In this issue we show you how to use the AIDA formula; how to get the action you want from potential customers and give top tips for telesales training.

• Editor's Desk
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• Last Word

The AIDA Principle

As you will discover, the world of advertising is crammed with acronyms, but perhaps the most important of all is AIDA. This is a four-point formula for creating any advertisement or sales letter. The formula originates from the 1920s, and the fact that it is still widely used today shows its power and adaptability.

AIDA stands for ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIRE, ACTION. In other words, the AIDA formula states that any advertisement should:

Attract ATTENTION
Arouse INTEREST
Stimulate the DESIRE to purchase
Prompt the reader to take ACTION

Let's look at this in a bit more detail:

(1) Attract Attention

Before you can get anyone to buy from you, you have to get their attention. In an advert a striking image can do this, but in most cases (and certainly in sales letters and websites) it is the headline that performs this function.

One of the best ways to create an attention-grabbing headline is to focus on a problem experienced by people in your target audience. In a display advertisement, this might lead to 'question' headlines such as:

Trouble sleeping?
Is your English letting you down?
Need a loan today?

You can also take the problem as read and offer a solution. In the case of someone needing more money, possible headlines might include:

Make money from home
Become a well-paid driving instructor
Write a novel in 28 days

The advantage of both these approaches is that not only do they attract attention, they zero in on those people who are realistic prospects for the product or service the company is offering. This is something an image alone is unlikely to be able to do.

The first sentence or paragraph of an advertisement will often act as an attention-grabber as well, building on the impact of the headline. You need to engage your prospects not only intellectually but emotionally (as buying is not just an intellectual but an emotional decision). A common technique is to play on people's fears and show how the client's product can overcome them.

For example, if you used the heading 'Trouble Sleeping?' you might begin the paragraph below, 'Statistics show that if you sleep poorly, you're three times more likely to fall sick, have an accident or get divorced... ' And then, of course, you would go on to reveal how your client's product can help the reader avoid this unpleasant scenario.

Going the other way and emphasising the positive can also be very effective (and often better). So after the heading 'Write a Novel in 28 Days' you might continue, 'It's true! You really can write a novel in a month, and enjoy all the fun and satisfaction being a successful author brings...'

Either way, the headline and first piece of copy must grab the reader's attention by highlighting the main benefit your client is offering, be it curing sleep problems, getting a loan, or finding a new way to earn money. It should also, as mentioned above, engage the prospect's emotions. As a copywriter you will need to use powerful, attention-grabbing words that paint a picture in the reader's mind, and virtually force him to read whatever comes next.

(2) Arouse Interest

Having assured yourself of the prospect's attention, the next step is to gain his interest. To achieve this, your advertisement must answer the question, 'What's in this for me?' People buy products or services because of the benefits they think they will obtain from owning or using them. Examples of possible benefits include:

- increase income

- save money

- be healthier

- live longer

- be more attractive

- improve career prospects

- raise self-esteem

- outdo others ('snob value')

- protect one's home and possessions

At this point you need to spell out to your prospect the advantages of buying from your client. Help them justify their buying decision by providing information about the benefits they will enjoy, always linking this to their emotions. Reassure them that this is a sound, rational decision. You might also want to remind them of the negative consequences of not buying, again linking that to their emotions.

It's important not to take too long over this, or assume that once you have a reader's attention it's easy to keep it. Stay focused on your reader and what he wants and needs, and avoid simply listing the features of your client's product. Keep sentences and paragraphs short, and use bullets and subheadings to improve readability and emphasise the main points you want to get over.

(3) Stimulate the desire to buy

Having aroused your prospect's interest, you must now stimulate his desire to buy. To do this, you must appeal to his emotions and get him excited. Your aim is to make your offer irresistible, so that your prospective buyer is (you hope) almost literally panting to place an order.

There are various ways you can do this. One very effective technique is to bring in real-life examples and case studies if you have them. But don't over-exaggerate or make things up, as this can seriously damage your client's reputation if it is discovered, and may also land you in hot water with the Advertising Standards Authority.

Testimonials, money-back guarantees, independent reviews, quotes from experts, official statistics and so on can also help reassure your prospect that your client's offer is genuine and the product or service really will meet their needs. This can all help stimulate the desire to buy.

(4) Prompt the reader to take action

At the end of the advertisement, you must include a clear call to action. Make it clear what the reader should do next: phone to place an order, visit your client's showroom, send for a free information pack, or whatever.

It is a good idea to give your reader a reason to act immediately. This may be a special discount for a limited period, or a free gift if they reply within 14 days. The aim is to get your prospect to respond now. If they decide to leave it for another day, there is a good chance that your offer will be forgotten about.

You can – and probably should – also appeal again to their emotions here. The sooner they order, the sooner they will be earning an extra income. Paint them a picture of all the benefits they will enjoy from this: a new car, luxury holidays abroad, first class travel, and so on. Remind them too of the likely consequences of not taking action, such as having to cancel the family holiday, put off essential house repairs for another year, and so on.

Remember to be clear about exactly what action you want the reader to take, such as visit this website, click on that button, call this number. If you want them to buy, say so. If you want them to call, say so. Probably the worst mistake you can make as a copywriter is to leave the reader uncertain of what to do next.