Ericka Lewis
INBOUND 2016 is here and per their usual dramatic flair, HubSpot will be announcing some pretty sweet product rollouts. One of the most exciting additions comes at a price we all love, free! 
As the newest evolution of Leadin, HubSpot’s Marketing Free will provide users the introductory features of the paid platform such as a marketing analytics dashboard, kickback emails, and contact database, at no cost. Another perk that Marketing Free offers is the ability to easily integrate with a wide range of CMS platforms including WordPress, Weebly, Drupal, Shopify, and Magento.
Of the many features being offered in Marketing Free is the ability to create call-to-actions. For HubSpot beginners, CTAs are the perfect way to start generating leads. Kick start your inbound marketing with stellar call-to-actions using these 5 must-have tips:
1. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat (See What I did There?)
There are many reasons why every website should have a CTA in the top navigation but one stands out the most: repetition. The top navigation is one of the only design elements that will follow a visitor everywhere they go on a website. This makes it the ideal place for your most important conversion point. However, there’s a catch. Due to the nature of a top nav, there are space constraints and as such, this CTA needs to be small yet descriptive enough to provide enough context to the conversion point. Sounds impossible but it's totally do’able.
The example below is a short 3-word message that clearly conveys its purpose very concisely while still offering real value. Have a question, want to talk to sales, or get a consultation? “Talk to Us” is a conversational way to address all three of these common website actions.
Bonus Tip: Set the top nav CTA apart from the rest of your design by making it a contrasting color. Doing so will help attract more eyeballs and increase the likelihood of being clicked.
2. Solve A Problem
Done incorrectly, slide-in CTAs can be extremely annoying and create a less than ideal user experience. But when executed the right way these little guys can pack a punch. To begin explaining why this CTA example is great I first need to offer a bit of background on the company.
This organization’s main service is manufacturing rooftop support systems for commercial buildings. Year after year their sales increased but over time they grew stagnant. After conducting in-depth competitor and buyer persona research the firm realized that a large barrier to entry for their customers was the design process necessary before purchasing.
"The slide-in CTA addresses this key concern for new leads in a clever way. Not only does it offer a solution to a common pain point but it’s also strategically placed. Located on every interior product page under the technical information this CTA is in an extremely relevant area for potential buyers."
The key point here is that your CTAs shouldn’t always be about you or the main conversion point. Sometimes, the most effective CTAs are the ones that solve a problem for the reader.
3. Get Supporting Help
When it's time to craft top banner CTAs, consider how the entire space can help to drive clicks. Supporting material is huge here. Whether it’s a background image, video, or text, these materials will help to paint a clearer picture of what the conversion offers for the reader. I love this top banner CTA because of how it uses all three of these elements together.
The “Optimization. Efficiency. Cost Savings” copy opens the page clearly and quickly explains what the company offers at a glance. But none of that matters if there isn't a "what in it for me" section. “Achieve your bottom line results with supply chain management” follows up the opening statement making it more personal. Furthermore, notice the image in the background.
The iPad displays an image of the actual tool customers will use to optimize their supply chain. It's subtle but adds a preview of what becoming a customer will actually look like. Finally, the video provides the last nudge for the curious site visitor before becoming a customer.
4. Make It Relevant
For some websites, the blog is one of, if not the most, trafficked areas of the site. A blog offers valuable and helpful information (usually for free), which attracts an audience. These visitors are engaged, targeted, and ripe for the picking. Sounds like a match made in heaven, so why aren’t people staying and converting more?
"Due to the nature of blog content, most visitors immediately bounce once they’ve read an article. To combat this trend and keep blog readers on your site, give them something worth staying for. A bottom of the blog CTA is a great place to showcase your latest advanced content offering or a "next article" type recommendation."
HubSpot’s CTA is a great example of the potential hiding in your blog. It captures the reader’s attention by posing a thought-provoking question relevant to the content discussed in the article. When I originally read the CTA it sparked an internal conversation and I had to ask myself, “Could my marketing be better?” They seal the deal with a strong actionable conversion; grade your marketing now, which screams “click me now!”
5. Give People What They Want
A bottom of the page CTA functions in the same way as a concluding paragraph does in an essay. After introducing your business in the top banner and providing reasons to convert throughout the body of the web page, the closing CTA drives it all home. However, your not restricted to a single conversion point. This CTA is a great example of giving site visitors what they want, options!
For the reader who isn’t ready to take the plunge a “take a tour” or demo option are light and easy ways to dip their toe into the water. But for potential leads that are ready to take the next step a “start my free trial” option is perfect. I sometimes receive pushback from clients when I try to implement this strategy because they don’t want to take attention away from their biggest conversion point. Seriously, though, don’t worry. These two CTAs work in unison providing paths for both types of leads, those ready to buy and those who need more time.
Bonus Tip: If the corresponding forms are set up correctly, you will receive contact info from both conversion points. It’s a win-win!
The Takeaway
Of all the CTA advice out there the most important thing to remember is there isn’t a correct or wrong way to start. Successful marketers are constantly experimenting with new copy, color, and design. If you’re unsure if a CTA will work, test it for a month and then switch it with an alternative version. After gathering enough data compare the analytics to determine which resonated the most with your leads. With the help of HubSpot’s Marketing Free, the data will always point you in the right direction.
