Writing for marketing

How to write an irresistible email CTA [with examples]

30 minute read

The call to action (or CTA) is one of the most important elements of an email. Whether you’re writing a newsletter, marketing email, fundraising request, or even an internal company email, a good CTA is what will motivate your readers to take action.

But how do you ensure a CTA is compelling, clear and stands out from the rest of the email? How do you make it irresistible to click?

In this article, we’ll share what makes CTAs utterly clickable and explore some examples that you can use as inspiration.

We’ll be thinking beyond calls to action in pure B2C marketing emails to those you can use in different kinds of B2B and professional emails. But as you’ll see, most of the key principles actually stay the same. (If you are interested purely in B2C marketing CTAs, you’ll find a few more tips in this article from Campaign Monitor.)

 

What is a call to action (or CTA)?

In an email, the call to action is a request to the recipient to take some sort of action – as the name suggests. This action starts with them clicking a link or button with a phrase like ‘Read now’, ‘Book now’ or ‘Get in touch’. And the action will be connected to the broader purpose of your email – for example, to increase traffic to a webpage, raise awareness or get a direct reply.

The call to action of your email is the core reason for the email to exist – the climax of your message. A CTA might show up as a button saying something like ‘Read now’, but the term describes the prompt to take action itself and the button or link where that prompt appears.

CTAs can be very effective in getting the reader to do something, but only if they are clear, relevant and timely.

Why do you need a CTA in an email?

Calls to action help give our emails purpose. If we write an email without first considering what we want the reader to do after reading it, our emails can end up being unwieldy or just plain pointless.

A good CTA will not only let the reader know what to do next. It will also create a sense of urgency, so they are more likely to take the desired action promptly.

While a call to action can be the core reason for an email to exist, it’s only one of many components that make the email successful. The subject line, preview text, body copy, images and CTA button(s) all need to work together to get the reader to take the step you want.

But it’s a great idea to start with your CTA in mind. Establishing this first will clarify your objective and help you design all these other elements to nudge your reader forward one by one.

 

What makes a bad CTA?

Before we look closely at what makes a good CTA, let’s establish what bad looks like, to avoid falling into any of the common traps.

Examples of bad CTAs

Here are some approaches and examples of what not to do when you’re creating your calls to action.

Being vague

If someone is going to click a link, they’ll want to know exactly where they’re going (and why). So a CTA that is vague about where they’ll go next and why they should bother? Yep, that’s a bad CTA.

So avoid phrases like these:

Contact us
This is pretty non-specific. Contact us … how? Via what medium – a carrier pigeon? Telegram? More importantly, why get in contact? Instead, go for something more specific and relevant to the step they’re taking, such as Get your free proposal.

Get access
It’s not clear what they’ll get access to or why they’d want to. Better would be to tell them what they’ll gain by getting access. For example: Streamline your projects now.

Take the survey
This sounds like a boring chore, with no clear benefit for the reader. It would be better to be more concrete and appeal to emotion. For example: Help others know what this place is like.

 

Piling on the pressure

No one opens an email hoping to be pushed to spend money or do something laborious. So don’t use words that will make the reader feel pressured or like the task will take effort.

Avoid words and phrases like:

  • Submit
  • Buy now
  • Complete the form
  • Donate
  • Sponsor

 

Instead, focus on the benefit and what the reader will gain or achieve – and with little effort! Try phrases like:

  • Get my free proposal
  • Reveal the key trends for 2022
  • Check out the latest collection / Get inspired
  • Help us solve this problem
  • Save your seat
  • Add your name in one click
  • Try the latest version

 

Using an inappropriate tone of voice

Sometimes being too quirky or whimsical with a call to action can turn people off. Make sure that when you’re writing a benefit-led CTA, you’re still accurately describing the action and not veering on the side of vague.

Here are some examples that could easily fall flat:

  • Let’s go! / Let’s do this!
  • Become a superstar!
  • Download and become 10% more clever

 

Relying on clichés

Overused words or phrases are dull and easy to overlook. However, it’s worth noting that sometimes these words could be just what’s needed if they perfectly describe what the reader should do.

