Calls To Action: How Photographers Can Expertly Use Them To Book
So you've gotten a potential client to your website. But how can you inspire them to inquire rather than drift off into the sunset? The secret—calls to action!
You’ve done the hard work. You’ve put in hours crafting your website to perfection. Your site is full of breathtaking photography, inspiring anecdotes, and exciting stories that will make just about anyone want to book…but no one actually reaches out. Talk about frustrating! It’s enough to make you want to rip your hair out! But here’s the thing: the lack of inquiries might not be about your work or your content. It might actually be about something far smaller, yet extremely important. It might be about the missing calls to action!
What’s a call to action?
A call to action (CTA) is a segment of text on a website meant to inspire the reader to do something, generally to book or buy. The secret is to blend clear information with powerful emotion.
It’s really that simple…and that complicated! Getting people we know to do something we want is difficult, but a stranger? Oof! It is actually much easier than you might imagine, though.
A call to action for photographers might be as basic as a well-placed “book now” button or as complex as a closing paragraph on an experience page that says, “Stuck looking for a photographer in your wedding planning process? Not sure what you even want out of your wedding photography experience? Send me a message on my contact page, and I’ll be in touch within 24 hours to continue the conversation!”
Without calls to action integrated throughout your site, you risk having tons of website visitors but no actual clients. They might fall in love with your photography or hang on every word of your about page, but without a clear next step, you can lose them.
How do I write a call to action without sounding salesy?
By keeping your clients in mind and seeking to serve them in a genuine way, you’ll write calls to action that feel sincere, not salesy. Try dispersing calls to action throughout your site and integrating them into questions, stories, and details, you can move your customers to book without being too in their face.
A great approach is to simply make your CTA’s flow with what you were writing about already! For example, if you’re explaining your gallery delivery process, close with something like, “Curious about the other gallery and heirloom options I provide? Reach out at my contact page!” And don’t forget to make the phrase “my contact page” a link to the page. Couldn’t be easier! By telling your clients what they’ll get out of booking and how it will benefit them, you’ll sound more helpful than salesy. And, it’s great for SEO purposes to have internal links on your website!
But remember: you have something to offer potential clients. They arrived on your website because they want what you’ve got! So, make it easy for them to get it! Believe in what you offer, and don’t worry too much about sounding like you’re selling something. Because you are!
What are some good calls to action for photographers that I should have on my site?
So happy you asked! Here are a few CTA concepts that will help you fill your booking calendar! Notice that they have clear, strong action verbs, high energy, and easy steps that don’t require much effort to complete:
Fill out my brief contact form to book now!
Grab the freebie!
Have questions? Shoot a message my way!
Not sure which package is right for you? I’d love to give you a hand! Fill out my contact form to begin the conversation
Book your no-pressure consultation call now!
Send me an email, and we can craft a custom collection to suit your session!
I can’t wait to hear about the party you’re planning! Share a bit about it with me in the contact form below.
Learn more about my client experience and the collections I offer here.
Join the email list to make sure you never miss an offer or resource!
Want more [YOUR BUSINESS NAME] in your life? Sign up for my email list here!
How many calls to action should I have on each page of my website?
Photographers should have at least one CTA on each one of their pages. Ideally, you’ll have two on each page: one near the top and one at the bottom. This ensures that clients can move through your booking process effortlessly and without even thinking about it. No matter what piece of your process or aspect your work catches their attention, if you provide a way for them to move onto the next step from there, you’ll be booking up in no time!
Do calls to action really work?
When crafted to fit your writing style and industry, calls to action are incredibly effective! To write a call to action well, lean on the power of high-energy emotion while also asking your potential client to accomplish a simple task.
While a sense of serenity and relaxation feels good, it doesn’t make you want to do anything, does it? It just makes you want to rest in that good feeling. But that makes tranquility a bad emotion to infuse into your call to action. Even if your brand voice has a sense of peace, choose higher energy emotions, like excitement and even nervousness to motivate a potential client to act. It’s all about being aware of the emotion of a piece of writing and crafting it with intention.
Additionally, if you make booking as straightforward as possible by walking them through every step on your website, then it’s more likely that people will book! No one likes to feel confused or overwhelmed – especially not a bride-to-be, mom-to-be, mom of three, or high school senior. So, never make them doubt or question what they should do next. Be. Clear!
And remember, website visitors won’t be scouring every inch of your site or reading every word. They’ll be scanning through, gathering the information they need to decide if they want to book you. So make their job easy by using great calls to action.
I’ve tried writing my CTA’s, and they sound awful. What should I do?
Writing a website that converts is difficult. Luckily, some professionals do that for you! I’m Erica, a copywriter for photographers, and I write CTA-filled websites for a living! If you’re interested in learning more about the signature done-for-you writing service I provide, step right this way to learn more and book your two-day copywriting extravaganza! Or if you’d like to learn how to write the content yourself, check out the coaching services I offer, my free resources, and explore my shop!
