The Four-step Method to Creating Marketing Pieces that Sell

by: Kristie Lorette

Advertising and marketing professionals all over the world know a secret four-step method to creating marketing pieces that sell–the AIDA Method. And today, I’m going to share this four-step method with you.

AIDA stands for:

* Attention
* Interest
* Desire
* Action

Use it to create your marketing pieces–advertisements, brochures, email blasts, and more. Combine this method with everything else you’ve learned over the past few days and you’re sure to see results.

Attention & Interest

The first step in the AIDA Method is grabbing the reader’s attention. We’ve discussed ways to accomplish this with your subject lines, headlines, and even in the body of your email.

Some ways to grab them with your headline is to include:

* Discounts
* Savings offers
* Ways to solve a problem

Here are some bad headlines and how they were turned into good headlines:

Bad headline: Write Better Copy

Good headline: 5 Easy Ways to Write Copy That Sells

Bad Headline: Make Your Home Eco-friendly

Good Headline: 7 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Eco-chic

Bad Headline: Buy Your Holiday Cards Now

Good headline: Sale into September with Holiday Card Savings

Bad headline: An Effective Way to Increase Revenue

Good headline: Find an Affordable and Effective Way to Increase Revenue

Second, use the body of your email to gain their interest and turn it into desire. Remember, it’s all about them, so how does what you’re selling benefit them.

Desire

According to advertising legend David Ogilvy, these are some of the best persuasive words to use in your copy because they work:

* suddenly
* now
* announcing
* introducing
* improvement
* amazing
* sensational
* remarkable
* revolutionary
* startling
* miracle
* magic
* offer
* quick
* easy
* wanted
* challenge
* compare
* startling
* bargain
* hurry

Action

This is usually referred to by professionals as the call to action. You realed them in with your attention-grabbing headline. You created an interest in hearing what you have to say. You persuaded them to want what you’re selling. Now you have to tell them what to do to get it!

How it increases your sales

Using this method works–period. It’s short, sweet, and to the point. It also hypes up your prospective customer so much that you convince them they need your product or service.

It’s an effective method that works for writing ad copy, but some of the same principles apply when copywriting for other types of collateral like press releases, articles, brochures, email blasts, and website copy.


About The Author
Kristie Lorette is a freelance writer that specializes in helping businesses and entrepreneurs create copy that sizzles, motivates, and sells. She is also the editor of The Inky Dot, a bi-monthly e-newsletter that offers tips, tricks, and advice on writing and marketing tips for businesses. You can learn more about Kristie and subscribe to The Inky Dot at www.studiokwriting.com. The author invites you to visit: http://www.studiokwriting.com http://www.articlecity.com/articles/marketing/article_4759.shtml

Germ Free Work Environment

Can you have a completely germ free work environment? The answer is probably not. The office is a place where people travel in and out of all day, even if it’s just your staff. Each day dust and germs inhabit our work environment. The question is what do you do to keep your office as germ free as possible? You can work to make your office germ free. By working toward making your office germ free you will reduce absenteeism and keep everyone healthier and happier.

Simple steps you can take to fight germs in your office:

Daily:
Vacuum the office.
Dust the top of all desks.
Wipe off each phone with disinfectant.
Carefully disinfect each keyboard.
Dust each monitor.
Sanitize kitchen area (including coffee pot & cups).


Weekly:
Disinfect fax machine.
Disinfect copier.
Disinfect file cabinet handles and drawer fronts.
Disinfect miscellaneous office equipment.
Clean coffee dispenser.
Clean water dispenser.
Disinfect cabinet doors.
Disinfect door knobs.
Wash the windows.


The above cleaning to do list are the basic cleaning methods you employ at home that should follow suit in the office. By taking these measures you will greatly reduce the dust and germs in your office environment. Most likely, employees will remain healthier, thereby happier. Your office will “feel” better to everyone when its germ free.