers to placing your call-to-action button at the top of your page before a user even has to scroll
• At the very bottom of your page, so your visitors clearly understand what they need to do next
• At the end of your blog posts
• In any pop-up messages that show when a user first lands on your site
• If possible, a CTA should be visible at all times while scrolling

5. Lean on Data

The best thing about using a B2B call to action is that they’re trackable. It’s always a good idea to A/B test your CTAs to see which ones convert more leads. This helps to take the guesswork out of which CTAs work best and are most relevant to your audience.

The Importance of CTA Design

Aside from the specific text you use in your B2B call to action, their visual appearance is also important . CTAs should be noticeable and stand out from the rest of your content so they’re easy to find.

A few ways to use web design principles to your advantage when it comes to CTAs include:

• Use big font
• Use a different background color for your call-to-action button than is used on the rest of your site
• Utilize white space around your CTA to help it stand out
• Make your call-to-action button actually look like a button
• Use defined borders for your button
• Use contrast colors
• Incorporate motion or animation that calls attention to it

Your CTAs should be easily recognizable so that it’s obvious to prospects that they’re hyperlinked.

B2B Call-to-Action Examples

Perhaps the best way to demonstrate the effectiveness of well-thought-out CTAs is by sharing real-life B2B call-to-action examples. Here are a few that stood out to us.

Used to identify keywords and online ranking data, Semrush allows visitors to immediately test the platform out for themselves by offering marketing campaign data related to a specific site URL or keyword of their choosing.

This CTA speaks directly to the motivation of Semrush’s prospects, who are likely looking for a tool to help them better understand how they can improve the ranking of a specific site.

A project management software, Monday uses a single CTA of “Get Started” but enables users to customize the information they receive based on the features they need most. This makes it easy for prospects to find the information they’re looking for while also learning about all that Monday has to offer.

HubSpot consistently uses two call-to-action buttons across their site:

“Get a Demo” “Get Started Free”

We like this example because it accounts for the fact that not all visitors are at the same point in their buying journey.

If a prospect is in the beginning stages of researching their options, a demo is a good first step. If they’re already familiar with HubSpot or have already narrowed down their choices, trying the platform out for free might be the last step needed before they make a purchase.

SimpleStage

SimpleStage , a collaboration platform for web designers and their clients, offers prospects the opportunity to try a live demo of the platform immediately instead of scheduling one in advance. This is a great no-risk way for prospects to try out the product before involving any sales reps.

Turn More Visitors Into Conversions

A well-written and well-placed B2B call to action is vital to your website’s performance, but it’s only one piece of a broader puzzle. Motion Tactic specializes in guiding clients through a B2B website strategy , design and development that all work together to win more of your best customers.

Book your discovery session now !

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What Is a Call to Action?

Definition & Examples of Calls to Action

Mindy Lilyquist is an experienced marketing professional. She is the founder and creative director of Epiphany Marketing Management, serving small businesses since 2007.

Mark Atkinson / Getty Images

A call to action (CTA) is a statement designed to get an immediate response from the person reading or hearing it. If you find that your leads and prospects aren't taking the next step in your sales process—whether that's buying or simply requesting more information—the problem could be a faulty or non-existent call to action.

Learn more about calls to actions, their role in sales, and how they can benefit businesses of all types.

Calls to action are used in business as part of a marketing strategy to get your  target market  to respond by taking action. It's generally used at the end, or sometimes throughout a sales pitch, to let potential clients and customers know what to do next if they're interested in what you offer.

It seems obvious to let people know the next step in doing business with you, but the truth is, many new business owners don't have calls to action in their marketing and sales pitches. This is usually for one of two reasons:

• A belief that the  prospect  already knows what to do if they're interested in buying or learning more
• Concerns that calls to action are obnoxious and will annoy the potential customer

Whatever the reason, leaving calls to action out of your marketing materials can mean losing prospects and money. They are essential in directing a prospect to the next step of the sales funnel or process. Don't assume people know what to do when they read your ad or marketing materials. You'll get greater results by being clear about what the prospect needs to do next.

• Acronym: CTA

Every time you're in front of your lead or prospect, ask them to take the next step, whether that's to read more, give feedback, sign up, or buy.

How Calls to Action Work

The most obvious use for a call to action is in sales, such as "Buy Now!" However, the sales process isn't the only place a call to action can be helpful. If you have a high-priced item or service, in which it can take time to encourage someone to buy, a call to action that acts as a road map toward sales can be helpful. For example, you might say, "Call now for a free estimate."

A call to action can be used to build your email list ("Sign up for a free report now."), increase your social media following ("Get more tips and coupons by following us on Facebook!"), keep readers on your site ("Click here to read more about..."), and much more. Call to action phrases use action verbs, such as:

• Click here for

Make sure each page of your website, each sales conversation, and every piece of printed material contains a clearly defined and easily identifiable call to action. If you're a blogger, have a call to action at the end of your blog post to read another related article, check out your product or an affiliate product, or sign up for your email list. One useful technique to get people to take action immediately is to add a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out. For example:

• Offer expires on Halloween
• Limited time offer
• Act now before supplies run out
• Respond before July 30 to enroll at this special price

Test out various CTA options, switch them out one a time, and then check to see if one leads to more responses and sales than another.

Benefits of Calls to Action

Calls to action are essential for any business looking to convert prospects into customers and clients. As a business, you can never assume prospects will follow the sales path you predict or want them to take. Having a call to action helps guide the prospect through the sales funnel and enhances their user experiences by being direct and telling them what you want them to do.

Key Takeaways

• A call to action is a statement designed to get an immediate response from the person reading or hearing it.
• Calls to action use action verbs.
• CTAs help improve user experience and move them through the sales funnel.
• They are essential in turning prospects into clients and customers.

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Blog What is an Action Plan & How to Write One [With Examples]

What is an Action Plan & How to Write One [With Examples]

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Oct 26, 2023

An action plan is a meticulously structured strategy that pinpoints specific steps, tasks and resources vital to turning a goal into reality. It is extremely useful in any project management. 

Crafting an action plan is like plotting a route for a cross-country journey. It’s the strategic map that outlines every step, decision and pitstop needed to reach your ultimate destination.

With a well-thought-out action plan, you’re not just shooting in the dark; you’re making informed, purposeful strides towards your goals. Dive deep with our guide and witness real-world examples that will inspire and guide you.

Need a tool to kickstart your planning? Try out the Venngage business plan maker and explore their extensive collection of action plan templates .

Click to jump ahead: 

What is the purpose of an action plan?

