You dream of having thousands of customers, a fully-booked calendar of clients, or a million-plus following of fans. But because you’re just starting out, no one seems to really care yet. When you talk about your business, you find yourself getting more nos than yeses.
But what if you could generate more interest and buzz around your business, just by changing the way you write?
I’m going to introduce you to a 4-part framework that will allow you to do exactly that.
By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to use it for any kind of writing you need for your business.
Table of Contents:
- What is copywriting?
- Introducing the AIDA framework
- A is for Attention
- I is for Interest
- D is for Desire
- A is for Action
- Your AIDA cheatsheet
- Real-life examples of AIDA
- Conclusion
But before we can get into the concrete steps, we’ve got to take a step back and understand the underlying skill that will help you generate more interest in your business everytime you write. That skill is called copywriting.
Table of Contents
- What is copywriting?
- Introducing the AIDA Framework
- A is for Attention
- I is for Interest
- D is for Desire
- A is for Action
- Here’s Your AIDA Cheat-Sheet
- Real-Life Examples of AIDA
- Conclusion
What is copywriting?
Copywriting is writing something with the intent to convince your reader of something. You might be encouraging them to follow you, make a purchase, or simply adopt a new idea that you’re teaching them.
Copywriting sometimes gets a bad rap because a small population of marketers uses it for “bro marketing”—pushing people to buy products that they don’t really want.
Copywriting should be helpful, not pushy
But used in the right way, copywriting helps make your writing more engaging and allows you to clearly explain the value of your business to someone. Instead of pushing someone to buy something or trying to force them to like it, you’re clearly laying out the value proposition so they can make an informed decision if they want it or not.
If you’ve spent the time to come up with a profitable business idea, yet people aren’t not interested, it’s usually not because the idea is bad. It’s more likely the case that you just haven’t clearly shown people why they should care about your business.
And developing the skill of copywriting will help you to improve that.
Copywritten work is called “copy”
When you write something in this way, that piece of writing is called copy: it’s a collection of words that help to sell or generate interest in whatever it is you’re trying to promote.
Let’s say you’ve got a brand-new dog walking business and you want to generate interest. You could write several pieces of copy, such as:
- A home page for your business
- An ad to run on social media
- Instagram and TikTok posts
- Video scripts
- Blog posts
- And so on
Anything you write that’s designed to get people to read, become interested, and do something in response is called copy.
Now back to the topic in question. I’m going to share one of the most famous copywriting frameworks that veteran copywriters use to generate more interest around businesses and products and in turn, create more followers, customers, and fans.
Introducing the AIDA Framework
The framework is called AIDA. The 4 letters stand for 4 parts of the framework. Once you understand each part, all you need to do is fill out each section and you’ve got a piece of working copy that will help generate more interest in your business.
With this framework, you can write ads that get people to read and click over to your website. You can write web pages that sell your products and services. And you can write blog posts that get people to subscribe to your mailing list.
Without further ado, let’s start with the first A, which stands for Attention.
A is for Attention
The first part of your copy needs to grab the attention of your reader.
Why?
Because if the first line doesn’t grab them, why would they keep reading?
Imagine I walked up to you and said, “Hey, give me 5 minutes of your time.” Would you just stop and give me 5 minutes? No, you’d probably say, “Why?”
You’ve got to give people a good reason to stop and consume your content. We’re all busy, and our minutes are precious.
So the first line and first section of your copy needs to really grab the attention of your ideal reader and give them a good reason to keep reading.
So how do you grab a reader’s attention? There are 4 key ways that copywriters lean on time and time again.
Method #1: Make a promise your readers can’t resist
When you walk by your favorite café and you see a sign on the front that says, “Free coffee!”, do you ignore it and keep walking? Probably not!
If you love coffee, and you haven’t had your morning cup yet, chances are you’ll pop inside and get a free cup.
The reason the shop grabbed your attention is because they promised you something you couldn’t resist.
And you can do the same with your writing. Use the title and the first few lines of the text to make a promise for your reader that they really want. It doesn’t have to be fame, riches, and love, but it does have to be something they want.