Best practice is to use overused phrases, jargon and clichés sparingly and only if you think they’re the perfect match for the rest of your email content. If you can think of a more benefit-focused way to say it that’s still succinct, use that instead.

Here are a few overused and underwhelming CTAs:

  • Request a demo
  • Download
  • Buy now
  • Click here
  • Register now
  • View/See more
  • Sign up

 

What makes a good CTA?

A good email CTA is clear, concise and describes the benefit that the reader will gain from clicking and taking action.

 

Examples of great CTAs

Here are some real examples from businesses who’ve nailed their CTAs.

 

Perfectly describing the benefit

In this crowdfunding email, hosiery brand Hēdoïne makes it clear the benefit to the reader if they invest in the company and exactly how the process will work. Rather than using simply ‘Register here’ for the CTA, they added ‘& get priority access’. This not only tells the reader why they should register but also adds a sense of urgency.

 

Hedoine email. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'

Open image description and transcript

Text-only email, black text on white background. Email reads:

OVER TO YOU, HEDOINES …
We want to make investing more accessible for everyone and enable you to truly be part of our journey … as well as get your slice of the cake.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

1. Visit the page below to register your interest
2. Complete your details and give us a non-binding indication of what you might consider investing (from £100 to £1million)
3. We’ll let you know as soon as our campaign page is visible for our priority investors
4. We will provide you with detailed information and the investment proposal
5. Our FCA regulated partner Seedrs collects all investment commitments and closes the campaign

REGISTER HERE & GET PRIORITY ACCESS →

[Hand-written signatures: Alex & Anna]
Alex & Anna
Co-Founders of Hēdoïne

 

Cohesion with the email theme

It’s not just the CTA that should be trying to convince your reader to click your link(s), it’s the whole email.

From the subject line to the headings and the body copy, it should all work cohesively to build your message and keep your reader hooked. You can think of your subject line as the first CTA in your email – after all, it’s the reason a reader will either click to read or send to trash.

This email from fashion brand Reformation is a good example of this. Its overall theme is items coming back into stock, with the extended metaphor of being ‘back on the market’ after a romantic breakup. The CTAs throughout the email support this theme, giving gentle and humorous nudges to click. And, being from a fashion brand, the images of clothes in the email are as important as the words.

 

Part of Reformation email
Second part of Reformation email. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Excerpt of email titled ‘Reformation’ with a series of images of a Black model variously wearing white and pastel-print dresses, skirt and top sets, and matching summer trousers and tops with sandals.

The first photo has white text overlaid saying, ‘On the market’. Black text interspersed between the other images reads, ‘Some favorites are available again’ (with ‘favorites’ linked), ‘New colors, old amount of cuteness’, ‘Like when you get back on dating apps after the breakup’. The final photo is overlaid with white text reading ‘→ Go say hi’.

 

 

Keeping it short and sweet

To be effective, an email should have one primary purpose.

Sometimes, you’ll need to include multiple CTAs for different actions, such as in a newsletter with links to different blog posts and resources. But generally, try to avoid overwhelming the reader with options.

This email from Moz (an SEO platform) is a great example of keeping it short, sweet and focused in a CTA. Note how the email copy has already built up the case for clicking the button and exploring their tool Moz Pro. The word ‘Explore’ offers a low pressure way to move ahead.

 

Moz email. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open description and transcript of image

Email from the Moz team. Subject line: ‘Let’s talk about how to take your SEO to the top.’

The email has a header with the Moz logo and an illustration of the Moz robot character holding a spanner and bursting out the top of a toolbox.

The text reads:

Hey,

We’ve covered a lot of ground on keyword research the past few weeks, but there’s so much more to SEO! Competitive analysis, on-page SEO, and link building to name a few.

We made Moz Pro to put all those concepts (and more!) into an all-in-one tracking and research toolset – built by industry experts – to make your life easier. Moz Pro offers the most complete set of resources and hands-on support to help you master SEO and smashing your goals.

