Friday, 15 January 2016

A.I.D.A Model in Marketing Communication. Paper: 5



A.I.D.A Model in Marketing Communication

AIDA Model. AIDA stands for attention, interest, desire, and action. It is an acronym used in marketing and advertising, which helps marketing managers develop effective communication strategies and communicate with customers in a way that better responds to their needs and desires.

If you've ever been motivated to take action due to an advertisement, you've likely been influenced by a technique called A.I.D.A, which stands for "attention, interest, desire, action." This process is used by many marketers in their communications to entice prospects to make a purchase or take a desired action. The technique is commonly used in advertising vehicles such as television commercials and direct mail pieces.

Attention
The attention portion of the marketing message occurs at the beginning and is designed to give the prospects a reason to take notice. Presenting a shocking fact or statistic that identifies a problem which can be solved by the product or service is one common method of gaining attention. Other methods can include asking a thought-provoking question or using the element of surprise. The purpose is to give the prospects a reason for wanting to learn more.

When a product is launched the first goal is to grab attention. Firms spend millions thinking about how to grab attention for their product. The method used to gain attention will depend on the product, options include sponsorship, hospitality events and large promotion campaigns. If the product is a gadget or technology a firm may decide to showcase it at a technology exhibition for example E3 the annual video game conference show which is visited by journalists and technology industry professionals. If the product is trendy and fashionable the firm may ask a celebrity who will appeal to the target market to endorse it.

Interest
Once you've gained the prospects' attention, the next step is to maintain interest in your product or service to keep the recipients engaged. Explain to the recipients how the problem you've identified in the attention step is adversely affecting their lives. A demonstration or illustration can help the recipients to further identify with the problem and want to actively seek possible solutions. By personalizing the problem, you're making it hit closer to home.

Once you have secured people's attention, the next job is to hold their interest. This is done by promoting product features and clearly stating the benefit the product has to offer. The aim at this stage is to provide the customer with information that will move them to the next stage of the process, desire.

Desire
In the desire stage, your objective is to show the prospects how your product or service can solve their problem. Explain the features of the product or service and the related benefits and demonstrate how the benefits fulfill the need. A common advertising process is the "before and after" technique, such as when a cleaning product makes a soiled item look brand new. If done effectively, the prospects should now have the desire to make a purchase.

The third stage is desire; at this point you want the information (interest) customers have about your product to create a desire to have your product. A unique selling point will help customers desire it over competitor products. If your product is a trend setter, the latest "must have" product, buzz marketing will help create a strong desire.

Action
Now that you've created the desire to make a purchase, the final step is to persuade the prospects to take immediate action. In a one-on-one sales process, this is the time to ask for the sale. In the advertising world, techniques involve creating sense of urgency by extending an offer for a limited time or including a bonus of special gift to those who act within a specific time frame. Without a specific call to action, the prospect may simply forget about your offer and move on.

The final stage is the purchase action, if a company has been successful with its AIDA strategy then customers will purchase its products. The task at this stage is to help the purchase action by making it as simple as possible. For example by offering a range of payment options and avenues e.g. Credit card, cheque, via high street shops and through the internet.

An example of the AIDA model
Here is a case study from our Marketing Models Guide showing how an award-winning hairdressing company, Francesco Group used the model to launch their new salon.
  • 1. Awareness: Ran a PR campaign four months prior to launch, promoting award, stylists, qualifications etc. and was reinforced through a DM campaign to targeted customer groups.
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  • 2. Interest:  Executed a direct mail campaign to offer a free consultation or hair cut and finish. They used research to support that this would work, as females are loyal if the offer is compelling.
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  • 3. Desire: Close to the opening of the new salon, they ran exclusive local launch events which was advertised through local press and social media. This created a local buzz for 'people wanting an invite' and excited to see the new salon.
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  • 4. Action: Clear CTAS were positioned on the Facebook site (call to reserve), the website (call to book) and local advertising (call in to receive discount or the offer.
The case study didn't highlight Retention, though there are many ways to increase loyalty around sign up to mailing lists or social platforms which offer news about offers and events, discounts on product ranges, discounts according to frequency of visit,  etc

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