Can you imagine the situation when someone asks you to sell several hundreds of bikes or 250 teacups with a funny inscription just in a few hours? “It’s impossible” – you say. “No, it is” – I answer. If you’re familiar with the AIDA model, then such a task won’t be a problem for you. The technique is the main object under consideration of this article. Here, we will find out what is AIDA, analyze its definition and structure step by step and show how the AIDA method works to attract customers, increase sales and profit.
What is the definition of the method?
To begin with, let’s find out what does AIDA mean? AIDA is a popular marketing technique that allows considering all stages of consumer behavior before making a purchase. The method clearly describes what phases all customers go through while making the decision to buy a certain service/ good.
The AIDA sales technique allows you to draw buyers’ interest and create a steady demand even for goods that are not in demand.
The technique was created in 1990 by sales pioneer Elias St. Elmo Lewis. He was the first one who decided and managed to explain consumer behavior in this regard. Since that time, the model is one of the main marketing tools. It hasn’t practically undergone changes.
Have you an idea of what does AIDA stand for? The name of the method is an acronym. Its capital letters mean the following words:
- Attention;
- Interest;
- Desire;
- Action.
Each of the words serves as an identification of consumer behavior at a certain stage.
An important remark: the steps of the AIDA model in marketing should be applied consistently. Permutations are not allowed!
Now, let’s proceed to the detailed consideration of each of the model’s components.
Step one – Attention
Before starting analyzing the model, it is important to note that one can use the AIDA formula for 100% only if a target audience is properly studied. After all, the whole methodology is based on simple principles of human behavior, as well as your understanding of the needs, pains, desires of your customers.
Attention is the first step of the technique. It is the phase when a seller (an enterprise or a company) should draw consumers’ attention to its product/ service. How to do it? You can attract the attention of your target audience in various ways. Let’s consider traditional and non-traditional ways to cope with this step:
- The headline is one of the most popular and important ways. Today, only a lazy person does not say that the headline should catch readers’ or listeners’ attention, make him/ her read or see the message till the end.
- An attractive picture is a successful visual tool for drawing attention.
- A play of colors, unusual forms of the announcement, dynamic elements also belong to visualization elements.
- Personalized appeal. It is difficult to pass by something that is addressed directly to you.
- Unconventional placement options for selling messages (for example on the sidewalk).
Remember that brand new, vivid and unconventional ideas always attract attention; so, try to develop creativity and generate even crazy ideas. For such purposes, brainstorming is widely used.
Although the first step is the crucial one, it was noticed that numerous companies neglect it or underestimate its importance. And this is wrong! Many advertising campaigns begin immediately with the second stage – the formation of interest, and this dooms them to failure.
Step two – Interest
Once you have captured consumers’ attention, you should keep it. In fact, it is more complicated than it seems at first glance. Especially, in cases where an audience is currently not ready for making a purchase (for example, insurance or banking services). Let’s find out how to successfully cope with the step.
Using the AIDA technique, many companies were able to increase sales and circumvent this obstacle by submitting information in a creative and memorable way. The AIDA model example of Geico’s commercials does a great job at this stage. Keep in mind the following tips:
- Remember that in sales videos, the first 30 seconds are responsible for interest. Consider this fact when creating your marketing materials.
- In the case of advertising text content, the first few paragraphs of a text are responsible for generating interest. If you managed to capture a reader, half the job is done.
- But do not forget about the rest of the content. Write in simple phrases, use subtitles, illustrations, lists, break the text into small paragraphs, play with the length of sentences. This will improve content perception and help not to lose readers’ attention at the very beginning or in the middle of the message.
- If you create a selling landing page, then the 1st screen is responsible for catching attention, and 2nd and 3rd ones form interest. The method depends on the chosen strategy. You can use a built-in video, hit clients’ pains or make something principally different from an idea of competitors.
When working with the second phase of the AIDA funnel, keep in mind that after viewing or reading your content, a consumer should have one thought: “This is exactly what I need”, “I have been looking for such an offer for a long time”, “I need it”. If interest has not arisen, all your efforts are in vain.
Step three – Desire
At this stage, a consumer should have an irresistible desire to get what he learned above. But first, let’s figure out what is the difference between desire and interest. For example, you talked about innovative cookware that cooks without oil and at the same time keeps all the useful properties of products. At the same time, it is possible to cook several dishes at the same time – their tastes and smells do not mix with each other.
Interesting? Undoubtedly!
What is important for those who buy such cookware? What can cause them an irresistible desire to possess this particular product? Let’s figure it out.
- Saving time.
- The health of family members.
- Comfort when cooking.
- The beauty of hands, nails.
Reassure your client that all these desires can be fulfilled with the help of your product.
Let’s continue considering the above-mentioned example.
- We form a pain/ request. What does a housewife require to cook chicken, a vegetable side dish, and a dessert for dinner? More than an hour of pastime and several types of cookware, which then have to be thoroughly washed.
- Generate a visual demonstration. And now you show how in just 30 minutes you will make an amazing juicy grilled chicken, a bright appetizing vegetable side dish, a banana dessert in new cookware. And in order to wash this container after cooking, you just have to sweep on the inner surface with a soapy sponge and rinse with running water.