Here’s what you can accomplish in Moz Pro:

Keyword rankings: Track hundreds of keywords for your site – Google & Bing, desktop & mobile, local & national to understand your rankings and those of your competitors.
Competitor data: Analyze the competition to see how you stack up and gain visibility into your biggest opportunities.
Automated site checks: See what site issues are hurting rankings and get a prioritized list of what to fix for fast wins.
Research tools: Find new keyword ideas to inform your content strategy and build a stellar editorial calendar.

Click below to learn how you can discover new SEO opportunities and build some organic growth!

[Yellow call-to-action button reads ‘Explore Moz Pro’]

– The Moz Team

 

How to make your CTA stand out

In a crowded inbox where people are short on time, it’s reasonable to assume a reader will skim your email, not read every word. So it’s important to think about how you’re going to make your CTA really stand out and attract those clicks.

Here are a few content and design ideas to try.

 

Consider using more than one CTA button

If your email is visual and you’re using different content blocks, it’s a good idea to add a few CTAs throughout the email – perhaps two or three. This helps lead the eye through and also means that if someone is only skim-reading, they’re still likely to spot your CTA.

It’s good to include a CTA ‘above the fold’ – that is, in the space visible before you have to scroll down to see the rest of the content. Doing this means your first CTA is in the reader’s eyeline when they open the email and makes the email’s purpose clear.

Closing your email with a final CTA means you will have a strong sign-off at the point where a reader should be ready to click.

This image shows how content blocks in an email can be arranged with CTAs throughout:

 

Content blocks and CTAs in emails. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Annotated diagram of an email structure with elements grouped into sections.

Section one:
Email headline/title ← Catchy title that communicates what your email is about
Call to action ← First CTA is visible before the reader scrolls and should express ‘How do I get it?’

Section two:
Value proposition
Reasons to believe ← The first block of content clearly describes: What is this? Why should I care? How much is it (if relevant)?
Call to action ← Consider another CTA after this information

Section three:
Proposition detail
Where to find more information ← More content here articulates ‘Where can I get more information about this?’

Section four:
Advocacy/Social proof ← Sometimes you might add some social proof to show that other people have already liked, trusted and rated this proposition.
Call to action ← A final CTA rounds off the content and makes the email more scannable.

 

Use consistent language

Using the same or similar language on every CTA throughout your email helps reinforce the action you want the reader to take (and why). It also helps them to absorb the message when they’re scanning through.

Writing the action in the body copy and repeating it on the CTA button is a good idea too, like this example:

 

Header of email with text and CTA. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Top section of an email with text and a call-to-action button.
The text reads, ‘Book a demo to find out why influencer intelligence is the perfect partner to help streamline your influencer outreach and campaigns.’ The CTA button reads, ‘Book a demo’.

 

Use high-contrast colours

When you’re designing your button, use a contrasting colour so the CTA stands out against the background. This can mean having a white button on a dark background (or vice versa), like in this email from financial app Plum.

 

Plum email with two CTA buttons: a white button on purple background and later a purple button on white background.

 

Use size and spacing to create emphasis

Make your CTA bigger than the surrounding text and leave space around it to create focus and make it easy to spot. This is a great example from the School of Life:

 

School of Life email excerpt. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Excerpt of email with white text on grey background. The text reads:

New to The School of Life library

A More Loving World is a guide to increasing compassion, kindness and joy. It frames love not as romantic, idealistic fantasy, but as a hugely serious and dignified force that can save us from meanness and strife, defend us against chaos – and usher in hope and courage. Click below to read an extract of the book for free: ‘A Loveless World’.

Two white CTAs follow, with text larger than the body copy. They read ‘Read the Extract’ and ‘Shop the Book’.

 

Pro tip: Make sure your CTAs are accessible for those using screen readers. The tips above will all help, but to make sure you understand what makes a CTA accessible, try this article from The Bureau of Internet Accessibility.

