Direct Response Copywriter on AIDA. Part 2.

In the last blog, I wrote about the first part of AIDA. Let's review what AIDA stands for.

A = Attention I = Interest D = Desire A = Action

If I've been successful then I have the attention of the reader. Now it's time to keep the attention of the reader by being interesting.

It's not easy to be interesting in copy. I like to think about the reader sitting in front of my copy going, "WOW! I never knew that!" If I'm writing golf copy then I like to write about a new way of solving a common golf problem. Golfers typically find this type of content extremely interesting.

Here's where the research comes in. I like to find facts that tie back to the benefits that really appeal to the potential customer.

Let me give you an example.

I was watching a VSL the other day. The VSL was for a subscription to an investment newsletter. The "big idea" the direct response copywriter used was to reveal how to profit from stocks that would rise and fall based on wars.

After getting the attention of the reader, the copywriter wrote extensively about 10 different wars that could start in the next five years ... and why.

It's brilliant copywriting. The copywriter keeps the interest of the viewer. Most of the viewers are interested in global conflicts but probably didn't know about all these potential wars. It's also a way of proving the link between conflicts and the opportunity for profit.

Again ... research is so extremely vital here. Fascinating facts come from this research. The research must focus on what's interesting to the potential customer ... and it must also relate to the product or service.

Of course, every piece of direct response copy has to be fascinating from beginning to end. But there's a point in the promotion, usually right after the introduction or headline where the interest level has to increase dramatically.

Let's go back to a hyper-successful magazine like Cosmopolitan Magazine. The headlines on the cover get the attention of the reader. Then the articles are interesting because they reveal things the reader doesn't know ... but wants to know. Would articles about golf be valuable to the Cosmo reader? NO! Would articles about how to dress to attract men be valuable in Golf Digest? Negatory big brother. The fascinating facts must be salient.

In the next blog, I'll talk about the "D" part ... DESIRE.

Anyone can find interesting facts. But it's only the skilled direct response copywriter who knows how to find the interesting information that's relevant to what the potential customer really wants.

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I'm a direct response copywriter working for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.