When to develop an action plan, 7 components of a actions plan, 15 action plan examples.

• How to Write an action plan?

Final thoughts

An action plan serves as a strategic tool designed to outline specific steps, tasks and goals necessary to achieve a particular objective.

Its primary purpose is to provide a clear roadmap and direction for individuals, teams or organizations to follow in order to efficiently and effectively accomplish their goals. 

Action plans break down complex projects into manageable, actionable components, making it easier to track progress and stay on course.

Moreover, action plans play a crucial role in fostering accountability and coordination among team members. By assigning responsibilities and deadlines for each task or milestone, they ensure that everyone involved is aware of their roles and the overall timeline, reducing confusion and enhancing teamwork. 

Additionally, action plans help in resource allocation, budgeting and risk management by enabling stakeholders to identify potential challenges and plan for contingencies. 

Overall, the purpose of an action plan is to transform abstract goals into concrete actions, making them more achievable and measurable while ensuring that the resources and efforts are aligned with the desired outcomes.

Developing an action plan is crucial when you’re looking to achieve a specific goal or outcome. Here are instances when you should consider developing an action plan:

• Start of an organization : Ideally, an action plan should be developed within the first six months to one year of the start of an organization. This initial plan lays the groundwork for the future direction and growth of the entity.
• Project initiation : At the start of any project, an action plan helps to clearly define the tasks, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Goal setting : Whenever you or your organization sets a new goal. Action plans transform these goals from abstract ideas into concrete steps.
• Strategic planning : For long-term visions and missions, action plans break down the journey into manageable pieces, each with its timeline and responsible parties.
• Performance improvement : If there are areas where performance is lacking, whether it’s personal or organizational, an action plan can outline the steps needed to elevate performance.

An action plan is a detailed outline that breaks down the steps necessary to achieve a specific goal. Here are the typical components of an action plan.

1. Objective or Goal

The cornerstone of your action plan is the objective or goal. This should be a clear and concise statement outlining the desired outcome or result. Having a well-defined objective provides a direction and purpose to the entire plan, ensuring all tasks and actions are aligned towards achieving this singular aim.

2. Tasks or Actions

Once the objective is set, the next step is to list down the specific tasks or actions required to achieve this goal. These tasks should be broken down into detailed steps, ensuring no essential activity is overlooked. The granularity of these tasks can vary based on the complexity of the goal.

3. Set deadline

For each task or action, set a realistic and achievable deadline. This timeline ensures that the plan stays on track and that momentum is maintained throughout the execution. It also allows for monitoring progress and identifying potential delays early.

4. Resources needed to complete the project

It’s crucial to recognize and list the resources you’ll need to complete the tasks. This can encompass financial resources, human resources, equipment, technological tools or any other assets. Identifying these early ensures that there are no bottlenecks during execution due to a lack of necessary resources.

5. Person responsible

Assign a person or a team for each task. This designation ensures accountability and clarity. When individuals are aware of their responsibilities, it reduces overlap, confusion and ensures that every task has someone overseeing its completion.

6. Potential barriers or challenges

Every plan will face challenges. By anticipating potential barriers or obstacles, you can be better prepared to address them. This proactive approach ensures smoother execution and less reactionary problem-solving.

7. Measurement of key performance indicators (KPIs)

Determine how you’ll measure the success of each task or the plan overall. KPIs are tangible metrics that allow you to gauge progress and determine whether you’re moving closer to your goals and objectives. They offer a quantifiable means to evaluate success.

Action plans serve as blueprints, guiding the steps and resources needed to achieve a specific goal. 

They come in various formats, tailored to different scenarios and objectives. Here, we present a range of action plan examples that cater to diverse purposes and situations. 

From business strategies to simple task lists, these examples illustrate the versatility and importance of well-structured planning.

Business action plan example

A business action plan is essentially a strategy roadmap, meticulously tailored for realizing broader business objectives. By crafting a solid action plan, businesses can channel their resources, manpower and strategies in a direction that harmonizes with their larger vision.

Key to this plan is the identification and alignment of steps that resonate with the company’s comprehensive strategy, ambitions of growth and aspirations for operational enhancements. 

While this might entail a myriad of specific steps based on unique business goals, some common elements include setting clear key performance indicators (KPIs), undertaking a thorough SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to grasp the current business landscape and establishing a timeline to keep track of progress.

Furthermore, allocating responsibilities to team members or individuals ensures that every aspect of the strategy has a dedicated focus. Budgeting, essential to the success of the action plan, ensures that every initiative is financially viable and sustainable. 

Regular reviews and iterations based on feedback and changing market dynamics keep the action plan agile and relevant.

Related: 5 Steps to Create an Actionable Employee Development Plan [with Templates & Examples]

Company action plan example

A comprehensive company action plan serves as the strategic linchpin, ensuring a coherent and coordinated approach to realizing organizational goals. Central to this plan is the incorporation of rigorous market research and analysis, which provides insights into consumer behaviors, market trends and potential opportunities. 

Equally vital is the focus on product development and procurement, ensuring that the offerings align with market demands and stand out in terms of quality and relevance. 

Alongside, adept legal and financial management safeguards the company’s interests, ensuring compliance with regulations and prudent fiscal oversight.

Moreover, the essence of any successful company action plan lies in its sales and marketing strategies. These define how the products or services are positioned and promoted in the market, ensuring visibility and engagement with the target audience. 

However, while acquisition is crucial, retention plays an equally significant role. Hence, impeccable customer service and nurturing relationships become indispensable components, fostering loyalty and ensuring that clients remain ambassadors for the brand long after the initial transaction.

Related: 30+ Project Plan Examples to Visualize Your Strategy (2023)

Sales action plan example

A well-structured sales action plan serves as the backbone for systematic and efficient progress. Central to this plan is the identification and utilization of the most effective sales channels, whether they are direct, online or through third-party avenues. 

Clarity on the products and services on offer, combined with their unique selling propositions, facilitates tailored and resonant sales pitches. 

Budget considerations ensure that resources are judiciously allocated, balancing the act between expenditures and potential returns. This financial prudence is complemented by setting realistic sales projections, which act as both a motivational target and a yardstick for success.

Timelines, or proposed deadlines, infuse the process with a sense of urgency, ensuring that the momentum of the sales drive is maintained. 

However, the true measure of the action plan’s efficacy lies in its key performance indicators (KPIs). These metrics, be it lead conversion rates or customer retention figures, serve as tangible markers, highlighting the plan’s strengths and signaling areas that might require recalibration to increase sales.