 

Button CTAs and text-link CTAs are both great ways to encourage clicks. And an email might include both types. Generally, a text link is useful for inserting a link within the context of longer-form prose, whereas a button CTA stands alone.

You’ve seen a few already, but here’s a quick reminder of a button CTA:

 

Yellow button call to action labelled 'Use the free template'

 

And here’s a text-link CTA:

 

Excerpt of email. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Excerpt of email with title and text that includes a hyperlink. The text reads:

Go-to template for easy-breezy onboarding

Make the best of your one-on-one meetings from day one. Lay the foundation for long-lasting engagement and use this [link begins] new employee one-on-one meeting template [link ends] to structure your next sync.

 

There are no hard-and-fast rules about when to use either type of CTA in an email.

However, a text link is more useful when your email includes a lot of running text, and you’re confident the reader will read the prose and get to the text link.

A button is more effective if you think the reader will be scanning through the email and you want to pull their attention to the CTA.

To understand the individual use cases, here are the pros and cons for each:

 

Pros Cons
Button CTA

– Attention grabbing and visible

– The button design means you can separate the CTA from the rest of your email

– Direct, clear and concise

– Can take the attention away from other parts of your email

– You have less space to describe the benefit

– Can be seen as ‘salesy’

Text-link CTA

– You can fully describe the benefit of clicking the link with the text

– You can include the CTA within the flow and body copy of your email naturally

– Great in longer-form emails

– Too many words can overwhelm the reader

– Less visible

– Less useful if your email is more graphic and visual

 

One of the main benefits of a text-link CTA is that you have more room to include a reason to click the link. For example:

  • Download our white paper and reveal the secret to writing irresistible proposals.
  • Get your free copy of our e-book and learn how to write emails that sell.
  • Sign up for our webinar to discover how to write compelling CTAs.

 

Here’s another great real-life example showing the link in the flow of text, from newsletter The Goods. The text link directs the reader to a blog article and describes what it’s about in a compelling way:

 

The Goods email excerpt. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Excerpt of email with decorative header that reads ‘The Goods, by Vox’ and text that includes hyperlinks. The text reads:

I have a complicated relationship with office snacks. As a veteran of media start-ups, I’m no stranger to them in all of their most indulgent, pseudo-healthy, and downright bizarre variations: I’ve worked in offices with frozen yogurt machines, trays of free burritos, and cases of beer.

That all probably sounds great, and on some level, it was. Especially in my early career, when I wasn’t making much money, being able to cobble together a free lunch (and breakfast, and dinner) from what was available at work was a huge help; the thing is, I probably would have been much happier to just … earn a decent wage and buy the dang fro-yo myself.

[Link begins] That’s the paradox at the heart of Emily Stewart’s latest column, where she examines the less-than-rosy flip-side of office snacks. [Link ends] Sure, they’re a nice perk for employees, but they can often be used in lieu of more tangible benefits and can compel employees to spend even more time at work for no real reason.

Still, I have to admit, when it’s a few hours past lunchtime and I’m bored and lonely working from my apartment, I do have pangs of missing a particular basket of the knockoff Rice Krispies Treats I used to pillage back in the office during the Before Times; they weren’t even that good, but at least they were free.

– [Link begins] Alanna Okun [link ends], senior editor of The Goods

 

 

Here’s a less effective example of using text links. Even though there’s space to list the benefits and make the text compelling, I’m given no clear reason to click the links.

 

Email with hyperlinks. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Excerpt of email that includes hyperlinks. The text reads:

Hello Stephanie,

Our [link begins] Resource Centre [link ends] features lots of really useful free stuff for marketers.

One of the highlights is our Content Re-optimisation Guide (as featured on Moz.com).

[Link begins] Read your ungated copy here. [Link ends]

Best wishes,

Michelle

 

This email could be more effective by:

  • including a quick list of benefits that I can get by clicking the links
  • using text links to fully describe what the guide includes
  • being more visual
  • sticking to one action – do I visit the resource centre or download the guide? Which is more important?

