Let me quickly show you a formula for writing your marketing materials in less time, while also increasing the likelihood of success with your message.

It’s called AIDA.

The acronym stands for …

Attention: Interrupt the mental haze your readers live in every day.

Interest: Share uncommon or fresh information that elevates awareness.

Desire: Tap an emotional need that boosts demand for what you offer.

Action: Tell your readers what to do next.

Here’s a strong example from Amazon (you may need to display images):

Notice how every element from the formula is included. In some cases, you see pieces of the formula worked in several times.

Smart move.

In fact, if you do a good job creating desire, then you should ask for action several times.

Now look at this advertisement from WatchKit:

This piece introduces an idea, but it doesn’t create desire (i.e., appeal to an emotional need). Furthermore, there’s no way to take the next step.

I included this example because it ties into the most common elements I see missing from advertising and marketing pieces -- Desire and Action.

Keep in mind, too, Action doesn’t mean you just include a phone number or website address. You must give readers a reason to take the next step.

This is where Desire becomes critical.

If you need help coming up with emotional needs to target, try these 8 biologically programmed desires that we all share.

Talk soon,
Tom

NOTE: This is Day 13 of a 30-day marketing challenge for all my subscribers. These emails are designed to help you fix underperforming campaigns, cut marketing expenses and uncover overlooked profits in your business. Simply pick and choose a few strategies and apply them to your business. (Of course, keep me updated on your progress too.)