The 3 Elements of an Effective SMS Marketing CTA

When it comes to SMS marketing, you don't have much space to convince your audience to complete an action. The CTA must deliver a quick but irresistible suggestion on which you want your reader to follow up, and you want to eliminate as many barriers to that action as possible. Try incorporating the following three elements into your next SMS marketing CTA.

1. Deliver the CTA Two Different Ways

Regardless of the medium in which you're delivering your CTA, you can always mention it twice in two different ways. In his article for Mobile Marketing Engine, Greg Hickman mentions the double CTA when you're creating a CTA for a podcast or other audio mobile content, but it works just as well for SMS marketing.

For instance, let's say that you're marketing a new line of sandals for your fashion brand. You could start your SMS notification like this:

New sandals 20% off!

It sounds like a CTA, but it comes at the beginning of your pitch. Some of your recipients will see the "20% off" benefit and immediately click on your link.

At the end of the message, however, you could double-down on the CTA with a more classic statement:

Don't miss your 20% off coupon today!

You've delivered the same message twice, which ensures that your audience fully understands the benefit he or she will gain by clicking on your link or following through with your suggestion.

2. Add a Sense of Urgency

No, you shouldn't shout in your readers' ears, but you can give them more motivation with an urgent CTA. In other words, create a time-sensitive benefit that recipients must act on now, rather than in two days when they're bored and sifting through their messages.

Neil Patel calls it the "urgency principle." It creates a form of anxiety that millennials like to call "fear of missing out," or FOMO.

Your CTA might read something like this:

Act now! You only have until midnight to take advantage of this exclusive offer!

Urgency can also work by limiting quantities. You see this all the time on the Home Shopping Network and similar shows that run 24/7 infomercials. A prime example might look like this:

There are only six spots left, so don't miss your chance by waiting!

This strategy has the added benefit of social proof. It suggests that many of your readers' peers have already taken advantage of the opportunity. Never discount the power of FOMO.

Keep It Short and Sweet

If you want to devote more space to describing the opportunity or promotion, you can get just as many conversions by keeping your CTA sweet and to the point. Examples might include:

Buy now!

Click here!

Check out our inventory!

Don't miss out!

These familiar CTAs work well specifically for that reason: consumers recognize them. 

When you're launching your own SMS marketing campaign, try these four different CTA components using A/B testing. Which one or combination works best for your audience? Once you find the perfect CTA, you can use it over and over again — or mix it up to keep your audience on their toes.

What if you don't have an SMS marketing campaign? Don't miss out! Sign up for free to see for yourself how EZ Texting turns prospects into cash.