- Describe how your product allows solving the above-mentioned problems. Now it’s time to speak about potential buyers’ concerns. In just half an hour you will prepare a healthy, delicious dinner for the whole family. Your daughter will eat multicolored vegetables with pleasure, even if you had to feed her with persuasion before. And the husband will agree to wash dishes. After all, he will not have to wipe off fat and soot from the pan. Your manicure is perfect now. And the family is full and satisfied!
- Intensify an offer. If you finish your speech with a guarantee for a good/ service (and such cookware often has a long warranty period, which justifies the money spent on it), then the buyer is yours.
One of the most popular ways to stimulate desire is to use time limits/ frames and other triggers.
Step four – Action
A potential client went through three steps. All that remains to be done is to convince him/ her to make a decision and take an action.
Use clear, understandable calls to action – simple statements that let listeners/ readers know what you want from them: buy a product, subscribe to a newsletter, watch a video or share tweets, for example. Regardless of whether you use the AIDA advertising model or create content with a different structure, it should have a powerful call to action.
The more you think about why people do not take any action, the better you can make the most of your opportunities to strengthen your suggestions.
If you lose consumers at step 4 and do not manage to sell a good/ service, then at least you will leave a positive impression about your product. That is why it is very important to work with the first three stages.
A modified version of the AIDA technique
We have studied what AIDA stands for, but nowadays some marketers use a modified type (AIDAs) of the method and distinguish one more step of the sales funnel. After the last, fourth step (making a purchase), they add one more stage – Satisfaction. The classic model ends with the action that the buyer performs. In an expanded version, we are talking about the fifth important step – satisfaction, which comes after trying your service/good.
A consumer who is satisfied with the purchase will bring new clients to your company. After all, he/ she will share his/her opinion with family, friends, colleagues, visitors on a forum or in social networks. Apart from this, he/she will also become a regular customer and will purchase other products of your company. Therefore, when using the AIDA funnel marketing model, we recommend that you do not ignore this additional stage.
Where to use the sales funnel?
For almost 120 years, AIDA has been used in marketing and sales without losing its relevance. There are three reasons for this:
- The AIDA sales funnel is based on psychological techniques that work regardless of your desire and are applied to all areas of activity.
- The boundaries of each stage in the AIDA marketing method are clearly outlined. The formula is easy to remember.
- The AIDA’s advertising model is multipurpose. It can be used to create any selling materials: texts, videos, scripts, booklets, etc.
AIDA is a perfect tool for sales, marketing or any other sphere where one wants to catch the attention of an audience and call for action.
In practice, the AIDA sales funnel is chosen for all stages of direct sales or when creating diverse advertising materials. It is used:
- in retail trade by sellers and managers in communication with buyers;
- during the conclusion of supply contracts by sales representatives at the stage of persuading potential customers;
- for telephone sales by sales managers in call centers;
- by network companies (in presentations, in communication with potential clients);
- by copywriters to create selling texts (articles for a blog, landing pages, capture pages);
- by screenwriters and directors of commercials.
Why do you need the model in your workflow?
Nowadays, competition on the market is so high that manufacturers and companies ask themselves: “how can we attract consumers and make them buy our products?”. In order to find an answer to this question, skilled managers turn to the AIDA model.
Today, the ability to draw buyers’ attention and the awareness of how to control their conscious is not a luxury, it is a vital necessity for every business that wants to prosper.
If just a few years ago it was enough to launch an advertising campaign and make a profit on it, now this method does not work as efficiently. Persistent immunity and “advertising blindness” of modern consumers have been developed for most of the market offers. In order to be noticed and remembered, it is not enough to attract and hook on a potential client. A company has to know also how to keep customers’ attention.
AIDA sales techniques successfully cope with this task and achieve the ultimate goal – making a purchase.
Convenient tools for creating digital sales funnels
Usually, sales funnels are analyzed during business meetings, seminars or conferences. Frequently, such events are held with the use of digital equipment. A presentation has become an obligatory part of a speech and topic consideration. Digital presentations are convenient tools that allow visualizing any question and simplifying perception and consideration. Thus, we would like to offer you some links where every site visitor will find a suitable template for the AIDA presentation.
This is a free slide for PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Slides software. The combination of a text block and a visual element allows speakers to clearly describe the topic. The template is equipped with all the necessary built-in tools that can be edited in two clicks. Every site visitor can download it in a few clicks. The template is of excellent quality and easy-to-use.
Download Funnel for powerPoint (free) >
Download Funnel for Keynote (free) >
Download Funnel for Google Slides (free) >
Here is a great pack of various slides with all sorts of sales funnels. Every slide has a unique structure. It is possible to choose different colors and edit all vector elements. Due to such an abundance of multipurpose elements, a user will be able to choose a new, unique slide for every project.
This is another great pack that comprises 20 unique slides. The main advantages of the template are high quality, built-in tools, multipurpose elements, ease of use, and convenience. Evert manager or marketer will be satisfied with the pack as it will simplify their responsibilities and help make presentations quickly and easily.
20 Unique AIDA model PowerPoint Templates >
20 Unique AIDA model Keynote Templates >
In addition, it should be noted that on the site, you’ll find unique slides for different software: PowerPoint, or Keynote.
We hope that our article is enough clear and comprehensive, and after reading it, you do not have gaps on this topic anymore. We want to believe that you understand why the AIDA marketing funnel model remains in demand for many years. If you haven’t used it before, we suggest adding it to your workflow. We are sure that the technique will help increase sales and improve business affairs.