This technique has been around forever, well maybe not forever, but for as long as I can remember and no matter what I'm trying to sell or the marketing vehicle I choose, it works for me every time.

In fact it doesn't matter whether you're writing a press release, sales letter, selling from a website, a retail store or even trying to attract a partner, this formula really works.

I've seen many gurus and marketers dress it up and even call it a secret formula, but it always comes down to the same thing.

Can you guess what it is?

AIDA.

I know you knew all along, but I've seen so many people waste their money on someone’s expanded and secret version of AIDA that I thought I'd mention it here for the benefit of those who have forgotten how simple and yet effective it is and for those who have not heard of it before.

Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

Attention. This is where you grab the attention of your prospect. If it’s a press release or sales letter, then it’s a throat grabbing headline or at the very least something intriguing. If you own a store it could be your bright, interesting and/or different signage. If you’re trying to get the attention of a lady, it could be your manners or politeness, even an unheard but effective opening line. No I don’t mean "Let’s get horizontal baby!"

Interest Now you’ve got their attention you need to satisfy their ‘what’s in it for me?’ query. Again with a sales letter it would be the benefits (not features) of your product or service, how exactly will they benefit from what you’re offering, why is it the best. In the store environment, it could be your range, the stores layout, the service of the staff and sometimes the price, although I believe making price an issue is asking for trouble. It’s much better to add value in other ways. Now you’ve got the attention of the person you’re interested in, how can you make her interested in you. Would just listening to her make the difference? In a recent survey, they found that women who meet men find that the most frustrating part is the fact that they just don’t listen, even on the first encounter.

Desire. You’ve got their attention, made them interested, now you have to get them to desire what you have. If you’re targeting properly, then there will already be some in built desire. But to enhance it you can do several different things or add them all. Limited offer, limited stock, deadlines, benefit restating, telling them what they will lose if they don’t buy. In the store scenario, you can apply some of these things. Especially the limited stock , special price points and added value. As for that person you like, if they’re interested in you and enjoying your company, it could be the fact that you’re leaving early, just as things are going so well or the fact that you are actually listening to what they're saying.

Action. You must get them to act while their in heat. If your sales piece, store set-up or meeting with that person you like has got their attention, held their interest, got them hot for you’re offering then you need a little something that will seal the deal. It can be as simple as a PS at the end of the letter restating the benefits and time deadlines or a 24 hr contact number at the bottom of your press release. In the store scenario, it could be no deposit, no interest for 12 months or again the fact that stock is limited or maybe when you buy one thing you get some free give-aways with it. As for that person you’re interested in, what about just leaving suddenly and then quickly coming back and leaving your phone number or instead of asking for their phone number, giving them yours and then saying you have to go, but look forward to seeing them again.

There you have it. The complete formula for selling. It’s simple, it works and it’s no secret.

The reason why I added the ‘attracting a partner’ part is because AIDA can be used to sell absolutely anything, including yourself. It’s the only marketing formula I’ve used for the last 15 years and it still works today.

Like I said before, some marketers like to dress it up, expand it, call it something else or call it a secret, but from my experience AIDA outsells anything else and continues to bring in billions of dollars for those who apply it’s simple structure.

It really works because it relies on human traits. A shock headline gets our attention (we all find shocking things compelling) what’s in it for me, gets us interested (we’re all basically self absorbed to some degree) I have to have this now, makes it desirable (fear of losing out drives desire) and here’s my wallet, please let me have one, calls us to action (in today’s world, when we want something we want it straight away, not next week or next month, right now)

AIDA…like most successful things, nice and simple.

Richard