 

How to make your CTAs irresistible

We’ve covered a lot of best practice already. But to write a truly irresistible CTA, it’s essential to focus on the audience and what motivates them.

Think about when, where and how they’ll be receiving this email. How might they be feeling? What else is going on for them? What do they care about? All this will help you identify what might motivate them to engage with you.

Here are a few in-depth tips for writing CTAs for maximum click-through.

 

Understanding your audience

As with most writing, creating a great CTA has a lot to do with empathy and putting yourself in your audience’s shoes.

Rather than focus on what message you’re trying to push out, think what kind of message the audience will want to receive. Understanding their challenges and motivations will help you work out what the benefit to them is, which will help you write a CTA that will resonate with them.

For example, say you’re writing an internal business email for your busy colleagues, and you want them to engage with a new piece of research about your sector. A simple direction to ‘Download the white paper’ probably won’t draw them in – especially when they have a to-do list as long as yours.

Instead, you could summarise the key points of the research in a bulleted list, giving them a bite-size version that they’re more likely to read. Try enticing them to want to know more with a cliffhanger or intriguing question that the paper can answer. And then, rather than use a button CTA, you can use a text link saying: ‘Reveal [how/why/what] in the complete research paper.’

 

Choosing the right kind of CTA

There are a few different ways to approach writing a CTA. Think about what might be most appropriate in the context of your email.

You can echo a feeling: ‘I need help with my email marketing.’

You can show an actionable next step: ‘Show me my personalised proposal.’

You can be specific: ‘Start my first month for £7 now.’

Writing in the first person (using ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘my’) can work well if it fits with your organisation’s tone of voice. Doing this is particularly relevant in a B2C context where you don’t know the reader.

Using the first person and echoing a feeling can make a reader feel recognised and understood. Showing an actionable next step is useful for prompting action, and being specific is always key to being clear and expressing value.

The good, the bad and the clickable: how to write irresistible calls to action in your emails, via @EmphasisWriting Share on X

Writing the copy

If you’re writing a button CTA, remember to use simple action words that suggest the audience will get something in return for clicking, without having to give much in return. For example:

  • Get
  • Discover
  • Play
  • See
  • Listen
  • Watch
  • Try

 

As we’ve said, if you’re writing a text-link CTA, you have space to use more words. The rules of thumb for the link text are:

  • be as specific as you can
  • mirror the title of the article or page the link goes to
  • make it clear why the reader should click.

 

It’s still best to keep text links as concise as you can: somewhere around 5–15 words is about right. Any more than that and the link becomes difficult to read.

For example:

  • Explore more key insights from top brands using TikTok in 2022.
  • Learn how to create HTML emails in five easy steps.
  • Watch OfficeVibe’s video tutorial on how to create a learning culture in your organisation.

 

Timing

An irresistible CTA is a well-timed one. If you ask for the right action at the right time, you’re more likely to get results. Ask for too much too soon and you risk losing your audience’s trust.

Think about when you’re sending your emails in terms of when the reader will read it and where they will be in their journey with you as a brand or employer.

Consider questions like these:

  • What was the last communication they’re likely to have had from you? How can you make sure your email works in the flow?
  • How well do they know your company? Are they familiar enough with it for this message, or do they need more information about you and why you’re emailing them?
  • What are you asking them to do? Is it appropriate to ask that of them now?

 

These questions can help you tailor your content so you send the right message at the right time.

 

Test and learn

To really make your CTA effective, test and learn. Monitor which emails have the best click-through rate and engagement, so you can learn how things land and do more of what works.

Here are a few tips for testing and optimising your CTAs:

 

Use analytics

You can set up tracking on your Google or Microsoft account, or you can use dedicated email software like Mailchimp and HubSpot.

These offer back-end data like open and click-through rates and how much time is spent viewing the email. This information will help you understand what’s working and what’s not.

 

Measure one thing at a time

If your software provides it, you can use A/B testing to see which version of an email gets better results. But if you try to monitor too many things at once, you will end up with too many variables to draw any useful conclusions.