Corrective action plan example

The essence of a corrective action plan lies in its meticulous structure, tailored to address and rectify deviations or inefficiencies identified within an organization. At its core, each action item serves as a focal point, detailing specific areas or processes that require intervention. 

Accompanying each action item is a clear description that provides a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. 

However, merely identifying a problem isn’t enough; delving deep into its origins through root cause analysis ensures that solutions target the fundamental issues, rather than just addressing superficial symptoms. 

This analysis then paves the way for defining the corrective action, a tangible step or series of steps designed to mitigate the identified problem and prevent its recurrence.

Besides, to ensure the plan’s effectiveness, assigning a responsible person to each action item is paramount. This individual or team is entrusted with the task’s execution, ensuring accountability and focus. 

The status of each action keeps stakeholders informed about the progress, be it in the planning phase, ongoing, or completed. 

Lastly, setting a due date for each corrective action introduces a sense of urgency and purpose, ensuring that issues are addressed in a timely manner, minimizing disruptions and maximizing operational efficiency.

Simple action plan example

A simple action plan strips away the layers of complexity, offering a concise and direct approach to achieving a goal or addressing an issue. This type of plan is characterized by its straightforward structure, devoid of extraneous details, yet powerfully effective in its clarity. 

It is specifically designed for tasks or objectives that don’t necessitate elaborate strategies or multi-layered approaches.

The core components of a simple action plan usually include a clear statement of the task or objective at hand, followed by a sequence of actions or steps to be taken. 

Each step is described succinctly, ensuring that anyone involved has a clear understanding of what is expected. Responsibilities are defined clearly, with each task allocated to an individual or a team, ensuring accountability. Timelines might be integrated, providing a clear framework for completion, even if they’re just broad milestones. 

Regular check-ins or assessments, although minimal, might be incorporated to monitor progress. 

The beauty of a simple action plan lies in its agility and adaptability, making it particularly suited for individual projects, short-term tasks or situations where a rapid response is required.

How to write an action plan?

Creating an effective action plan is a foundational step towards turning aspirations into tangible results. It provides a clear roadmap, ensuring that each step taken aligns with the overall objective.

Whether you’re aiming to enhance a business process or achieve a personal goal, a well-drafted action plan can be your guiding light. Here’s key steps on how you can craft one:

• Step 1: Establish SMART goals: Initiating with a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound ensures you have a clear and focused endpoint in sight. Smart goals serves as the cornerstone for your entire strategic blueprint.
• Step 2: Determine necessary tasks: Decompose your overarching objective into smaller, actionable tasks. This modular approach not only makes the mission less daunting but also provides a sequential pathway to goal attainment.
• Step 3: Assign essential resources: Depending on the tasks at hand, designate necessary resources, be they human, financial or technological. This ensures that every activity has the backing it needs for successful execution.
• Step 4: Prioritize tasks by importance: Not all tasks hold equal weight. Determine the hierarchy of tasks based on their impact on the goal and their time sensitivity. This allows for a systematic progression.
• Step 5: Outline timelines and key markers: With tasks in hand, set clear deadlines for each. Introduce milestones, which act as periodic check-ins, ensuring you’re on track and allowing for celebrations of smaller victories.
• Step 6: Oversee and modify your strategy blueprint: As you progress, there will invariably be learnings and challenges. Regularly review your plan to make necessary adjustments, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness.
• Step 7: Consider ready-to-use templates: If starting from scratch feels overwhelming, lean on structured templates to guide your planning. There’s plenty of business plan softwares and platforms such as  Venngage that offer a plethora of action plan templates , tailored to various needs, which can significantly streamline the process.

An action plan is more than just an action steps, it’s a strategic blueprint that bridges the gap between aspirations and realizations. 

Through this comprehensive guide, I’ve walked you through the purpose, ideal timings, core components, and practical examples of action plans across various domains. 

Leveraging tools of project management , you can track progress, assign tasks and ensure every team member stays on the same page. 

It’s not just about setting goals, but about strategically planning every step, ensuring tasks completed align with the larger project goals. 

Remember, success isn’t just about having goals but about charting the right course to achieve them

And if you’re looking to supercharge your planning efforts, don’t miss out on the Venngage business plan maker. 

Dive into their extensive collection of action plan templates and make your strategic planning both efficient and effective. 

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Money blog: 'Seismic shift' for UK banks, as milestone passed today; is more expensive steak actually better for you?

UK bank closures hit a milestone today, marking a "seismic shift" in the industry. Is more expensive steak really better for you? Read about this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog - and leave a comment or your money problem in the box below.

Friday 17 May 2024 08:25, UK

• 'Seismic shift' as number of bank branch closures passes 6,000
• New Greggs stores to open in these locations
• Drivers hit by 'unfairly high margins' on fuel

Essential reads

• Is more expensive steak better for you?
• Basically...  What is PIP - and what could government changes mean?
• How to make sure your car passes its MOT
• Cheap Eats:  Michelin-star chef reveals his top steals in London - including an unbeatable sub sandwich
• Money Problem: My workplace wants to pay us by the minute - what can I do?
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

Greggs will open eight stores in the next few weeks, as the company continues its expansion plans 

The bakery said it would open a total of 180 new branches before the end of this year. 

We were told earlier this year that the famous sausage roll-seller would open new stores in London, Cambridge and Sale, but Greggs has now revealed where its next eight new branches will be. 

Here are the locations of the eight new sights, revealed by the bakery to The Sun:

• Saffron Walden, Market Place, England
• Bangor, Carnarfon Road, Wales
• Birmingham Prime Park, England
• Brierley Hill, Merryhill, England
• Consett Delves Lane Drive Thru, County Durham, England
• Edinburgh, 60-61 Seafield Road, Scotland
• Glasgow, Argyle St, Scotland
• Porth, U3C Geilligron IE, Wales

Drivers are suffering from "unfairly high margins" on fuel sales, Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho has been warned.

In a letter to the cabinet minister, the RAC said the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) must be given the power to take "meaningful action" against companies charging too much for petrol and diesel.

The average retailer margin - the difference between the amount they pay for fuel and the pump price - has been above 18p per litre for diesel since 7 May and is nearly 12p per litre for petrol, RAC head of policy Simon Williams wrote.

The long-term average for both fuels is 8p.

The RAC believes if retailers charged "fairer" margins, the average price of a litre of petrol and diesel would be around 145p, down from the current prices of 150p per litre for petrol and 157p per litre for diesel.

Mr Williams said the current margins being charged by larger retailers in particular were "extremely unfair on drivers struggling to get by in the cost of living crisis". 

