Tell me what you want: why every piece of media needs a call to action

Your media doesn’t need to be louder. It needs to be clearer. If there’s no call to action, there’s no point. Image generated in ChatGPT 4o

I would like to talk about your writing. I specifically mean the writing that you do for work.

Your writing is probably amazing. You just didn’t give your reader anything to do with it.

Let’s talk about the call to action. Are you saying what you want? More specifically, is your work communication asking your intended reader what you want them to do?

That’s my problem with most work emails, newsletters, websites, grant applications, videos, podcast episodes, blog posts, landing pages, tweets, posts, and campaigns: they don’t tell people what to do next.

A call to action is not a gimmick. It’s a fundamental part of communication.

If you’re not asking your reader or user or audience to do something, you’re not being specific. If you’re not being specific, you’re being forgettable. And if you’re being forgettable, you’re not building a viable media business.

Let’s look at the last 10 emails you sent out. How many of them had a clear, specific action for your reader?

“Let’s connect soon to discuss the possibility of collaboration.” isn’t a call to action.

“Read more on our website” isn’t either.

Neither is “Click here”.

Nor is that popular but meaningless button text on so many websites: “Know more”.
“Let us know what you think” is the illusion of action, but not an actual one.

But back to your email. “Let’s find time to meet over a coffee in Perugia” or “let’s do lunch when it’s convenient” is great, but here’s my suggestion that might bring you better results (or fewer emails and texts): use a gentle call to action to meet at a specific time. What if you followed that ambiguous Perugia coffee idea up with an actual plan? It could sound something like: “Would 11 am on Thursday the 10th at the Pasticceria Sandri work?” You’ve just given your reader an actual, specific plan to work with (and even better — a slot in their calendar). They could say yes, maybe, or no, but at least you’ve drawn a line in the sand. You’ve upgraded that vague expression of interest to a specific call to action on the part of your email correspondent.

“Strong CTAs align with user intent, brand narrative and sell the next step.” I found a great little post on what useful effective CTAs look like.

So what exactly do you want your audience to do — and why?

A call to action is a service

If you’re working in media, you already know your job is to provide useful information. But too often, we stop at “informing” the audience. We forget to serve them. A good CTA helps people move from curiosity to clarity — or from interest to intention.

• A “book a free 15-minute call” button helps someone stop wondering and start deciding.
  “Forward this to someone who needs it” makes it easier for your audience to amplify your work.
  “Buy your ticket” turns a passive reader into an active participant.

If you’ve made something good, why wouldn’t you give it a chance to go to work in the real world?

Have you ever worked with a chatbot and seen the results a really great prompt can give you? A really good CTA is like a great prompt for a human being: write it well, with care and clarity, and it can make your work life truly wonderful — and it can change your business. It all begins with relationships.

A CTA sets the tone for your relationship

Think of any CTA as an invitation. When you get it right, you’re building the beginnings of a habit: we meet at Sandri, you show me something useful, you tell me what to do next.

And not everything has to be about money. You’re not always selling something — but you’re always asking for attention, trust, or time, so use it wisely.

Here’s how some CTAs sound when done right:

• “Send this to three other editors in your newsroom.”

• “Reply and tell me how you’d improve this idea.”

• “Come to our workshop on Friday — spots are limited.”

• “Try this template and tell me if it works for you.”

Each of these does three things: it narrows the focus, creates momentum, and makes your user feel seen. And if it brings you revenue — well done!

CTAs are not just for marketing people

This isn’t just about newsletters and sales webpages. Every piece of communication — especially internal ones — works better with a call to action. (There’s a reason it isn’t called a CTI, or a call to idea. Ideas are great, but they’re cheap — and very inconclusive if they’re not translated into action.)

You're an editor writing a Slack message? Don’t just dump context. End with “Please add your name to the spreadsheet by 5 pm.”

You're presenting a story pitch in a newsroom meeting? Don’t just outline your idea. End with “I’m looking for collaborators from the visuals team.”

You're sending a funding report to your donor? Don’t just share metrics. End with “Here’s how you can help us grow this into a regional initiative.”

You don’t need to be pushy. You just need to be clear.

Clarity is generous

I’ve lost count of the bright, thoughtful people I know who are afraid to say what they want. They write long, well-researched updates or requests for meetings, assistance, ideas, or funding, and then just... vanish into ambiguity.

Here’s something that might help: write your CTA before you write the rest.

Decide what you want your reader to do, then build everything else around that. Once you know the outcome, your writing will automatically get sharper, shorter, and more specific.

So remember: you’re allowed to want things. You’re allowed to ask for them. You’re allowed to be direct, useful, and clear.

When you do that, you’re being respectful of your audience’s time.

So go back to that draft email you’ve been working on about meeting in Perugia, and ask yourself: Once your meeting is over, what’s your call to action? What do you want that person to do next?

Now email me and give me one example of the best call to action you’ve seen recently. (And then send this to one person you think might appreciate it.)