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Issue 3 > Ten little-known formulas for successful advertising.

Ten little-known formulas for successful advertising.

Dean Rieck delivers more 'getting through' advice.

What is your formula for creating effective sales messages? If you're like most people, you'll say, 'AIDA'—an acronym for 'attention, interest, desire, action'. It's a classic, perhaps the most quoted formula in advertising and marketing.

However, just as a skilled craftsman expands his or her creative abilities by collecting and mastering a variety of tools, a savvy marketer can expand his or her creative abilities by collecting and mastering a variety of formulas. Here are some less famous but highly inspirational formulas to add to your collection:

ACCA. Awareness, comprehension, conviction, action. This is similar to AIDA, but 'comprehension' stresses the importance of clarity, which is vital for any persuasive message. And 'conviction' is much stronger than 'desire'. It suggests certainty.

Attention-Interest-Description-Persuasion-Proof-Close. This is another AIDA variation by Robert Collier. Intended for sales letters, it outlines what he thought was the correct sales sequence.

AAPPA. The eminent Victor O Schwab suggested this commonsense, clear formula.

  • Get attention.
  • Show people an advantage.
  • Prove it.
  • Persuade people to grasp this advantage.
  • Ask for action.

AIU. This is my own formula for envelopes. It stands for 'attention, interest, urgency'. Something about an envelope must get your attention, whether it's teaser copy, graphics, or just blank paper. This should lead to an interest in the contents and an urgency to open the envelope immediately.

PPPP. This is a formula by Henry Hoke Sr. It stands for 'picture, promise, prove, push'. In many ways, it's easier to implement than AIDA because it shows you four basic tasks you must perform to make a sale.

  • Picture: get attention early and create a desire.
  • Promise: make a meaningful promise and describe what the item will do.
  • Prove: demonstrate the value and support your promise with testimonials.
  • Push: ask for the order.

Star-Chain-Hook. This is Frank Dignan's charming and surprisingly fresh way to approach an advertising message.

  • Hitch your wagon to a star with an attention-getting opening that is positive and upbeat.
  • Create a chain of convincing facts, benefits, and reasons to transform attention into interest and interest into desire.
  • Then, hook them with a powerful call to action, making it easy to respond.

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