"It's very concerning to see fuel margins at such high levels, particularly as this is happening under the close eye of the CMA and while retailers are voluntarily sharing their forecourt prices with the intention of increasing competition," he said.

The RAC spokesman added that the situation would only be improved in the long-term if the CMA took "meaningful action against retailers whose margins are deemed not to be mirroring significant reductions in the cost of wholesale fuel".

It can be hard to balance the demands of eating well without spending a lot.

In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket for the best value - and have enlisted the help of  Sunna Van Kampen , founder of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing food in the search of healthier choices.

In this series we don't try to find the outright healthiest option, but help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

This time we're looking at meat. 

"When it comes to which type of meat you buy, there's a common misconception the more expensive the cut the healthier it is," Sunna says.

"But fatty meat stores more nutrients than their lean counterparts - vitamins like A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble and stored in animal fat - so, a fillet steak may contain less nutrients than its fatty cousin," he adds. 

The science

We typically turn towards leaner cuts of meat due to the common belief that saturated fat from animals is something to be avoided. 

"Yet, the latest science suggests that saturated fat and cholesterol may not be as harmful as researchers once thought they were," Sunna says.

He points to a  2020 review  in the National Library of Medicine that looked at several studies on saturated fat and heart disease - and found that the association between the two appeared to be weak.

That being said, a large amount of fat in your diet is in no way advisable - but don't be afraid to introduce fattier cuts. 

Sunna swears by mincemeat - preferring it to steak if choosing the fattier kind. 

Most supermarkets sell somewhere between 5-20% versions - and Sunna urges shoppers to put the higher percentages in their baskets. 

"Mince beef with higher fat content isn’t just about the added fat-soluble vitamins; it's also about what comes with it," he says.

"The added tendons, ligaments and connective tissue in mince beef provides collagen."

Collagen is a protein - full of amino acids that supports the structure of your skin, hair, and nails. 

It also plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of your joints and connective tissues. 

"By choosing mince beef with 20% fat, you're getting a broader nutritional profile, including those collagen benefits," he says. 

Using prices from major supermarkets, Sunna compares his the money and the health for major beef products... 

• Fillet steak: Around £35/kg, it's the most expensive cut and doesn't provide as many health upsides as other, cheaper options
• Ribeye steak : Around £24/kg, with added fat that offers more fat-soluble vitamins.
• Rump steak: Around £15/kg, it’s one of the most economical ways to steak and that nice rind of fat will give you the added nutrition.
• Steak mince beef 5% fat: Around £7/ kg, it's premium mince but at over half the price of steak, making a great affordable option, but the lower fat content is only really good for reducing the calories.
• Mince beef 20% fat: Priced at about £5/kg, it's one of the most affordable options that gives you the most health upside - with all the added fat-soluble vitamins, omega 3s and collagen. 

"Swapping a fillet steak a week to 20% mince could save you £182.52 a year and you'd be increasing your nutrition intake considerably," Sunna says.

"Not only does mince beef save you money, but it also provides a versatile base for countless dishes - burgers, meatballs, bolognese, tacos -the possibilities are endless."

Organics and grass-feds

"Whilst all unprocessed meat is healthy, there are benefits to the quality of your meat," Sunna continues. 

"Typically, a local grass-fed cut of meat has higher omega-3 fatty acids which are beneficial for heart and brain health - up to 6x more  in fact than feed-lot cattle," he adds. 

These can often be far more expensive, however. 

"Choosing between fillet steak and mince beef doesn't have to be a battle of indulgence versus health - both have their unique nutritional benefits, but when it comes to a cost-effective, nutritious option, mince beef with 20% fat takes the win," he says.

The nutritionist's view, from Dr Claire Shortt, lead scientist at  FoodMarble ...

While it's fine to consider cheaper cuts of beef over say filet mignon, it's best to moderate red meat intake given potential links to certain cancers. 

Processed meats are more problematic again, especially from a bowel or stomach cancer perspective. In fact, the World Health Organisation classifies them as a Class I carcinogen (i.e. "known to cause cancer"). 

Read more from this series... 

The number of UK bank branches that have closed forever passes 6,000 today, according to the consumer group Which?

Which? said eight Barclays branches were shutting their doors today, taking the total by the end of the day to 6,005.

This equates to more 60% of the bank branch network since Which? began tracking closures in 2015.

The eight Barclays closures relate to branches in Alperton in Wembley, Andover in Hampshire, Bangor in County Down, Bracknell in Berkshire, Hornchurch in Essex, Inverness in the Highlands in Scotland, Liverpool and Streatham in London.

Barclays has closed 1,216 branches, according to Which?

NatWest Group, which comprises NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, has closed 1,360 branches and Lloyds Banking Group, made up of Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, has shut 1,146 sites, the consumer group said.

Which? said 200 closures by various banks were already scheduled for the rest of 2024.

Currently, 24 more bank branch closures have been scheduled for 2025, although more are expected to be announced later this year and next, it added.

While millions of consumers have made the switch to banking digitally, there remains a significant number of people who are not yet ready or willing to make that jump, underscoring the need for accessible alternatives, Which? said.

Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, said the closures showed a "seismic shift" had taken place in terms of our banking habits and the character of the British high street.

"While some may hardly notice the closure of their local branch as they seamlessly switch to online banking, for others reliant on face-to-face services, the impact can be disastrous," he said.

Landlords selling properties "represent the single biggest threat to renters", according to the UK's landlord association.

Government data shows 5,790 households were threatened with homelessness between October to December last year due to receiving a notice to end an assured shorthold tenancy (this ends a person's tenancy).

And the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has said 45% have been left needing help because their landlord planned to sell the property in the second half of 2023.

Separately, data from Rightmove found that 50,000 rental properties were needed to bring the supply of rental homes back to pre-pandemic levels.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said the only answer was to "ensure responsible landlords have the confidence to stay in the market and sustain tenancies".

He said it was "vital" the Renters Reform Bill, which is currently being debated in the House of Lords, "worked for landlords as well as tenants".

"Landlords selling up is the single biggest challenge renters face," Mr Beadle said.

Around 16% of high net worth shoppers have cut spending on luxury goods, research shows - with Burberry among the companies seemingly taking a hit.

Data from wealth management firm Saltus , which surveyed 2,000 Britons who had assets of more than £250,000, found 16.29% of respondents had cut down on their personal spending in response to the current high interest rate environment and/or the impact of the rising cost of living.

And 15.78%, said they had cut down on luxury items and designer clothes. 

Meanwhile, just 9.42% of respondents said the current environment had not impacted their lifestyle.