Your clients might want:
- To make more money
- To feel less stressed
- Successful relationships
- Happy kids or pets
- To make something they always do much easier
- Recognition among their peers
- Something cute to have on their desk while they work
So what do your ideal clients, customers, or fans want (but haven’t figured out how to get yet)? Mention it first, and they will stop and keep reading.
This article is a good example. The title promises to help you “get more people interested in your business.” That’s what you want, right? 🙂
Method #2: Pique your readers’ curiosity so they have to read more
What if I told you there was a way to lose more weight just by eating cake?
(Okay, I just made that up, but I’m sure there’s a business out there somewhere who does this.)
The second way to grab people’s attention is to pique their curiosity. You can do this by asking a question they can’t answer (but want to know the answer to) or teasing some knowledge you have that they want to know.
Some examples:
- 4 Mistakes Every Business Owner Makes
- What’s the local dog walking business every pet owner in Boston is raving about?
- Why your Facebook ads aren’t getting clicked
- What can Metallica teach us about email marketing?
And so on.
If it’s unclear how to use this in real life, you can skip down to the end of this article, where I’ll show you some examples.
Method #3: Clearly explain the value and who it’s for
Sometimes, you can just be obvious and tell people what value you’re bringing with your business.
If they’re looking for a business like yours, this can be enough to grab the right people’s attention.
Examples of this would be:
- Dog Walker For Hire in XYZ Neighborhood
- Free Spanish Lessons for Pre-K Children
- Virtual Assistant for Female-Owned Small Businesses
- New vegan bakery opens in Downtown Cincinnati
The important thing to keep in mind for this type of attention-grabber is to mention exactly what you do and who it’s for. Notice how each of these examples mentions a specific client or area of service.
Method #4: Create urgency
One final method that some businesses use is to create a sense of urgency with the reader. This is useful when time is running out on an offer or promotion, when you have limited supplies, or when you’re running out of space in your calendar, for example.
Urgency sounds like this:
- Doors are closing for…
- Just 2 spots left for…
- Furniture sale this weekend only
Which parts of your content must grab attention?
The very first thing your readers or viewers see needs to be the attention-grabber. Depending on what you’re writing, this might be in multiple places.
For example:
- The title of a blog post (and the introduction)
- The first lines of a tweet or social media post
- The graphic of a social media post (in most cases, people notice this before they read the caption)
- The first shot of a short-form video (Like TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts)
- The title, thumbnail, and first 3 seconds of a YouTube video
- The title, cover, and intro of a book
- And so on.
The first line should pique their curiosity so they read the second line. And the second line should get them reading the third line. And so on, until they get to the end of the content.
After you get them interested in what you have to say, you’ll move onto I for Interest.
I is for Interest
The attention-grabbing introduction part can’t go on for too long. Once people understand the promise you are making or the question you’re raising, they’re going to want more details.
In the Interest section, you’re going to explain all the details to do one or more of the following things:
- Back up the promise with proof
- Explain how they can get the information they want to have (for example, if they have to sign up for a webinar or buy a course)
- Answering the question or providing the information they want inside the piece of content (if you’re teaching something inside the content, like a video, blog post, or social media post)
This is often the longest section in a piece of copy, because you want to make sure you include all the important details. You want to make sure they get all the information they need to make the next step. (But nothing more than that.)
Here are some examples:
- Attention: You can lose weight without dieting → Interest: Explain how it works and introduce a program that will help them do it
- Attention: Want to know how to save 5 hours a week on your work? → Interest: Give all the details for an upcoming webinar that will teach them
- Attention: 5 Ways to Dress Up a Denim Jacket → Interest: Explain all 5 ways inside the article
After you’ve given the information the reader is looking for, it’s time to close up the piece of copy with D for Desire.
D is for Desire
To be honest, I consider this part optional (although hardcore copywriters would disagree).
What you do here is show people how using the information you’ve given them will make their life better.
Here you tie it back into their daily life, how they’ll feel or how easy their life will be once they make the change you are promoting.
It helps them go back to the big picture of why they are reading the piece in the first place, and sums up your entire piece of copy into a couple lines of “why you should care about this, and why it will benefit you.”
Here are some examples:
- We’ve explained in this article how to start a daily writing habit. Once you’ve got this, you’ll be able to write more blog posts and have more fun doing it.
