A Guide to implementing AIDA in your adverts
Whichever media channel you choose to promote your product or service, there is an acronym that is well worth remembering to aid in the production of an effective advertisement. The acronym is AIDA.
AIDA is a marketing model that identifies the cognitive stages that a prospective buyer will go through during the buying process of a given product or service. The wide section at the top represents your prospective customer’s awareness of your product or service. Underneath that is their interest in it, followed by their desire to own it or use it in the case of a service. The model demonstrates the invisible “funnelling” of cognitive stages that must take place in order for an individual to be driven to take action to enquire about/purchase your product or service. The purpose of an effective advert is to drive your prospective customers through that cognitive funnel.
Although AIDA seems to be the most frequently used of the classic marketing models amongst non-marketing professionals, those in the business of marketing also find it very useful because, whether consciously or subconsciously, they are applying it daily when considering ways in which to ensure the effectiveness of their marketing communications.
How can you use the AIDA model to help with the creation of a successful advert?
Attention – First and foremost, you must capture the viewer’s attention. A mix of visual stimuli are normally used in order to achieve this: images rather than just text help an advert to stand out and stick in the mind of the consumer. Text is then used to further grab the attention of the viewer to entice them to continue reading in search of further information. Here we are specifically looking at advertisements but this also explains why the first paragraph of a direct mail or email campaign needs to be the strongest.
Interest – Now that you have the attention of your target audience, you need to hold on to it and build their interest. You need to establish their need for your product or service in their minds and create a bond between them and it. More often than not, consumers don’t actually need the products and services that they buy but they think they do because successful adverts have created that perception for them. Establishing the perception of that need is key to a successful advertising campaign.
Desire – Now that you have your target audience believing that they need your product or service, your next objective is to show your prospective customers how your product or service can meet their needs or solve their problem. Explain the features of your product or service and the related benefits, ensuring that you demonstrate how the benefits fulfil the perceived need that you have created. A popular advertising technique is to show “before and after” photographs to demonstrate the benefits of your product or service, such as the photographs that you may have seen before and after teeth whitening. When done well, this simple technique is very effective for creating desire.
Action – Once you have created sufficient desire for your target audience to want to make a purchase or at least go in search of further information about your product or service, the final step is to persuade the prospects to take immediate action. Given a one on one sales scenario, this would be the time to ask for the business but in the advertising world, you need to create a sense of urgency by advertising a limited time offer or including a bonus of a special gift to those who take the specified action within a specific time frame. Omitting the “call to action” from your advert could negate all of your hard work within the advert so far as the prospect may simply forget all about it and move on.
Take a look at some adverts from well known, successful brands and see whether you can spot ways in which they comply with AIDA, then go ahead and apply it to your own advertisements!
We hope that you have found this article interesting and informative. Look out for next month’s article in which we will focus on email marketing. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to discuss advertising for your small business further, please contact Trinity on 02475 185286 for a book a Free Online Consultation using the link below.
