We have all been here before. You spend days, quite often weeks, crafting the perfect campaign. You’ve nailed the copy, the graphics are gorgeous, and the strategy is solid. But then, right at the finish line, you throw a “Click Here” button at the bottom like a wet fish.
It’s like throwing a bucket of cold water over all that hard work.
Our call to actions are more than just a button; it is a decision point. To get the results you want, we need to stop guessing and start using the science and the “recipes” of marketing that ensure our asks align with the journey our audience is actually on.
The Physics of Marketing: Understanding Friction
Before we talk about specific words or phrasings, we have to talk about physics. Every ask we make of a prospect has a cost, and in marketing, we call that friction.
Friction is the psychological and practical resistance a person feels before doing something. It is the effort required from your audience’s perspective, and it directly correlates with your conversion rates. The higher the friction, the lower the conversion.
When looking at your CTA, consider these three components of friction:
- The Physical Cost: The tangible effort required. This could be the number of form fields, navigating to a new page, or the effort of pulling a credit card out of a back pocket.
- The Emotional & Psychological Cost: This is subtle but powerful. It involves easing the anxiety of the ask. They are asking: Will I get spammed? Is this worth my time? Am I locked into a commitment?
- The Time Cost: How long will they have to wait to receive the benefit? An immediate download has lower friction than a promise of a “callback within 48 hours.”
Your goal is to consistently strive to reduce friction so the perceived cost to your audience is always significantly lower than the perceived value of the reward.
Don’t Propose on the First Date
Hitting a total stranger with a “Buy Now” CTA is the marketing equivalent of proposing marriage on a first date. It’s a little creepy, and it normally sends them running. To fix it, we need to match our ask to the relationship level.
1. The Awareness Stage (Just Browsing)
Think of this as the casual scroll. The person is cold and might only just be realising they have a problem.
- The Mistake: Saying “Work with me now” or “Book a consultation.” It’s too much, too soon.
- The Smart Ask: “See the logic behind this,” “Discover how this applies,” or “Watch the next video.”
2. The Consideration Phase (Comparison)
They know the brand and are actively searching for a solution.
- The Smart Ask: A value exchange. Offer a trade of their data for something actionable—a blueprint, a checklist, or a quiz.
3. The Decision Phase (Commitment)
The prospect is warm. They’ve consumed your free content and are looking at who they should hire.
- The Smart Ask: Be bold and crystal clear. Use transformation-focused language like “Claim your strategy session,” “Start your 30-day shift,” or “Enroll now for instant access.”
The Quick CTA Makeover
If your CTAs aren’t doing the heavy lifting, try these small changes straight away:
- Stop the “Admin” Talk: Avoid words that sound like tasks, like Submit, Register, or Download. Switch to “Smart” words like Get, Claim, or Discover.
- The Squint Test: Open your website and squint until everything is blurry. Can you see your CTA button immediately? If not, the design is working against you.
- The Logical Next Step: Don’t finish a specific video or blog post with a vague “Visit my website.” The CTA should be the next logical step to solving the specific problem you just talked about.
The art of the ask isn’t about being clever; it’s about being easy. When you balance friction with reward and align your ask with your audience’s awareness, you move from “guessing” to “guiding.”
Your Action Steps
- Audit your last three campaigns: Look at the button on your site, the end of your email, or your last video.
- Ask yourself: Does this match where the relationship with my audience actually is?
- Swap one “Admin” word: Change a “Submit” to a “Claim” or “Get” and see the difference in energy.
Highlights
- 00:00 Avoiding the “Wet Fish” CTA.
- 01:45 The Physics of Marketing: Understanding Friction
- 03:10 Physical, Emotional, and Time Costs
- 05:20 Balancing Friction with Reward
- 06:45 The Three Levels of Awareness
- 10:15 The CTA Makeover
- 12:30 The Squint Test
- 14:00 Invitation to the Ideas, Impact & Marketing Circle
