"Submit my form; I command thee!"

This week, a thought about the humble call-to-action button.

While I tend to encourage writing your website in the "you" voice - favouring "You get..." over "We offer...," for example - the button is the one place I do not.

The way I see it, it's the only place that's for me (I'm the reader now). The rest of the site is you speaking to me (plus some of your customers speaking to me, I hope). The button is where I finally get to use my voice!

If I don't click it, I'm not saying it; it's not happening.

So when I do click it, I want it to mirror what I would be muttering under my breath (or shouting out loud, depending on the site and the offer).

Things like:

- "Yes, I want X."

- "I'm ready for/to X."

- "Sign me up" <- that's what you clicked to join this list :)

- "Confirm my interest/address/humanity."

Jonathan Stark , whose advice and insights I hold in the highest regard, describes it as making the reader feel like they are issuing a command. And I love that.

"Submit my form; I command thee!"

Happy button-making,

James

P.S. Friend of the newsletter, Rod Aparicio , says: "I'd add, it (encourages and) reinforces the decision your buyer is making, so it lowers the perceived risk (my decision vs. your decision).

It also goes a layer beyond: I am buying vs. I'm being sold to. Buying ≠ Selling"

P.P.S. This is the weekly version of my daily email newsletter - also called?One Creative Moment?:) - where I publish short (~250 words), personal, often irreverent pieces (like this) every single day of your life.

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