- With the information in this webinar, youl’ll be able to cut out up to 5 hours of work a week that you can spend making more money, doing something you love, or kicking back with a drink to relax.
- When you let us walk your dog, you’ll be able to come home to a happier and healthier pup every day.
Notice how these are painting a picture of a better life ahead, available when the person takes action on what you are promoting.
This will motivate people to take action. So if your goal is to get more sign-ups for your newsletter, more calls in your calendar, or more sales in the bank, adding this little tidbit will help you better reach that goal.
This doesn’t have to be too long. After they’ve gotten that picture of how their life could be better, you finish with the final A for Action.
A is for Action
Your reader has now gotten hooked on what you have to offer them, they’ve learned all about how it works and how they can get their hands on it, and now they’re excited to get started.
What’s the most helpful thing you can do now? Give them a simple next step they can take to get started.
Actions can be anything you want the reader to do next:
- Call 555-1234 for a free consultation.
- Leave a comment and let me know which tip you want to try next.
- Click here for more info.
- Sign up for my free webinar to learn more.
- Buy now.
- Visit us at 1234 Main Street.
And so on.
There are 2 rules for this part:
- Give them just ONE action
- Make it fool-proof
If you people two or more options, the stress of having to choose will push most to give up.
But by giving them one simple action to take, you make the choice much easier.
To make it fool-proof, you want to be absolutely clear about what you want them to do. Start with a verb and end with all the details. “Call 555-1234,” “Click here to buy your first set,” and so on.
Here’s Your AIDA Cheat-Sheet
Let’s put it all together so you can copy this for your own writing. Here’s a cheat-sheet for using AIDA for your writing projects.
AIDA: A copywriting framework to get more people to read and respond to your content
- Attention: Use the first line and first section to grab the attention of your ideal reader
- Interest: Fill in all the details, give them the information you promised in the first section
- Desire: Bring it home by reminding them how taking action will improve their life
- Action: Give them one simple action to take next
Real-Life Examples of AIDA
This framework can work for literally ANY piece of writing you do, no matter how long or short! It works whether you’re selling something or simply teaching something for free.
Here are some examples.
Facebook or Instagram Ad
Attention: Do You Need More Time?
Do you ever feel like you have more “to-dos” than time? Do you wish you had a personalized formula for accomplishing the tasks you want to accomplish by the end of the day…week…month?
Interest: Want to know a secret? It’s not just about how you utilize the time you have, it’s also about how you perceive time and use tools tailored to you and your specific needs.
If you’re looking for tactics and templates to streamline your time management processes, this presentation is for you. We will explore 4 main areas that make time management achievable:
*Mindset – Getting ready to get ready *Systems – How the best ones work *Implementation – What we say vs what we do *Outcomes – Know your ‘Why’ and get rid of distractions
Did you know that the top 3% of successful managers understand that good time management in any business or workforce requires certain key elements? I’ll share them with you:
*Time-tested tools for effective and efficient goal-oriented result *Key questions that keep us on track, focused, and motivated *Templates that help prioritize our goal objectives for the highest level of productivity
Desire: If you are someone who would prefer to be at a nice dinner with friends rather than eating cold pizza at your desk completing that last minute report, be sure to add this presentation to your list. Join us on November 17th.
Action: Workshop is FREE. Register at {link}.
Plus, the button that says “Buy tickets.”
Blog Post
Attention: 5 Ways to Improve Your Posture
If you were ever told to “sit up straight” it was probably in the context of a social event and went hand in hand with “your best behavior”. Good posture is something that can take practice, and with our reliance on screens and mobile devices, it’s even easier to develop a slouching habit. Does it matter though? As a matter of fact, it does.
Interest: Blog post explains the 5 ways. (You can read this blog post here: 5 Ways to Improve Your Posture.)
Desire: Correcting bad posture can take practice and even a little work, but it’s well worth the effort. By improving your posture you can look forward to reduced neck and back pain, less stress and anxiety, and even better breathing.
Action: Correct posture allows your body to function better, so why not give it a try?
Instagram Post
Attention: “I want to go there” —your paycheck
Interest: The Holiday Savings Event is here to help,
Desire: x
Action: now through 11/7.