Some of the things you can measure in your tests are opens, clicks and engagement (in terms of time spent reading).

Broadly speaking:

  • open rates suggest how successful your subject line is
  • engagement time links to readers’ interest in your body copy
  • click-through rate indicates how well your CTA works.

 

But note that open rate measures are often not entirely accurate, so take those results with a pinch of salt.

If you’re testing out alternative CTAs, try to keep the variables in the rest of your email to a minimum. For example, don’t experiment with different body copy and different CTAs at the same time.

 

Ask for feedback

What better way to find out what your readers like and don’t like than by asking them? Speak to trusted clients and send out surveys asking for opinions on your emails. You can ask directly whether they prefer certain types of CTA over others.

 

When to use a CTA in business emails

In a corporate environment – or even within an organisation like a university or charity – emails with CTAs can be roughly divided into two main categories: marketing and internal communications. There’s plenty of crossover in intention and technique though.

You may not feel that you’re really ‘marketing’ a product, especially if you mostly share valuable and engaging content rather than directly invite people to buy anything. But any external communications are all part of your brand identity and feed into marketing and positioning your ‘brand’. Sending an email newsletter is a great example.

But your internal emails can actually do a similar job. They’re an important part of the company culture and vital for knowledge sharing. And there can be plenty of occasions where you need to persuade your colleagues to take action – to read an update, give feedback, fill in a survey or sign up to a course.

So, with both external and internal emails, take the same approach: think about your purpose, the benefit for the reader and a CTA that will express it. This will help all your emails be more effective.

 

Marketing

Whether you’re pointing people to a new article or directly marketing a product, you’ll be asking your reader to take some sort of action in the email.

Company newsletters

Newsletters are a great way to share what you’ve been up to as a company or your latest blog posts.

Newsletters usually won’t include a click-through to buy anything. But they’re key for solidifying your brand, staying front of mind and expressing your thinking or expertise. Generally, a newsletter will include links to a few different resources and articles, each with their own short description and CTA.

This example from content studio Storythings’ weekly newsletter is a great example of how to use CTAs in this context. They use text links in the title of the stories they’re sharing with a short description of why they’re sharing this content and why they found it interesting. Simple and effective!

 

First half of email excerpt. Full description and transcript of full image below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.
Second half of email excerpt. Full description and transcript of full image below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Excerpt of email with header reading ‘The Full Story’ against a yellow background and text that includes hyperlinks as headings. The text reads:

[Link begins] Russell Davies Talks to Neil Perkin For Google Firestarters [link ends]
In this fascinating conversation, Russell Davies talks to Neil Perkin about what he’s learned and the mistakes he’s made working with some of the world’s biggest organisations. Before becoming VP Marketing at Bulb Energy Russell led communications and digital strategy at organisations including Nike, Honda, Microsoft, Apple and was the Director of Strategy for the UK Government Digital Service for four years.
(50 min watch)

[Link begins] David Abbott’s Five Rules For Good Copywriting [link ends]
I’ve just bought The Copy Book. It’s very good. It opens with an interview with David Abbott, the copywriter responsible for some legendary VW and Economist ads. I love rule number 4 which touches on a lot of what Russell talks about in the link above.
(1 min read)

[Link begins] Interactive Story on Russia’s Mistakes and Ukraine’s Resistance [link ends]
It’s not often I’ll post something like this but this interactive from the FT’s Visual Storytelling Team is really good. It’s a simple piece of scrollytelling that breaks down a lot of info into short and concise paragraphs and uses videos and maps to enhance the experience.
(Interactive)

[Link begins] Looking For Your Next Podcast Binge? This is an Impressive Thread! [Link ends]
I was looking for a new podcast binge. Then this came along. It will be a long time before I run out of podcasts to listen to.
(Thread)

 

 

Product-related emails

If the email is focused on a product or discounts and offers, then a good CTA is one that makes it simple and natural for the reader to click and buy.

