What is a Text Marketing Call to Action?

The trumpets are blaring, and you're ready to charge. That's the feeling an effective call to action should produce. What is a text marketing CTA, and how can you use texting to incite that enthusiastic feeling in your customers? Read on for some helpful guidance.

What Does a Text Marketing CTA Look Like? 

A SMS marketing call to action isn't necessarily a text. You're trying to get people to send you a text and opt into your list. What methods do people use to send out a text marketing CTA? 

They use what looks like a traditional ad, but they ask people to take action to get onto an exclusive list or receive a special offer. This could be a print ad, a large billboard, or a sandwich board at the front of the store.

They verbally transmit the call to action. For example, a radio station could ask listeners to vote on a particular topic by texting. 

They send out a visual on social media, asking one type of social media to inspire another type of digital communication. Inspired by the social media offer, people sign up for those exclusive deals on the text marketing list. 

Inspire People to Action

You want to find new customers. Not only do you need people to look at your advertising, but you also need them to take action and add their names to your text marketing list. That's a tall order to accomplish in just a few seconds and a few words. How do you develop a text marketing call to action that actually inspires people to act? 

Be creative. Wave your arms, clap your hands, and otherwise get peoples' attention. People are used to receiving requests to join a text marketing campaign. How can you use visuals, humor, or placement of an ad to inspire action? According to Retail Dive, Starbucks is known for its silly SMS marketing campaigns: it posted a Facebook message asking customers to text "STRAW to 22122 next to an image of a Frappuccino with eyes drawn on it. The copy reads: “What has a green straw and wishes it had thumbs? This guy.”

Offer immediate value. Put the announcement somewhere where it's entirely relevant to people. For instance, if people are ordering muffins from the corner bakery and see a CTA telling them to send a text to get a discount on coffee when they buy a muffin, they'll be much more likely to text.

Utilize a captive audience. For instance, if people are attending a play or a sports event, you could place the offer on a screen or put it into the program. Let them use their downtime to add their names to your text list. For example, according to Mobile Marketer, "Coca-Cola's Coke Zero ran an interactive SMS program that rewarded users with prizes when they watched March Madness games."

At EZ Texting, we take text message marketing seriously. We want to help you run and improve your text messaging campaigns. Talk to us about the possibilities of marketing with EZ Texting, and sign up for free today.