Cold Call Carl - Rejected Again

Click for the Maxi

Previously in Cold Call Carl

Need a Softer Call to Action

A job came across my desk today, the brief describing an existing landing page that wasn't converting, which in this case was defined as getting visitors to fill out a form. The AE had already identified the problem: "Need a stronger call to action." (I swear.)

So I go to the page. It's loaded with flowery copy and a basic image of a high-end product. At the bottom of the copy is a form. Below that form is a check-box that basically says you acknowledge that you know you are about to be harassed non-stop by a salesperson who has already asked in the above form what the best time to call you would be. He also wanted your home address, your email address and a few other nuggets.

It's not that people aren't visiting the landing page; they are. They just aren't filling out the form because they smell "sales hound" all over it. And the AE decides that we simply need to call them to action "stronger."

Wrong. We need to call them much softer. The client has a similar ad running in The New York Times that uses the same basic copy points and the exact same image, but it converts well because it only offers a phone number and a web address.

People don't like forms. Much less long ones. Much less invasive ones. Much less ones with terms of agreement check-boxes at the bottom. Put them all together and you've got a recipe for failure. Keep paying for those clicks on your PPC ads, and then keep wondering why no one is "converting" from your landing pages.

See the cartoon below.

Man Searches for Xena Porn with Success

CP+B have to work for Ask.com, the struggling search engine in a very distant 5th place to Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL, just ahead of the "other" category. In typical CP+B fashion, they do the work big, weird, and self-aware, reaching for the porn image searcher market (the man searches for "chicks with swords") in this over-the-top, grandiose Broadway Spectacular.

Keep doing show tunes and you're gonna stay in 5th, Ask. Might wanna bring back Jeeves soon.

Watch at your own risk.



Note to anonymous commenter (whose comment was deleted) who wrote, "Not sure how women wearing clothes while holding swords is equivalent to porn...I guess some people have nothing better to do then be strangely offended by nothing at all."

No one is offended by the "porn," which is merely suggested and not actual. (Do I need to tell you what a "sword" is? Here you go. See also the Wayne's World entry on Wikipedia. Look for the word "Schwing!") The "offense" is the spot itself. I just happen to hate musicals. I also hate commercials that rely on giant productions to sell services no one uses. Sorry. And I'll bet you worked on the spot or you work at Ask.com. Please read the disclaimer at the bottom of this blog.