The AIDA formula and how it can help you in marketing

There are many formulas out there for structuring sales copy. The first one that I heard, and one I still like to use is AIDA. That stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Here's how the theory goes:

First, you need to "create a reader". That means doing something to pull a person into your copy. Before they become readers, your audience is just a bunch of random people. It's your job to get their attention and turn them into readers. Generally speaking, only a 'reader' can become a customer. A random person can't.

There are many ways to do this. You can start by telling a story. Open with an interesting and relevant quote. Ask a provocative question. State a seeming contradiction or paradox. Each of these methods can be effective in different situations.

But creating a reader is a very "pareve" occurence. ("Pareve" is a Yiddish word meaning 'neutral', but frankly the former word does a better job of conveying the idea.) Now you have their attention, for better or for worse. So what? You're not necessarily any closer to selling your product. You need to tell them why they should care. You need to pique their interest.

Creating interest takes the attention you've elicited and focuses it in on your specific cause. There should be no more neutrality. The reader is on your side now. They are interested. To acheive this, you need to show them how your message is relevant to them now.

Ok, so we've got their attention, and they are genuinely intrigued by your message. So far, so good. The next step is to instill in your reader a strong desire to own your product, use your service, or donate to your cause. This is where you convince them that they need what you have. If you're doing fundraising, offer them the opportunity to make a difference or show them how they can partner with you.

At this point, the deal is almost over. They are on board. At least theoretically.

They're captivated, motivated and ready to go. But if you don't do one more thing, all that hard work will be for naught. Sometimes it's the hardest thing to do, but it's also usually the easiest. You need to ask them to take action. It's hard because instinctively we don't like to make demands or impose on others. Informing, persuading or even annoying people are second nature to us. But to ask someone to do something, even if we know they're interested? Forget about it.

So there you have it. AIDA. Remember it, and use it next time you write your marketing material.