The AIDA formula stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.
It is an approach to understanding how advertising and selling supposedly functions. The assumption is that the consumer passes through several steps in the influence process. Primarily, Attention must be developed, to be followed by Interest, Desire, and finally Action as called for in the message. Another, but similar, scheme was developed by Lavidge and Steiner in 1961, later to be renamed the AIDA: Hierarchy of Effects Model by Palda in 1966. This approach involves the hierarchy of effects: awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction, and finally purchase in that order. Note the similarity to the adoption process Now allow me to explain each of the point above.
1. Attention You need to write a killer title that stops your visitors and tells him: "read this article/copy right now". For example, if you are trying to sell an ebook that helps athletes to run faster, your title could be: "4 Simple Tricks To Effortlessly And Naturally Always Be In Your State Of Peak Performance." Do you think that a title like this one will (be succesful|work}? The truth is that you won't know until you split test this headline with a second one a finally find the winner.
2. Interest Now that you have got your visitor's attention, be sure to write an interesting article on the topic. If you are not an expert in your niche market, you have two options. a. You can make a short search about your topic on Google, and read whatever comes on the first and second page of results. b. Hire a ghostwriter to carry out the research for you and write the article on your behalf.
3. Desire Now you want to speak to the readers emotions. You want to put him into the psychological state that will make him click the link in your box. It's not easy.
4. Action Naturally, this is where you want to lead the reader. You want him to click on the link and finally visit your site. Let's try and put this in terms of web marketing and websites and bring in some marketing basics
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1. Attention In order to catch the prospects attention you must first get them to visit your site. This can be accomplished by listing your web site in directories, taking out ads in trade magazines, using banner ads, and writing articles that contain links to your site that prospects would find helpful in solving their business problems. Your web site must hold the prospects attention at the home page long enough to see what else your site has to offer. This can be accomplished by:
a. Create a very strong headline, one that explains exactly what benefits your product has to offer potential prospects. How about this for someone looking to design a new showroom for their business? "How To Design A New Showroom: A basic guide to creating efficient and profitable showrooms." In order for you to create this headline you must know exactly who your prospects are, and what they needs and desires are.
b. Promise to give something at a discount or for free. Giving away free information or an accessory product that can help your client will get the attention of prospects. You should also explain or demonstrate how this discounted or free service can benefit your client with the solution that they are seeking. An example of this would be "before and after" photos. You should never promise to make a promise that you can't keep.
c. Give real examples of how your product or service solved a problem for clients. Provide stories on your website of how clients used your product or service and the benefits they gained by doing so.
2. Interest Once you gain your prospect's attention, you must gain their interest. You can do this by:
a. Communicate with your prospects in a simplistic way. Use short simple sentences that are very clear in meaning and easy to read. Talk to your prospects as if they were sitting next to you.
b. After your headline, list any additional benefits. Prospects want to know as soon as possible all the benefits that they will be provided with. These additional benefits that you offer should be exactly what will aid your prospects. Explain in detail, and provide examples of how these benefits will aid them.
c. Offer a guarantee. By offering a guarantee you are sharing some of the risk. Make sure your guarantee is clear to the prospects.
3. Desire Telling your prospects that you can solve their problems and satisfy their needs is not good enough you must prove that you can by:
a. Offer advice and tips. The advice and tips that you give should be backed up with examples of some of your past work. You should state the potential results of following your advice. You should provide your email address or feedback method so potential prospects can ask specific questions, and ask about specific concerns they may have.
b. Provide information that will help the prospects. Show your prospects where they can find articles, case studies, and information on leading developments in their business area. By providing this information you will allow your client to have more consumer trust, and increase your own credibility.
c. Using testimonials: Testimonials can add credibility to the product. Testimonials should be used explaining exactly what was accomplished by using the product, it should not be vague.
4. Action You should always tell your prospects what to do, to assume that they will know can lead to lost sales opportunities. To make it easy for the prospects make sure you:
a. Provide an e-mail address, contact form, or feedback mechanism. This allows the prospects an easy way to respond to offers, request more information, ask you a question, and respond with any concerns that they might have.
b. Protect the prospect's information. You should always state that you are a secured server. Display "We are a Secured Server". This ensures the prospects that their credit card number is kept private and encrypted before it is sent over the internet. This is extremely important today with the increase in identity theft.
c. List your street address, telephone or land number, and fax number. This will provide clients with an alternative way of sending information as they may not feel it is secure if sent over the net. This gives them the ability to phone, fax, email, or mail their personal information. d. Limited Time offers. Offer them a premium if they respond by a certain date, or special package deals that have been put together with the knowledge (research and planning) of what the prospect's needs are.