Social Media Bio
Attention: The Freelance Writer’s Guide
Interest: Your guide to all things freelance copywriting…
Desire: x
Action: Coaching, courses, freebies, and more! {link}
Tweet
In this case, this is a thread, but you can also fit AIDA into 140 characters if you keep it super short.
Attention:
Interest: (The whole thread explains the tips. Read the full thread here.)
Desire / Action:
TikTok or Reel
Attention:
Interest: (The reel explains the 4 books.)
(In this case, there’s no desire or action, but the action implied in Reels and TikToks are to get likes, comments, or follows.)
Sales Email
This is an old email I got from a program called Elite Blog Academy:
Attention:
Notice the subject line and the opening lines.
Interest:
We could dive into it and list out a hundred reasons, but there’s one common theme: quality versus quantity.
Here’s how most people view the relationship between quality and quantity:
The idea is simple: quality plummets as quantity increases. And what have we all been taught? Quality over quantity, right?
We’re all familiar with the concept, but this isn’t a universal law that applies to everything in life.
The quality-over-quantity rule has its limits, especially when it comes to daily disciplines. Take exercise, for example. If the quantity/quality rule was always true, then the more we worked out, the worse shape we’d be in… which is absolutely ridiculous!
The quality/quantity rule also falls short when it comes to writing.
Our writing is not a cheap, mass-produced product. It’s a discipline — a muscle that needs to be exercised so it can get stronger. The more we write, the better writers we become.
Great writing isn’t a gift. It’s a skill you develop over time.
Desire / Action:
That’s why our latest post on the EBA blog is about how to write more without sacrificing quality. If something’s holding you back from writing more, you’ll definitely want to check out these 6 tips for building your writing muscles and becoming a blogging machine.
Check it out here {link}.
See you there!
xoxo, Ruth
Cold Message to Potential Client
I got this from an article on cold emailing by SEO expert Dmitry Dragilev on his blog Criminally Prolific. The writer was cold-pitching an article to Hubspot, and not only did Hubspot accept the pitch, they even said it was the best cold pitch they’ve ever gotten.
Attention:
I’m a huge Hubspot fan… I work with companies like KISSmetrics and make weekly videos for their blog…
Interest:
Just wanted to email you and see if Hubspot might be interested in a similar series.
Desire:
I made a demo for you to show you what it might look like: {link}
(Here he’s helping them to picture what it would look like to accept his pitch, by giving them a concrete example.)
Action:
Is this something you guys would be interested in?
Long-Form Book
Let’s use a real book in this case: The 4-Hour Workweek
Attention: The title draws you in, and the introduction has sections like: “FAQ—For the doubters” and “My story and why you need this book.” It’s designed to grab your attention.
Interest / Desire: The entire book explains how you can achieve the goal set out in the title. Each chapter makes you imagine how it will improve your life.
Action: He constantly invites you to make changes in your life to see the results he’s promoting. Also, I can’t remember as it’s been a while since I read the book, but I’m sure he finishes the book by asking readers to subscribe to his mailing list or take some other action to become followers of his business.
A note about using AIDA with books:
First of all, not every book should use the AIDA framework. This is best for self-help, business, or other marketing-style books that are designed to be read quickly and to propel the reader to take some kind of action, like becoming a follower, joining a course, or even just sharing the book with their friends.
Novels and books to be read for enjoyment do not need to follow AIDA, because that doesn’t really make sense for the purpose of the book.
Books that DO use AIDA will use it at several levels. The title and cover of the book need to grab attention, the middle of the book will explain the information (Interest), and the end of the book will often focus on Desire and Action.
Within that structure, each chapter and section will also follow AIDA: the beginning of the chapter will pique your curiosity, then explain the information, then finish by explaining the benefits and asking you to take action on what you’ve learned.
Conclusion
Once you understand the AIDA framework, you’ll start seeing it everywhere! It will really change how you see the world and how you market your business.
I hope that you feel encouraged to start writing more copy for your business and confident that it will lead to more interest, customers, and followers.
If you have any more questions about copywriting or the AIDA framework, please leave them here and I’ll be happy to explain more!
For now, save this post for the next time you write, and I’d be so delighted if you would share this with your friends who might benefit from this information.
Now, I’d love to hear: What kind of writing do you usually do for your business?
