AIDA Formula

Over the years, there have been many formulas for writing compelling texts. The most famous of these is probably AIDA, which means attention, interest, desire and action.

In copywriting workshops, AIDA is taught as a “sequential motivation” formula or motivational chain. The five stages of the motivation chain are:

Step 1: Grab attention

First of all, your text should grab the attention of your buyer. This should make the potential client stop and start reading the text, instead of swiping your text off in their news feed.

You probably already know a lot of methods to attract attention and every day you see dozens of them in action. For example, in television and sex magazine ads, sexuality is often used to draw attention to products ranging from soft drinks and cars to diets and exercise programs.

Also, to attract attention, you can: make a bold statement, bring unique statistics; ask a question that provokes curiosity; use a popup form on your site. The method depends on your goal and imagination.

Step 2: Define the problem or need

Most products fill a need or solve a problem that a group of potential customers has.

But what are the chances that a potential client will think about this problem when they read your text? They are probably not big.

So, the first thing you need to do is focus the prospect’s attention on the need or problem your product solves. Only then will you be able to talk to them about her decision.

For example, if you’re selling a telephony system for your office, instead of starting by talking about your system, you might say, “Are you tired of skyrocketing long distance phone bills?“

Step 3 Position the product as a solution to the problem

Once you get the prospect to focus on the problem, the next step is to position your product or service as a solution to that problem.

It might be a quick transition. Here is an example from a Red Cross fundraising letter:

Dear Ivanov,

Someday you may need the help of the Red Cross. But right now the Red Cross needs you.

Step 4: Proof

One of the questions that your potential client has when reading the text is: “Why should I trust you?”

You need to provide evidence. They can be divided into two types.

The first type concerns credibility. This reassures the potential client that you, as a seller, are a reputable firm or individual and therefore someone they can trust. A diploma from a prestigious medical school, hung on the wall of a doctor’s office, is an example of proof of authenticity.

The second type of proof is related to the product and convinces the buyer that your product can do what you say. Testimonials, reviews, performance charts, and benchmark results are examples of evidence in this category.

Step 5: Action

The last step is to ask for action. Usually your goal is to convince you to fill out a form or place an order.

To encourage action, we make an “offer”.

An offer is what the reader gets when they respond to your text, combined with what they need to do to get what they want. In online sales, the offer might be: “Click here, enter your credit card details and use our product for 30 days from the date of purchase completely free of charge. If you do not like something, you can return the entire amount of the purchase.