A.I.D.A. - Get Articles by Bob Osgoodby |  |
> Get Articles > Copywriting > A.I.D.A. A.I.D.A. Download as PDFBob Osgoodby bobadv-marketing.com Advanced Marketing http://adv-marketing.com No we're not talking about the Broadway Play, a hotel in Paris, or even the British Comedy Group. We are talking about a simple four step formula which will help you create powerful sales efforts that get maximum results. People want to know what benefits they will get by dealing with you. Today, in the online arena, we use basically three methods of contact with potential customers - Ads, such as you might place in a Newsletter, Sales Pitches delivered by email, and information from your web site. While the approach is certainly different in each, there are four maxims that all must contain, which brings us to the "A" in AIDA. Attention To motivate your prospect, you must get their attention quickly. This is where your headline plays an important part. If that is dull and uninteresting, they will move along to something else. Most businesses buy out of necessity, but most end user consumers usually buy for the convenience. So, depending on your target market, you have to base your sales effort on what they are looking for, and how you can help them. You can basically forget the outrageous claims that so many make. While you might find a sucker or two, most people are simply too smart to fall for that. A question is a good way to rouse their interest. Try to figure out what their "hot buttons" are, and if they were yours, what would get your attention. If you can get them to mentally answer the question, you have gone a long way to getting their attention. This is most important in your ads where space is at a premium. Interest Once you've got the prospects attention, you must keep their interest by showing them two things. They must know that you understand their problem and that you have the solution. Here it pays to restate the problem and then tell them how you can solve it. This is best done on your web site, or in a "long" sales letter that they have asked to receive. At this juncture, they are looking for information, and brevity is not to your advantage here. Try to anticipate their questions, and the more you can answer in your presentation at this point, the better. This is also where you want to reinforce their trust in you. You must have direct experience in what you are offering, and if you don't, you are wasting your time. Many people who join affiliate programs, make the mistake of trying to market something they don't know anything about. A short bio and picture on your web site stating your experience can be the clincher that will close the sale. Desire Here is where you tell the prospect why your product or service is better than your competition. If it is an affiliate program, why will they be better off dealing with you rather than the thousands of others hawking the same thing? Power words are useful here. You have to kindle the flame in their mind that will make the sale. Testimonials are of great value. But make them real - "Grace C" in Colorado who says great things about you or your product just won't cut it. These types of phony testimonials have little, if any value. You have to have real people who are willing to give you a testimonial, and if necessary answer any questions your prospect might have. A good way to do this is, for you to write canned responses that they will send when they get an inquiry. That way, even though they would be supportive, you will be sure they provide the information you wish the prospect to receive. Action The close is the most important part of your pitch. You always have to reinforce why your prospect needs to act now, and don't be afraid to ask them. Give them an easy ordering process that includes a method of immediate payment such as a credit card or an online check. I can't emphasize too strongly the importance of this. If there is no immediacy, a cooling off period exists and you may lose the sale. A telephone number where they can reach you is important, and over the years I have changed my thinking on toll free numbers for the initial contact. While a toll free number will generate a "ton" of calls, the majority will fall into the category of "tire kickers", which simply take your time. When we discontinued our toll free numbers, the number of calls received decreased by about 80%, but the number of sales tripled. We found that if a person had to spend their dime, they were serious, and real prospects were not getting a busy signal by those who were simply "fishing". Always get their phone number so you can call them back. If they don't order immediately, call them back in a few days. It is also wise to get an email address if they have one so you can follow up that way as well. While you will develop your own methods, the AIDA formula is a great starting point to ensure the desired results. ----- Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site? Subscribe at: mailto:tipofday-subscribetopica.com Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday thru Friday. Instructions on how to place your ad are in the Newsletter. As a bonus, get 40,000 FREE E-Books from Larry Dotson, when you visit http://www.ldpublishing.com How useful did you find this article? This article can be downloaded freely from http://www.get-articles.com and used on your website or in your ezine so long as the author is credited and their resource box left intact. You should not change any links in the article, and where the article is used on a website it's links should be clickable. Please see our terms and conditions page for more information: http://www.get-articles.com/authors-publishers-terms.php |
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