Tips For Creating A Compelling Call To Action

Obviously, you have a basic goal in mind with your crowdfunding campaign: you want to raise money. Gorgeous photography and an effective social media strategy are definitely helpful in ensuring the success of your campaign.

But, those alone won’t inspire supporters to crack open their wallets and donate their hard-earned money to your crowdfunding campaign. This is where your call to action comes into play.

A valuable call to action will lead your supporters to feel connected to your cause, and motivate them to donate in support of your mission. While crafting the perfect, concise call to action can seem like a daunting task, it doesn’t need to be exceedingly complicated.

Keep these tips in mind to create the perfect statement that motivates, inspires, and ultimately takes you one step closer to your goal!

Start with a Solid Foundation

Much like building a house, you need to lay the groundwork. The basic facts about your cause and goals need to be apparent in order for supporters to personally connect with your mission. They likely won’t feel driven to donate if they can’t figure out where their dollars are going.

So, make sure you preface your call to action with all of the necessary details about your campaign, including the “who”, “what”, and “why” of your mission. Supporters need a solid understanding of your entire crowdfunding campaign before they can make any donation decisions.

Use Powerful Action Language

Forget stiff, formal writing and impersonal language. A successful call to action will make readers feel like you’re talking directly to them. Use powerful verbs such as “donate”, “support”, or “help” so that it’s clear that your supporters need to take action.

A statement such as, “Your support means so much to us. So, if you can, please spare a few dollars to help provide school supplies to kids who need them,” is weak and ambiguous. In contrast, a statement like, “Donate now to provide school supplies to kids in need. Your donation keeps them on the path to a brighter future,” is firm and direct, while giving your supporters a strong sense of purpose and contribution.

Appeal to Emotions

We’re all familiar with those tear-jerking ASPCA commercials. Those soulful, sad puppy eyes staring at you while Sarah McLachlan somberly croons are pretty unforgettable. So, it comes as no surprise that these heart-wrenching commercials generated more than $30 million for the ASPCA.

What do these commercials do undeniably well? They appeal to your emotions. Most successful calls to action will play more towards the heart than the head. Get to the meat and potatoes of your crowdfunding campaign’s goal, and make it clear to your supporters why they need to support your mission.

Focus on One Goal

The main goal of your call to action is to encourage donations and ensure that you’re making progress towards your crowdfunding goal. So, zone in on that sole focus.

Don’t cloud your call to action with numerous options, as this will just overwhelm and confuse your supporters. Sure, it would be nice if they would also like your Facebook page, follow you on Twitter, and check out your blog. But, those aren’t necessarily essential to the success of your crowdfunding campaign. Make sure that your call to action is concise and single-focused so that it’s effective in simply garnering donations.

Create a Sense of Urgency

You likely have a deadline for your crowdfunding campaign. After all, you can’t raise money forever without ever doing anything with the donations.

You’ve laid the groundwork and explained your cause, but you need to make sure that your supporters are left feeling like they need to take action – now. Pepper urgent sounding words throughout your copy to contribute to the time sensitive nature of your campaign.

Using phrases such as “donate now” or “don’t wait” will help your supporters transition from thinking your campaign is a great idea, to thinking it’s something they need to be part of immediately.

While it may seem difficult to condense your entire crowdfunding campaign into one concise and effective call to action, these tips will ensure that your call to action is simple, powerful, urgent sounding, and focused on one goal. These necessary elements will inspire and motivate your supporters to contribute to your cause, and bring you one step closer to your crowdfunding goal!

Want more information on writing a compelling call to action? Check out this blog post for more great tips!

Photograph by Vinoth Chandar.