Hey, how’s it going?

One evening, as I was doomscrolling through my feed, I stumbled upon an article from an author I didn’t know.

The title caught my eye, it felt so clickbaity that I chuckled a bit.

But I figured I'd give it a skim and move on like I usually do.

However, as I kept reading, I felt a pull.

Each line seemed to draw me in more and more.

And by the time I reached the end, I found myself hitting a 'Subscribe' button to a newsletter I didn’t even know it existed until that day.

I sat back, a little astonished.

How the hell did that happen?

I went from having 0 interest in what this random guy had to say to giving him permission to drop 2 newsletters a week into my inbox.

Can you relate?

This experience got me thinking about the mechanics behind persuasive copy and how word-class creators like Justin Welsh leverage it to turn somebody passively scrolling into a loyal fan.

And that, my friends, is how I discovered the AIDA model.

Let’s get into it.

🔍 THE AIDA MODEL

The AIDA Model stand for “Attention,” “Interest,” “Desire,” and “Action”.

The AIDA Model has been around for over a century, and for good reason.

Its foundational understanding of human psychology and behaviour in the buying process — whether it’s a product or an idea you’re selling — has made it an evergreen framework that has withstood the test of time.

This winning formula can captivate your audience and lead them to take action.

Let’s delve into it with an example of Justin Welsh:

👉️ Stage 1: Grab Attention (You HAVE to read this!)

It only takes a few seconds for our brain to decide whether we’re interested in something.

So don’t blow your chances.

Start with a strong, captivating hook that immediately captures your audience’s attention.

At this stage, you can:

- Make a bold statement.
- Use eye-popping statistics (numbers ALWAYS work)
- Ask a rhetorical question.

Stage 1: Attention

Justin highlights the significant number of users who are missing out on the chance to create content, which immediately grabs attention.

👉️ Stage 2: Maintain Interest (This is still RELEVANT to you!)

Interest can be short-lived.

So give your audience a reason to stay engaged.

Focus on their specific paint points and include your main message early on!

At this stage, you can:

- Get to the point quickly.
- Use relatable stories.
- Start delivering on your initial promise.

Stage 2: Interest

This statement subtly hints at the advantages of becoming part of that 1%. 

Now you’re wondering what those benefits are.

👉️ Stage 3: Manufacture Desire (This can solve your problem!)

Here comes the fun part: making whatever you’re offering IRRESISTIBLE.

Whether it’s a product, a service, or other pieces of content, highlight its benefits and how it can solve your audience’s specific problem.

At this stage, you can:

- Share success stories.
- Provide examples.
- Address any potential questions or objections.

Stage 3: Desire

Now, he’s listing the benefits of becoming a content creator on LinkedIn, generating a strong desire in the reader's mind to experience these benefits.

👉️ Stage 4: Call to Action (This is what’s next!)

Remember that what’s obvious to you is not necessarily obvious to your audience.

So close with a strong, clear CTA that points your audience exactly to where they need to go.

If your content has been consumed from start to finish, this means the reader has resonated with your message.

So you should maximise the opportunity and direct them onto the product or service that can solve their problem or other pieces of content that they might also enjoy.

Sometimes, all you need to do is ASK.

At this stage, you can:

- Make the next step obvious.
- Use urgency to create a sense of FOMO.

Stage 4: Action

Justin closes by directing readers to a piece of content that’s relevant to them.

Now they know exactly what the next step is.

And that’s a wrap! What do you think of the AIDA model? Have you ever used it or seen it in action? 👀