This marketing email from Patch Plants is a brilliant example of how to pepper different CTAs throughout, using a clean button style and clear language relating to each product.

Note how they don’t say ‘Buy’ and instead say ‘Pick a plant’ to make the task seem less about spending money, and more about choice, discovery and browsing. Even their use of ‘Shop’ is tied to the creative activity of propagating a plant rather than simple consumerism.

 

First half of Patch Plants email. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Second half of Patch Plants email. Full description and transcript below, under summary field labelled 'Open image description and transcript'.

Open image description and transcript

Email from Patch with their name and logo in the header and a row of links below to ‘New In’, ‘Plants’, ‘Pots’ and ‘Care’. The email body contains images and text and simple black-and-white CTA buttons.

Photo one: A succulent pot plant held in one hand and one of the plant’s leaves held between finger and thumb in the other hand.
Corresponding text:

Create new life 🐣

If you’ve never tried propagating, spring is the time to give it a go. With just some scissors and some patience, you can turn one plant into many.

It’s a really simple, lovely bank holiday task.

[CTA button with black text on white with black outline: Pick a plant to propagate]

Three ways to propagate 👇

Photo two: A hand holding a glass jar containing water and large green leaves with long cut stalks
Corresponding text:

Stem cutting 🌿

Good for plants like pothos and monsteras. Cut your plant a few centimetres below a node (where leaf meets stem). Put the cutting in a jar of water and wait for roots to appear.

[CTA button: Shop Rapunzel]

Photo three: birds-eye view of a hand holding a tiny plant pot containing soil and two cut succulent leaves

Leaf cutting 🍃

This works mostly on succulents. Gently pinch off a healthy leaf. Lay the leaf on a tray of soil and eventually it will form roots.

[CTA button: Shop Suri]

 

 

Internal communication

Community-centric emails generally aim to encourage people to engage and get involved.

 

Emails to colleagues

Internal company emails – like those sent by communications or learning and development teams – often share updates and resources, tell people about upcoming training, or request feedback afterwards.

As ever, aim to bring out the benefits of taking the action in your email content and CTA. What will the reader gain from reading the article you link to? What useful skills will they build if they have the training? Put these words in the call to action.

And, where you can, make tasks sound easy. If you need them to fill in a feedback form, ‘Start the two-minute survey’ will probably do better than ‘Complete the form now’.

 

Alumni emails

University alumni emails (while not strictly internal) are also usually about knowledge sharing and participation – as well as fundraising. You’ll be sharing content to keep alumni feeling connected to the university and engaged in what it’s doing. In time, you’ll want to invite them to events and (eventually) to donate.

As you craft your emails and CTAs, think about how you can appeal to emotion and a sense of nostalgia and community with all the friends and faculty members they met.

The human angle is often most powerful. Can you inspire them with the stories of their fellow graduates or projects the school is involved in? Can your CTAs hint at the effect their involvement or support will have for current students or the wider community?

With either audience, CTAs in emails that share information can (again) be less explicit and included as text links throughout. But where the reader needs to do something beyond just passively absorbing the email, button CTAs are especially useful.

 

Your call to action

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve learned a lot about how to create a call to action that your audience can’t help but click. Hopefully, we’ve given you lots of ideas to try out.

So your call to action now is to go and get crafting that irresistible CTA for your next email. Have fun and good luck!

 


 

Interested in a tailored in-company course on writing better emails and CTAs? Drop us a line to arrange a chat with one of our team.

 

Image credit: Sunflower Light Pro / Shutterstock

Topics

Writing for marketing

Emails that appeal to your audience’s hearts and minds

Use our free template to structure your human-to-human B2B marketing emails.

Stephanie is a senior content consultant who advises clients on all areas of their digital content – from social media and influencers to big creative campaigns. Her background is in social media and marketing, having previously been head of marketing for fashion brand American Apparel, as well as working for start-up social media app HeyHub.

Stephanie shares her expertise in making an impact online as a guest author on the Emphasis blog.

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