The figures follow data this week from designer store Burberry - which reported a 34% drop in annual operating profit.

Mike Stimpson, partner at Saltus, said high net worth individuals were having to "prioritise spending on essential costs including mortgages and supporting their families". 

"While this reduction is not limited entirely to personal spending on luxury items, it is inevitable that brands like Burberry feel the impact, although different businesses will clearly respond differently to these pressures," he said.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is hiring 2,500 "external agents" to crackdown on "benefit cheats".

The extra staff will check millions of Universal Credit claims for accuracy as part of the government's new fraud plan.

Combined with the DWP's own internal agents tackling fraud, this will take the headcount to nearly 6,000 people.

In addition to this, the DWP is introducing a new civil penalty to punish fraudsters, and investing £70m into advanced data analytics to catch those who "exploit the natural compassion and generosity of the British people".

Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, said: "We are scaling up the fight against those stealing from the taxpayer, building on our success in stopping £18bn going into the wrong hands in 2022-23.

"With new legal powers, better data and thousands of additional staff, our comprehensive plan ensures we have the necessary tools to tackle the scourge of benefit fraud."

With the new 15 hours a week free childcare funding coming into effect this week for children aged between 9-23 months, research shows grandparents still play a key role in helping with costs.

In April, all two-year-olds from eligible working families became entitled to 15 hours free childcare each week. 

And as of this week, eligible working parents of children aged between 9-23 months are also able to apply to claim the same from September.

The government plans to increase this to 30 hours a week from September 2025.

However, grandparents still play a key role and therefore are still likely to be called upon for help from parents, according to data from the finance firm SunLife .

Data shows that half of the UK's 14 million grandparents provide childcare for their grandchildren during the working week and this rises to 55% of those with grandchildren under the age of one.

On average, the UK's grandparents spend between 22-24 hours a week providing free childcare for grandchildren under three-years-old.

So how much are grandparents saving their families and what if they were paid?

Research suggests grandparents are saving parents around £250 a week in childcare costs on average - this means that collectively, grandparents are saving their families £96bn in equivalent childcare costs every year. 

SunLife's grandparent salary calculator, which uses the average pay for the many roles grandparents are taking to calculate what their "grandparent salary" would be, has also found that if grandparents were paid for the 22 hours a week they would receive an annual salary of £13,188.

Victoria Heath, chief marketing officer at SunLife, said it was   "no wonder" one in five grandparents felt their children would struggle financially without their help.

She said research showed that 13% of grandparents felt they were relied on too much for childcare, and 14% loved doing it but felt it was too much at their age.

"Having said that, most (59%) grandparents who do provide childcare say they love helping out, so it is likely they will still play a key role, because whether they are still 'needed' or not, they are certainly still wanted, and most are more than happy to do it," Ms Heath added.

How can you apply for the 15 hours free childcare?

To apply for the funding you'll need the following: 

• National Insurance number;
• Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), if you're self-employed;
• the UK birth certificate reference number of any children you're applying for;
• the date you started or are due to start work.

Then, you'll need to go onto the gov.uk website and start an application.

It usually takes 20 minutes to apply and once your application has been approved, you'll get a code for free childcare to give to your childcare provider.

Mortgage possession actions have continued to rise and are currently above the previous year's levels, according to data from the Ministry of Justice .

The latest data shows mortgage claims, orders, warrants and repossessions have continued their gradual upward trend and claims are at their highest since 2019.

When compared to the same quarter in 2023, mortgage possession claims increased from 4,035 to 5,182 - this is a rise of 28%.

Meanwhile, mortgage orders increased from 2,532 to 3,019, warrants from 2,636 to 2,881 and repossessions by county court bailiffs from 729 to 759.

Landlord possession claims also increased from 23,389 to 24,874 when compared to the same quarter last year.

Craig Fish, director at Lodestone mortgages and protection, told Newspage things "need to change and quickly before it's too late".

"Though this data makes hard reading and is extremely worrying, it's not unexpected due to the significantly higher interest rate environment in which borrowers now find themselves," he said.

And Ben Perks, managing director at Orchard Financial Advisers, said he was "concerned these figures will continue to rise". 

He told Newspage: "The Bank of England seems totally oblivious to the plight of the average mortgage borrower, but hopefully this data will kick their hesitancy to drop the base rate firmly into touch. The time to act is now."

Tesco has recalled its sandwich pickle over fears it may contain glass.

The supermarket has pulled its 295g jars of Tesco Sandwich Pickle with the batch code 3254 and best before date of 11 September 2025 due to the concerns of glass traces.

The Food Standards Agency has said on its website: "This product may contain pieces of glass which makes it unsafe to eat."

Last year, the supermarket chain had to recall pastry products, including sausage rolls and steak and ale pies, over fears they contained pieces of metal and plastic.

A Tesco spokesperson told Sky News: "We've been made aware that a specific date/batch code of Tesco Sandwich Pickle may contain small pieces of glass. Therefore, this product could pose a safety risk if consumed.

"Please do not consume this product and instead return any affected product to store where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required.

"Tesco apologises to our customers for any inconvenience caused."

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Higher electricity demand in Laos due to cryptocurrency mining and erratic rainfall have led to power shortages, an advisor to its state-run utility said, revealing challenges to the nation's prospects as a hydropower exporter to Southeast Asia.

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Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand

The porn star testified for eight hours at donald trump’s hush-money trial. this is how it went..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

It’s 6:41 AM. I’m feeling a little stressed because I’m running late. It’s the fourth week of Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial. It’s a white collar trial. Most of the witnesses we’ve heard from have been, I think, typical white collar witnesses in terms of their professions.

We’ve got a former publisher, a lawyer, accountants. The witness today, a little less typical, Stormy Daniels, porn star in a New York criminal courtroom in front of a jury more accustomed to the types of witnesses they’ve already seen. There’s a lot that could go wrong.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

Today, what happened when Stormy Daniels took the stand for eight hours in the first criminal trial of Donald J. Trump. As before, my colleague Jonah Bromwich was inside the courtroom.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

It’s Friday, May 10th.

So it’s now day 14 of this trial. And I think it’s worth having you briefly, and in broad strokes, catch listeners up on the biggest developments that have occurred since you were last on, which was the day that opening arguments were made by both the defense and the prosecution. So just give us that brief recap.

