CTA: Rules for an Effective Call to Action in SMS

Any marketer knows that the best product packaging is worth nothing if it doesn’t push the customer to make a purchase. And that “push” is just a Call to Action: CTA. Its use is especially relevant in SMS messaging, as with a short text, you need to sell more.

Let’s find out what a CTA is, where to use it, and how to compose it.

What is a CTA?

CTA, or Call to Action, is a concise phrase or image that encourages your potential customer to take the action you need. This is the foundation of sales in marketing. In SMS messaging, the call to action plays a significant role. This is because the customer receiving an SMS is already “warmed up,” loyal to you (if it’s sent to your base and they haven’t unsubscribed), and only needs to be prompted. It suggests what to do to get what you want.

Such prompts, in our case called calls to action, can vary: buy a product, get a free demo, sign up for a resource, subscribe to a newsletter, get a consultation, enroll in a lesson, etc. They can be direct, prompting a purchase, and indirect, collecting leads.

Why use CTA?

The Delhi Internet Marketing School states that using a personalized call to action converts users into leads by 42% more. This makes it clear that CTA is the main driver of business and sales.

Let’s explore this with an example. You receive an SMS on your phone with the following text: “Oleg, today only, when you buy a folding knife (company name), we’ll give you 2 sheaths for free.” A great deal, right? But what to do with it? What do they want from Oleg? Now, let’s add a call to action: “Oleg, buy a folding knife (company name), and we’ll give you 2 sheaths for free. Follow the link and place your order (link).” Clear, isn’t it? Oleg received a profitable offer and immediately followed the link to make a purchase. This is the magical power of CTA. A win-win action instruction.

How to write CTA correctly?

In fact, there’s nothing complicated here because even a single word can be compelling; the key is to choose it correctly. This can be done by following some rules for writing effective SMS.

1. Clearly define what you want to sell to the customer. You must decide on the product or service you’ll be promoting in this SMS campaign. Without this, it will be challenging to write a successful call to action.
2. Set the goal of the SMS campaign. If you have a new product, you should introduce the customer to it. If you want to sell remaining stock, you should encourage them to buy quickly. The goal defines the action, in our case, a call to action.
3. Write a call to action. Based on the first two points, you can determine what type of call to action you need to write. A call to action can lead to encouraging a purchase, stimulating interest in a product/service, subscribing to resources, attending events, etc.

Here are two simple examples of how to write SMS text following the third rule above.

1. Product: Facial cream

Purpose: Introduction to the new line

CTA: Visit the product page

“Mary, we’ve prepared enhanced care for your face. Learn more about the new Mirage cream on the website (link).”

2. Service: Back massage

Purpose: Sale of a gift certificate

CTA: Purchase a certificate

“Not sure what to give your soulmate on March 8th? Buy a gift certificate for 2 hours of professional back massage with an -8% discount.”

SMS messages with a call to action should be as concise as possible. The CTA should be written in a way that the customer feels they can get a real benefit from your product or service. Write in a simple manner so that even a child can understand your sentence, and avoid jargon.

IMPORTANT! Always personalize SMS campaigns. Customers are pleased to know that you remember their name, especially when you want them to take some action.

CTA or call to action is not always just “buy!” Experiment with verbs, change the SMS structure, try different campaigns. All of this will help you find your way to your target audience and make SMS an effective sales channel.