Thinking About Your Call to Action

It's as simple as asking your client to take the next step.

Call to actions: We use them every day, especially when packaging our marketing and program information. We work hard to develop our messages and try to figure the best way to deliver them. If we don't provide our target audience with a next step to take: our messages may never cause change, increase understanding, gain support or even just get a response.

Calls to action can help us market the educational information from K-State Research and Extension and make our messages more persuasive. Anytime you decide to produce a marketing campaign or offer information, make a call to action available for the target audience. For example:

Call this phone number
Volunteer
Share your talents, wealth, or energy
Sign up to attend our program
Click here for more information
Subscribe to our RSS feed
Listen to our radio program
Join our Master Gardener program
Donate to our program
Add to cart
Print out our publication
Become a fan on Facebook
Participate in our focus group
Follow us on twitter
Subscribe to our newsletter

Use calls to action in your newspaper columns, websites, displays, radio programs, thank you notes, brochures, fact sheets, social media, and on cloth shopping bags, pencils, and electronic presentations.

In all cases, make sure our clients receive something of value by taking the next step and answering our call to action. It's up to you as K-State Research and Extension staff to make sure answering the call is worth their time.

--Elaine Edwards elainee@ksu.edu

Thinking About Your Call to Action

Social Media and You

At a recent meeting in Kansas City, a Virginia Tech professor reported that a farmer in his state told him that if a banker won't communicate by e-mail or text messaging, the farmer won't do business with him.

It's clear that technology and social media affect every industry. In the same talk, the Virginia Tech professor reported that:

• 1/3 of small businesses have a presence on Facebook;
• Social networking has quadrupled in 3 years - 8 percent to 35 percent;
• 75 percent of men age 18-40 spend most of their time in front of a computer, compared to 18 percent who spend most of their time in front of a TV;
• Social networking is now more popular then e-mail.

The implication for K-State Research and Extension is that various forms of social media allow us to

• add customers quickly,
• capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing,
• enhance customer service (you are there 24/7),
• speak directly to the consumer.

While it's helpful to be proficient in many areas of social media, it's more important that you are using the technology efficiently. Even if you connect with customers in just one way, make sure you know how to use it at a high level and are committed to keeping the information fresh.
Some things that apply to all forms of communication, including social media, are:

• Maintain current information;
• Use proper grammar;
• Be concise;
• Know your audience;
• Be accurate (know your facts).

For more communication and marketing tips, visit our blog at www.ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com.

-- Pat Melgares melgares@ksu.edu

Social Media and You