Sure. It’s all been the prosecution’s case so far. And prosecutors have a saying, which is that the evidence is coming in great. And I think for this prosecution, which is trying to show that Trump falsified business records to cover up a sex scandal, to ease his way into the White House in 2016, the evidence has been coming in pretty well. It’s come in well through David Pecker, former publisher of The National Enquirer, who testified that he entered into a secret plot with Trump and Michael Cohen, his fixer at the time, to suppress negative stories about Trump, the candidate.

It came in pretty well through Keith Davidson, who was a lawyer to Stormy Daniels in 2016 and negotiated the hush money payment. And we’ve seen all these little bits and pieces of evidence that tell the story that prosecutors want to tell. And the case makes sense so far. We can’t tell what the jury is thinking, as we always say.

But we can tell that there’s a narrative that’s coherent and that matches up with the prosecution’s opening statement. Then we come to Tuesday. And that day really marks the first time that the prosecution’s strategy seems a little bit risky because that’s the day that Stormy Daniels gets called to the witness stand.

OK, well, just explain why the prosecution putting Stormy Daniels on the stand would be so risky. And I guess it makes sense to answer that in the context of why the prosecution is calling her as a witness at all.

Well, you can see why it makes sense to have her. The hush money payment was to her. The cover-up of the hush money payment, in some ways, concerns her. And so she’s this character who’s very much at the center of this story. But according to prosecutors, she’s not at the center of the crime. The prosecution is telling a story, and they hope a compelling one. And arguably, that story starts with Stormy Daniels. It starts in 2006, when Stormy Daniels says that she and Trump had sex, which is something that Trump has always denied.

So if prosecutors were to not call Stormy Daniels to the stand, you would have this big hole in the case. It would be like, effect, effect, effect. But where is the cause? Where is the person who set off this chain reaction? But Stormy Daniels is a porn star. She’s there to testify about sex. Sex and pornography are things that the jurors were not asked about during jury selection. And those are subjects that bring up all kinds of different complex reactions in people.

And so, when the prosecutors bring Stormy Daniels to the courtroom, it’s very difficult to know how the jurors will take it, particularly given that she’s about to describe a sexual episode that she says she had with the former president. Will the jurors think that makes sense, as they sit here and try to decide a falsifying business records case, or will they ask themselves, why are we hearing this?

So the reason why this is the first time that the prosecution’s strategy is, for journalists like you, a little bit confusing, is because it’s the first time that the prosecution seems to be taking a genuine risk in what they’re putting before these jurors. Everything else has been kind of cut and dry and a little bit more mechanical. This is just a wild card.

This is like live ammunition, to some extent. Everything else is settled and controlled. And they know what’s going to happen. With Stormy Daniels, that’s not the case.

OK, so walk us through the testimony. When the prosecution brings her to the stand, what actually happens?

It starts, as every witness does, with what’s called direct examination, which is a fancy word for saying prosecutors question Stormy Daniels. And they have her tell her story. First, they have her tell the jury about her education and where she grew up and her professional experience. And because of Stormy Daniels’s biography, that quickly goes into stripping, and then goes into making adult films.

And I thought the prosecutor who questioned her, Susan Hoffinger, had this nice touch in talking about that, because not only did she ask Daniels about acting in adult films. But she asked her about writing and directing them, too, emphasizing the more professional aspects of that work and giving a little more credit to the witness, as if to say, well, you may think this or you may think that. But this is a person with dignity who took what she did seriously. Got it.

What’s your first impression of Daniels as a witness?

It’s very clear that she’s nervous. She’s speaking fast. She’s laughing to herself and making small jokes. But the tension in the room is so serious from the beginning, from the moment she enters, that those jokes aren’t landing. So it just feels, like, really heavy and still and almost oppressive in there. So Daniels talking quickly, seeming nervous, giving more answers than are being asked of her by the prosecution, even before we get to the sexual encounter that she’s about to describe, all of that presents a really discomfiting impression, I would say.

And how does this move towards the encounter that Daniels ultimately has?

It starts at a golf tournament in 2006, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Daniels meets Trump there. There are other celebrities there, too. They chatted very briefly. And then she received a dinner invitation from him. She thought it over, she says. And she goes to have dinner with Trump, not at a restaurant, by the way. But she’s invited to join him in the hotel suite.

So she gets to the hotel suite. And his bodyguard is there. And the hotel door is cracked open. And the bodyguard greets her and says she looks nice, this and that. And she goes in. And there’s Donald Trump, just as expected. But what’s not expected, she says, is that he’s not wearing what you would wear to a dinner with a stranger, but instead, she says, silk or satin pajamas. She asked him to change, she says. And he obliges.

He goes, and he puts on a dress shirt and dress pants. And they sit down at the hotel suite’s dining room table. And they have a kind of bizarre dinner. Trump is asking her very personal questions about pornography and safe sex. And she testifies that she teased him about vain and pompous he is. And then at some point, she goes to the bathroom. And she sees that he has got his toiletries in there, his Old Spice, his gold tweezers.

Very specific details.

Yeah, we’re getting a ton of detail in this scene. And the reason we’re getting those is because prosecutors are trying to elicit those details to establish that this is a credible person, that this thing did happen, despite what Donald Trump and his lawyers say. And the reason you can know it happened, prosecutors seem to be saying, is because, look at all these details she can still summon up.

She comes out of the bathroom. And she says that Donald Trump is on the hotel bed. And what stands out to me there is what she describes as a very intense physical reaction. She says that she blacked out. And she quickly clarifies, she doesn’t mean from drugs or alcohol. She means that, she says, that the intensity of this experience was such that, suddenly, she can’t remember every detail. The prosecution asks a question that cuts directly to the sex. Essentially, did you start having sex with him? And Daniels says that she did. And she continues to provide more details than even, I think, the prosecution wanted.

And I think we don’t want to go chapter and verse through this claimed sexual encounter. But I wonder what details stand out and which details feel important, given the prosecution’s strategy here.

All the details stand out because it’s a story about having had sex with a former president. And the more salacious and more private the details feel, the more you’re going to remember them. So we’ll remember that Stormy Daniels said what position they had sex in. We’ll remember that she said he didn’t use a condom. Whether that’s important to the prosecution’s case, now, that’s a much harder question to answer, as we’ve been saying.

But what I can tell you is, as she’s describing having had sex with Donald Trump, and Donald Trump is sitting right there, and Eric Trump, his son, is sitting behind him, seeming to turn a different color as he hears this embarrassment of his father being described to a courtroom full of reporters at this trial, it’s hard to even describe the energy in that room. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. And it was just Daniels’s testimony and, seemingly, the former President’s emotions. And you almost felt like you were trapped in there with both of them as this description was happening.

