Marketing Trends – Negative Calls to Action

Welcome to the latest installment of our weekly blog series, Marketing Trends. Each week, we will identify a key trend in the world of marketing. We’ll discuss the trend, why it’s important, and suggest ways that you can take advantage of this trend in your company.

Last week’s trend was Peak Google.

Today’s Trend = Negative Calls to Action

We all know what a call to action is. In marketing, we use calls to action in our ad copy or on our landing pages in order to get people to take the desired action, whether that be submitting a form, clicking on a button, or any number of other actions.

But a new trend is rising through the marketing ranks that has people talking about calls to action as if they are brand new. And it’s the use of “Negative Calls to Action”.

Here’s how it works. Instead of just presenting the call to action, you give the person an option. If you want them to click on a button, you present a Yes button and a No button. You force them to choose. But on the No button, instead of just saying No, makes the person feel like No is the wrong choice.

Consider this example:

A landing page with a subscription form for a free newsletter has a place for the person to enter their email and a submit button. But below the submit button is a second button that says, “No thanks, I am not interested in free stuff”.

The change is subtle, but it forces the prospect to take notice. They must actively choose to say no, even in the face of the value being offered, made even more obvious by the way you have presented it.

This may not drastically improve your business, but if conversion rates are an issue for you, this is one test worth trying. It has been shown in testing to improve conversion rates or click through rates when applied properly.

Think about all the different calls to action you use in your marketing. They may be on your website, in your ads, promotional materials, etc. What changes can you make to highlight the value being offered from the “no” stance? What are people turning down when they say no to your company?

What marketing trend should we cover next? Now accepting submissions for marketing trends that we will cover in an upcoming installment of this series. Submit your ideas via our contact page or in the comments section below.

Marketing Trends – Negative Calls to Action