A little bit ago…
I shared an article that I enjoyed. A random article that just showed up in my inbox...
...which I had no intention of being invested in, and not a thought in my mind of sharing.
Yet. There I was finding a place to drop a link to it. Why?
Well, it helped that it was a great article. But in my case…
…that’s not enough. Just because an article, or any other form of media happens to be great…that’s not enough to get me to comment on it, thumbs it up, share it…whatever…
…it’s not enough. It’s more like a prerequisite. The content has to sufficiently deter my singularly focused mind from its "one true call" for that day.
And then comes the part that will get me to do something sometimes.
You know what it is?
Well don’t worry, I’ll tell you.
You have to tell me what you want me to do about your content. That’s right…
The Extended CTA.
You don’t just want me to stop what I’[m doing and READ your article or watch your video or listen to your podcast…
…you want me to leave a comment as well. Like it as well. Share it as well. It’s like the “ONE TWO punch” of calls to action.
An example?
Sean D’Souza wrote me an email that ended with the following post scriptum:
“Warm regards,
Sean D'Souza
P.S. May I ask a tiny favour? Would you mind sharing this podcast/article with one person? I would love it.”
See that P.S.?
“May I ask a tiny favour?” Now besides the fact that I’m in America and we say “favor” here, not “favour…”
I have to tell you…
I wouldn’t have thought to share the article he shared with me. Why not?
Because it doesn’t really have anything to do with me. It’s not that I don’t want to do the occasional NICE thing for someone else…
…it’s just that I don’t really think about it. One could argue in fact, that I’ve already done something nice for Sean by spending a bit of my time to read that article.
But I don’t think most people are thinking along those lines. I think that most people look in their inbox and they go, “Hmm this looks interesting, let me skim it.”
And then when they are done, they revisit the email that got them there, and then THAT’s when they might see the P.S. asking them to share it.
Ahh there it is…
The DOUBLE Call to action.
And when I was staring at that P.S. after reading the article I thought, “hmm why not?” So I shared it on my Substack.
But if that P.S. would not have been there? No way I would have thought to share the article with anyone.
Not because I don’t want to help…like I said…but just because I’m focused on what I want to do, not what is going to help YOU.
However, if you tell me what to do with your content? That’s different. Now my choice is to do it or not do it…
…but it’s not like I don’t KNOW what you want me to do with it.
So yeah, The Double CTA in effect.
Don't just click on the link and READ my thing. Also take this OTHER action with my thing after you've read it.
Is it asking too much of people? Well you might think so, but it worked on me.
Use it and prosper.
That’s all I got!
P.S. By the way, if you liked this bit of writing by me...
...share this with someone out there you think might get some benefit out of it. You’d be helping me, AND you’d be setting the tone for taking some action today!