Well, I think it’s important to try to understand why the prosecution is getting these details, these salacious, carnal, pick your word, graphic details about sex with Donald Trump. What is the value, if other details are clearly making the point that she’s recollecting something?

Well, I think, at this point, we can only speculate. But one thing we can say is, this was uncomfortable. This felt bad. And remember, prosecutor’s story is not about the sex. It’s about trying to hide the sex. So if you’re trying to show a jury why it might be worthwhile to hide a story, it might be worth —

Providing lots of salacious details that a person would want to hide.

— exposing them to how bad that story feels and reminding them that if they had been voters and they had heard that story, and, in fact, they asked Daniels this very question, if you hadn’t accepted hush money, if you hadn’t signed that NDA, is this the story you would have told? And she said, yes. And so where I think they’re going with this, but we can’t really be sure yet, is that they’re going to tell the jurors, hey, that story, you can see why he wanted to cover that up, can’t you?

You mentioned the hush money payments. What testimony does Daniels offer about that? And how does it advance the prosecution’s case of business fraud related to the hush money payments?

So little evidence that it’s almost laughable. She says that she received the hush money. But we actually already heard another witness, her lawyer at the time, Keith Davidson, testify that he had received the hush money payment on her behalf. And she testified about feeling as if she had to sell this story because the election was fast approaching, almost as if her leverage was slipping away because she knew this would be bad for Trump.

That feels important. But just help me understand why it’s important.

Well, what the prosecution has been arguing is that Trump covered up this hush money payment in order to conceal a different crime. And that crime, they say, was to promote his election to the presidency by illegal means.

Right, we’ve talked about this in the past.

So when Daniels ties her side of the payment into the election, it just reminds the jurors maybe, oh, right, this is what they’re arguing.

So how does the prosecution end this very dramatic, and from everything you’re saying, very tense questioning of Stormy Daniels about this encounter?

Well, before they can even end, the defense lawyers go and they consult among themselves. And then, with the jury out of the room, one of them stands up. And he says that the defense is moving for a mistrial.

On what terms?

He says that the testimony offered by Daniels that morning is so prejudicial, so damning to Trump in the eyes of the jury, that the trial can no longer be fair. Like, how could these jurors have heard these details and still be fair when they render their verdict? And he says a memorable expression. He says, you can’t un-ring that bell, meaning they heard it. They can’t un-hear it. It’s over. Throw out this trial. It should be done.

Wow. And what is the response from the judge?

So the judge, Juan Merchan, he hears them out. And he really hears them out. But at the end of their arguments, he says, I do think she went a little too far. He says that. He said, there were things that were better left unsaid.

By Stormy Daniels?

By Stormy Daniels. And he acknowledges that she is a difficult witness. But, he says, the remedy for that is not a mistrial, is not stopping the whole thing right now. The remedy for that is cross-examination. If the defense feels that there are issues with her story, issues with her credibility, they can ask her whatever they want. They can try to win the jury back over. If they think this jury has been poisoned by this witness, well, this is their time to provide the antidote. The antidote is cross-examination. And soon enough, cross-examination starts. And it is exactly as intense and combative as we expected.

We’ll be right back.

So, Jonah, how would you characterize the defense’s overall strategy in this intense cross-examination of Stormy Daniels?

People know the word impeach from presidential impeachments. But it has a meaning in law, too. You impeach a witness, and, specifically, their credibility. And that’s what the defense is going for here. They are going to try to make Stormy Daniels look like a liar, a fraud, an extortionist, a money-grubbing opportunist who wanted to take advantage of Trump and sought to do so by any means necessary.

And what did that impeachment strategy look like in the courtroom?

The defense lawyer who questions Stormy Daniels is a woman named Susan Necheles. She’s defended Trump before. And she’s a bit of a cross-examination specialist. We even saw her during jury selection bring up these past details to confront jurors who had said nasty things about Trump on social media with. And she wants to do the same thing with Daniels. She wants to bring up old interviews and old tweets and things that Daniels has said in the past that don’t match what Daniels is saying from the stand.

What’s a specific example? And do they land?

Some of them land. And some of them don’t. One specific example is that Necheles confronts Daniels with this old tweet, where Daniels says that she’s going to dance down the street if Trump goes to jail. And what she’s trying to show there is that Daniels is out for revenge, that she hates Trump, and that she wants to see him go to jail. And that’s why she’s testifying against him.

And Daniels is very interesting during the cross-examination. It’s almost as if she’s a different person. She kind of squares her shoulders. And she sits up a little straighter. And she leans forward. Daniels is ready to fight. But it doesn’t quite land. The tweet actually says, I’ll dance down the street when he’s selected to go to jail.

And Daniels goes off on this digression about how she knows that people don’t get selected to go to jail. That’s not how it works. But she can’t really unseat this argument, that she’s a political enemy of Donald Trump. So that one kind of sticks, I would say. But there are other moves that Necheles tries to pull that don’t stick.

So unlike the prosecution, which typically used words like adult, adult film, Necheles seems to be taking every chance she can get to say porn, or pornography, or porn star, to make it sound base or dirty. And so when she starts to ask Daniels about actually being in pornography, writing, acting, and directing sex films, she tries to land a punch line, Necheles does. She says, so you have a lot of experience making phony stories about sex appear to be real, right?

As if to say, perhaps this story you have told about entering Trump’s suite in Lake Tahoe and having sex with him was made up.

Just another one of your fictional stories about sex. But Daniels comes back and says, the sex in the films, it’s very much real, just like what happened to me in that room. And so, when you have this kind of combat of a lawyer cross-examining very aggressively and the witness fighting back, you can feel the energy in the room shift as one lands a blow or the other does. But here, Daniels lands one back. And the other issue that I think Susan Necheles runs into is, she tries to draw out disparities from interviews that Daniels gave, particularly to N-TOUCH, very early on once the story was out.

It’s kind of like a tabloid magazine?

But some of the disparities don’t seem to be landing quite like Necheles would want. So she tries to do this complicated thing about where the bodyguard was in the room when Daniels walked into the room, as described in an interview in a magazine. But in that magazine interview, as it turns out, Daniels mentioned that Trump was wearing pajamas. And so, if I’m a juror, I don’t care where the bodyguard is. I’m thinking about, oh, yeah, I remember that Stormy Daniels said now in 2024 that Trump was wearing pajamas.

I’m curious if, as somebody in the room, you felt that the defense was effective in undermining Stormy Daniels’s credibility? Because what I took from the earlier part of our conversation was that Stormy Daniels is in this courtroom on behalf of the prosecution to tell a story that’s uncomfortable and has the kind of details that Donald Trump would be motivated to try to hide. And therefore, this defense strategy is to say, those details about what Trump might want to hide, you can’t trust them. So does this back and forth effectively hurt Stormy Daniels’s credibility, in your estimation?

