What is AIDA Model? Definition of AIDA Model, AIDA Model Meaning and Concept

The AIDA model shows the steps that a customer follows when they want to buy an item, or service.

This term was coined by its creator, Elias St. Elmo Lewis, in 1898. Lewis was a sales manager at various companies, and he was interested in learning how to improve sales.

He launched this technique to also know how the different agents involved in a sale were related, such as the relationship between the seller and the buyer in relation to the purchase of a specific item.

This methodology is still valid, and it is an optimal description of the phases that a user goes through when making a purchase decision.

This concept talks about the steps that must be executed, and followed when you want to get a purchase from the customer.

It is a highly valued technique in marketing and in the field of sales, since it studies this type of sequences to assess what the customer wants, and how his interest is aroused when buying a product.

Phases of the AIDA model

These are the sequences:

• The attention. This is the first phase a customer goes through. Here it is necessary for the seller to take care of making this happen. To achieve this, it is best to create advertising and marketing campaigns designed to capture their interest. Emphasizing the benefits above the characteristics of the articles works optimally. In a world so saturated with products, competition and various digital platforms as a result of the internet boom, it is not an easy task, but it is necessary to sell.
• Keep the user's attention. Once interest has been piqued, you can't let a potential customer slip away. Here it is important to know how to maintain it. You can take different techniques such as: personalized attention explaining the aspects of the product, its benefits, a comfortable and accessible design on the web so that you can know all the information in detail, create product sheets that attract attention, inform and respond to potential consumer questions.
• Arouse the desire to buy. If you have managed to attract attention, in addition to keeping it, in this case you have to arouse your desire. The information that has been shown to you, in addition to the previously mentioned techniques, usually pays off at this stage. It is necessary to focus a lot at this stage on the multiple benefits that the client will obtain with the product, in addition to the attention of the brand that will be more notable than that of the competition.
• Phase of the purchase action. If the previous phases have been successful, the client will make a purchase, which is the objective, to reach the conversion phase, which would be this last stage of the process.
• The post-sale phase. You can add this stage in this method because you haven't really finished the whole process. You have to know what the customer feels after the purchase, value his opinion, in addition to offering you other possible techniques that increase sales even more, such as cross marketing, or cross-selling.

AIDA model example

We are going to include an example of the AIDA model in the case of a client who wants to buy some sports shoes.

• Attention: The way in which we could get attention is to carry out campaigns focused on the health benefits of playing sports. Playing sports makes you happier, improves your physical appearance and increases life expectancy. In addition, playing sports improves other aspects of your life, such as the work aspect.
• Keep the user's attention. Once you get the customer's attention, you have to keep their attention. We will not yet move on to arouse your desire to buy (next phase). Therefore, the important thing here is to show you good care, answer all your questions and, above all, ask about your needs. Not all clients will perform the same sport, with the same frequency and intensity. Our recommendation must adapt to the client and not recommend the product that will generate the most profit for us. The latter could cause the potential client to lose.
• Arouse the desire to buy. Paving the way, it is necessary to awaken the desire to buy. It is the phase prior to the actual purchase. In this case, after showing you different shoes that could meet your needs, we must show you the characteristics of each one. The advantages of one against the other, the different colors, encourage you to try them on. Always without commitment, awakening your desire to buy but without becoming heavy. Without always forgetting that you have to value the shoes you are trying on, tell them about the experiences of other customers and their satisfaction.
• Phase of the purchase action. If the above has gone well, the customer will want to buy. Once you have decided, it is essential to reaffirm that you have made a good purchase and you will not regret it, but if you have any problems we can help you. Inform you about the after-sales service and all the return conditions.
• The post-sale phase. Once the customer has made the purchase, it would be good to send him a satisfaction survey that, in addition, will provide us with valuable information for future customers. Of course, if the customer returns after the purchase, we must return to serve him in the best possible way.