Lights…camera…action! A marketing “call to action” is in many ways similar to that well-known command shouted out by Hollywood film crews. A call to action puts the spotlight on your self-published book, focuses your potential buyers’ attention, and convinces them to take action and make a purchase. There’s a lot of competition out there from other books, so it’s important to use promotional strategies that help you stand out from the crowd. With these tips from the marketing experts at Self-Publishing Relief, you can create a strong call to action that will have a positive impact and help you sell more books.

How To Use A Call To Action And Sell More Books

One of the most effective ways you can use a call to action (or CTA) is by putting it right in your e-book! If you want readers to purchase the next book in a series or another one of your titles, include buy links in the back matter of each of your books to make the process easy. Other great opportunities for calls to action include social media posts, blog posts (put your CTA at the end of the content), on any merchandise you sell, or SWAG you give away at reading events or conferences.

While selling more books is the ultimate goal, you can also use a call to action for other objectives. You can ask readers to follow you on social media, visit your author website, sign up for your mailing list, subscribe to your blog or newsletter, or leave a review. A good call to action can create a pool of fans who will be eager to purchase your books.

To get the best results, your call to action should be simple, strong, and direct. The easier it is for your audience to follow your CTA, the more likely they are to do it.

Tips For Creating An Effective Call To Action

1. Make it urgent. Your audience is more likely to act when time is limited.

2. Use the CTA over multiple social media platforms to reinforce your message and reach the widest audience.

3. Offer something for free. Everyone loves getting something for free, especially if it’s an extra chapter, an excerpt from your next book, or even a bookmark.

4. Don’t be pushy, but don’t be afraid to ask people to make a purchase. Your readers want to buy your books. Make it as effortless as possible for them.

5. Include links whenever possible. Links make it easier to act in the moment and make a purchase or respond to your request.

6. Focus on one action at a time. Don’t confuse your readers by giving them too many choices! Tell them the one thing you want them to do, and focus only on that. If you ask your audience to buy a book, AND sign up for your newsletter, AND RSVP for your book reading, etc., etc., people are more likely to be overwhelmed—and less likely to take action.

7. Use eye-catching graphics and interactive opportunities—the more your call to action stands out and grabs attention, the better your results will be.

8. Frame your call to action as an invitation or opportunity—not a sales pitch.

9. Keep it brief: Use 100 words or fewer, and make each word count.

Depending on the format and platform you use, you may need to fine-tune your call to action to best suit the situation. Word counts may differ depending on what platform you’re using. And, while live links to your sales page will work great on social media and in your books’ back matter, you should include your author website address on posters, bookmarks, key chains, and other “unclickable” giveaways.

If you want your call to action to lead to a great self-published book, the experts at Self-Publishing Relief can help! We’ll guide you through every step, from manuscript to a published book you’ll be proud to put your name on. Learn more about our services, and schedule your free consultation call today!

Question: Would you use a CTA to generate book sales, newsletter sign-ups, event RSVPs, or something else?