How to Leverage the AIDA Model for Writing Better Marketing Emails
When it comes to effective email marketing, quality trumps quantity. Drafting emails that are personalized, engaging, yet to the point, return higher conversion rates than poorly written ones sent often. If you are wondering about a fool-proof way to enrich your promotional email’s content, the AIDA model can be of great help.
What is AIDA Model?
Coined in 1898 by the American advertising guru Elias St. Elmo Lewis, the AIDA model was used by salespeople to guide prospects into making a purchase decision. Today, marketers have repurposed it to help them write compelling emails that drive up conversions.
AIDA is an abbreviation that stands for grabbing a prospect’s ‘Attention’, turning it into ‘Interest’, stimulating ‘Desire’ to purchase and nudging them into taking an Action resulting into actual purchase.
Dating back to more than a century, this model remains very much in use today and is represented by a funnel-like structure depicted below:

Source: hubspot
Put Words into Action – Leverage AIDA for Writing Compelling Email Content
Due to its efficacy, various organizations use the AIDA model for writing better emails. Here is how you can leverage each attribute of the AIDA funnel for better email open rates and click-through rates:
1. How to Use the Attention Attribute
Do you know that your average prospect receives a whopping 92 emails per day? With such fierce competition, how do you get them to open yours? By writing effective subject lines. Here are a few best practices to help you do so:
1.1 Your Subject Lines Must Create a Sense of Urgency
This does not mean you use click-bait phrases like “Act Now” or “Urgent” in your subject statement. Rather, phrase them strategically that compels prospects to open your email.
For example, “Time-sensitive offer on our hottest handbags this season”.
1.2 Your Subject Line Must Evoke Curiosity
When prospects are curious, your conversion rates go up. So, write a subject line in the form of a question, or offer them a statistic that compels them to open your email.
For example, “We’ve been waiting for MONTHS to announce this”.
1.3 Personalize your Subject Line
Cater to an individual rather than a segment when drafting your subject line. Robust personalization strategies go beyond inserting a prospect’s first name in subject lines.
For example, “Uh-oh, your prescription is expiring”.
1.4 Here are a Few More Examples of Effective Email Subject Lines:
- JetBlue: “You’re missing out on points.”
- Jersey Mike’s Subs: “Mary, Earn double points today only”
- Groupon: “Deals That Make Us Proud (Unlike Our Nephew, Steve)”
2. How to Use the Interest Attribute
All it takes for customers to discard your emails, whether sent using email marketing tools or manually, is a read-through of the first two lines. All you have are just a few words to pique their interest and take them closer to conversion. Therefore, focus your attention on drafting the right opening sentences.
One way of doing this is by beginning your email with problems prospects face and how your offering can solve them. Don’t beat around the bush too much as your potential customers will initially only glance through your email body. The minute something concrete meets their eye, you would have their Interest.
3. How to Use the Desire Attribute
While the first two aspects garner a prospect’s Attention and Interest, stimulating the third AIDA attribute, which is Desire is relatively tricky. At this stage, you need to cement trust with your target base through emails.
You can do that by continuously generating and sharing valuable content without getting too pushy. Spamming their inboxes with irrelevant and impersonalized content is a strict no-no at this stage. Get them to subscribe to your blog, attend virtual events, follow you on social media. It’s simple! The more they get to know you, the more they will trust you, and eventually buy from you.
Arousing Desire should not only be about the product you are selling, but also about buying it from your brand specifically. Something that comes with time and trust!
4. The Final Act – Facilitating Action
Once you've got Attention, Interest and Desire locked into an email; it's time to encourage your prospect to take Action. And, you can do this by placing impactful CTA button(s) at the right place. Be direct in the final section of your email, let the customer know the pricing model and how to buy clearly.
Conclusion
The AIDA model helps articulate your email's content. If leveraged well, you can close more deals and end up with happier customers. So, why shoot an arrow in the dark? Take the guided approach this model provides and increase customer retention through email marketing.