I don’t think that Stormy Daniels came off as perfectly credible about everything she testified about. There are incidents that were unclear or confusing. There were things she talked about that I found hard to believe, when she, for instance, denied that she had attacked Trump in a tweet or talked about her motivations. But about what prosecutors need, that central story, the story of having had sex with him, we can’t know whether it happened.

But there weren’t that many disparities in these accounts over the years. In terms of things that would make me doubt the story that Daniels was telling, details that don’t add up, those weren’t present. And you don’t have to take my word for that, nor should you. But the judge is in the room. And he says something very, very similar.

What does he say? And why does he say it?

Well, he does it when the defense, again, at the end of the day on Thursday, calls for a mistrial.

With a similar argument as before?

Not only with a similar argument as before, but, like, almost the exact same argument. And I would say that I was astonished to see them do this. But I wasn’t because I’ve covered other trials where Trump is the client. And in those trials, the lawyers, again and again, called for a mistrial.

And what does Judge Marchan say in response to this second effort to seek a mistrial?

Let me say, to this one, he seems a little less patient. He says that after the first mistrial ruling, two days before, he went into his chambers. And he read every decision he had made about the case. He took this moment to reflect on the first decision. And he found that he had, in his own estimation, which is all he has, been fair and not allowed evidence that was prejudicial to Trump into this trial. It could continue. And so he said that again. And then he really almost turned on the defense. And he said that the things that the defense was objecting to were things that the defense had made happen.

He says that in their opening statement, the defense could have taken issue with many elements of the case, about whether there were falsified business records, about any of the other things that prosecutors are saying happened. But instead, he says, they focused their energy on denying that Trump ever had sex with Daniels.

And so that was essentially an invitation to the prosecution to call Stormy Daniels as a witness and have her say from the stand, yes, I had this sexual encounter. The upshot of it is that the judge not only takes the defense to task. But he also just says that he finds Stormy Daniels’s narrative credible. He doesn’t see it as having changed so much from year to year.

Interesting. So in thinking back to our original question here, Jonah, about the idea that putting Stormy Daniels on the stand was risky, I wonder if, by the end of this entire journey, you’re reevaluating that idea because it doesn’t sound like it ended up being super risky. It sounded like it ended up working reasonably well for the prosecution.

Well, let me just assert that it doesn’t really matter what I think. The jury is going to decide this. There’s 12 people. And we can’t know what they’re thinking. But my impression was that, while she was being questioned by the prosecution for the prosecution’s case, Stormy Daniels was a real liability. She was a difficult witness for them.

And the judge said as much. But when the defense cross-examined her, Stormy Daniels became a better witness, in part because their struggles to discredit her may have actually ended up making her story look more credible and stronger. And the reason that matters is because, remember, we said that prosecutors are trying to fill this hole in their case. Well, now, they have. The jury has met Stormy Daniels. They’ve heard her account. They’ve made of it what they will. And now, the sequence of events that prosecutors are trying to line up as they seek prison time for the former President really makes a lot of sense.

It starts with what Stormy Daniels says with sex in a hotel suite in 2006. It picks up years later, as Donald Trump is trying to win an election and, prosecutors say, suppressing negative stories, including Stormy Daniels’s very negative story. And the story that prosecutors are telling ends with Donald Trump orchestrating the falsification of business records to keep that story concealed.

Well, Jonah, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Of course, thanks for having me.

The prosecution’s next major witness will be Michael Cohen, the former Trump fixer who arranged for the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Cohen is expected to take the stand on Monday.

Here’s what else you need to know today. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a defiant response to warnings from the United States that it would stop supplying weapons to Israel if Israel invades the Southern Gaza City of Rafah. So far, Israel has carried out a limited incursion into the city where a million civilians are sheltering, but has threatened a full invasion. In a statement, Netanyahu said, quote, “if we need to stand alone, we will stand alone.”

Meanwhile, high level ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been put on hold in part because of anger over Israel’s incursion into Rafah.

A reminder, tomorrow, we’ll be sharing the latest episode of our colleague’s new show, “The Interview” This week on “The Interview,” Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with radio host Charlamagne Tha God about his frustrations with how Americans talk about politics.

If me as a Black man, if I criticize Democrats, then I’m supporting MAGA. But if I criticize, you know, Donald Trump and Republicans, then I’m a Democratic shill. Why can’t I just be a person who deals in nuance?

Today’s episode was produced by Olivia Natt and Michael Simon Johnson. It was edited by Lexie Diao, with help from Paige Cowett, contains original music by Will Reid and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you on Monday.

• May 16, 2024   •   30:47 The Make-or-Break Testimony of Michael Cohen
• May 15, 2024   •   27:03 The Possible Collapse of the U.S. Home Insurance System
• May 14, 2024   •   35:20 Voters Want Change. In Our Poll, They See It in Trump.
• May 13, 2024   •   27:46 How Biden Adopted Trump’s Trade War With China
• May 10, 2024   •   27:42 Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand
• May 9, 2024   •   34:42 One Strongman, One Billion Voters, and the Future of India
• May 8, 2024   •   28:28 A Plan to Remake the Middle East
• May 7, 2024   •   27:43 How Changing Ocean Temperatures Could Upend Life on Earth
• May 6, 2024   •   29:23 R.F.K. Jr.’s Battle to Get on the Ballot
• May 3, 2024   •   25:33 The Protesters and the President
• May 2, 2024   •   29:13 Biden Loosens Up on Weed
• May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Jonah E. Bromwich

Produced by Olivia Natt and Michael Simon Johnson

Edited by Lexie Diao

With Paige Cowett

Original music by Will Reid and Marion Lozano

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

This episode contains descriptions of an alleged sexual liaison.

What happened when Stormy Daniels took the stand for eight hours in the first criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump?

Jonah Bromwich, one of the lead reporters covering the trial for The Times, was in the room.

On today’s episode

Jonah E. Bromwich , who covers criminal justice in New York for The New York Times.

Background reading

In a second day of cross-examination, Stormy Daniels resisted the implication she had tried to shake down Donald J. Trump by selling her story of a sexual liaison.

Here are six takeaways from Ms. Daniels’s earlier testimony.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Jonah E. Bromwich covers criminal justice in New York, with a focus on the Manhattan district attorney’s office and state criminal courts in Manhattan. More about Jonah E. Bromwich

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