Calls-to-action (CTAs) are the life breath of advertising and marketing strategies. Why bother crafting (and funding) a hefty communications campaign without utilizing the number one catalyst to recruit leads? Click, download, listen, like, share—no doubt you’ve been peppered with these same pop-ups vying for your attention. And no doubt you’ve ignored equally as many pop-ups (probably with an eye roll thrown in for good measure).

However, communication strategies can’t afford to skip or skimp on these vital triggers. As Megan Marrs points out, effective CTAs incorporate not only striking design but more importantly compelling copy. So please note, whether in print or online, content still reigns as king.

As I was perusing one of my favorite fashion retail sites (don’t tell my husband), I encountered one of these CTAs. Same old, same old—until I read the last line.

Option 1: “Enter Your Email for 50% Off Your Entire Purchase.”

Option 2: “No thanks, I prefer to pay full price.”

Wait…back up! I don’t want to pay full price! And hence, you see the beauty of this particular pop-up, not in the actual CTA but in the opt-out text. By cleverly articulating the consequences of opting out, Ann Taylor actually convinced me to relinquish my precious personal email address…hook, line and sinker. And now I’m a regular newsletter recipient!

The lesson? Take a second glance at your standard copy and look for a fresh way to frame the customer’s or client’s options. What’s in it for them? What will they truly lose if they refuse your offer? Honest and creative positioning cuts through the competing marketing “noise,” nabs the reader’s attention and just might make the difference in your sales, clicks, shares, downloads, sign-ups, tweets, posts, replies…you get the picture.

Now it’s your turn. What quality makes your copy effective?