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A few years back, I was walking through downtown St. Augustine. Every storefront was competing for my attention with signs, specials, and even employees trying to drum up attention.
I passed several with no intention of stopping. But one man in front of a nondescript shop caught my attention.
"Wanna see a magic show?"
It wasn’t just Florida; it was summer in Florida. A few minutes in an air-conditioned room sounded great. The magic show was small but special.
I walked in to find a small crowd of people off the street. An employee stood up shortly and the show began.
He opened a wallet that burst into flames. He made a dollar float in mid-air. And no magic show would be complete without card tricks. I began to recognize what was happening.
This wasn’t just a magic show.
A process was in motion, beginning with me strolling by the shop and ending with me spending an embarrassing amount of money (I’ll tell you how much later, so you don’t judge me too harshly).
It was a perfect example of the “AIDA” model in sales.
It has four simple steps:
- Attention
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
I want to walk through how that formula worked at the magic shop, and how you can apply a similar approach to marketing your advisory firm.
Attention
In this first phase, you make the consumer aware of who you are and what you do. But it’s not just about introducing yourself; it’s about making prospects pay attention.
How they did it:
As I walked past storefronts, everyone was trying to sell me something. This guy set himself apart by offering to give me something.
How you can do it:
There are two big lessons to take away here.
1. Avoid the temptation to ask for an appointment.
Imagine if the magic show had started with a hard sales pitch before any tricks were performed. I would have been out of there by the end of the first sentence.
2. Draw your audience in by speaking to their situation.
“Worried about layoffs and considering retiring early? Download our must-read guide on seven questions to help you make a wise decision.”
Sure, not everyone is in that situation, but you’ll catch the eye of the right audience.
Interest
You’ve got their attention, now they want to learn more.
How they did it:
They got me in the door with the promise of a magic show, but it didn’t end there. They showed me an exploding wallet.
By starting with the most dramatic trick, he had me hooked immediately. But he went a step further: He showed us exactly how he did each trick – using a product they just happened to sell.
How you can do it:
This is where you deliver your content. Don’t put out another vague e-book that provides no fresh insights (there are already plenty of those).
What are the seven questions that will help them decide if they should retire early?
Desire
Now the prospect isn’t just interested in what you’re talking about; they want it.
How they did it:
The magic show was great, but I’m not a magician. How did this apply to my life?
As the magician performed tricks, he shared times he had done them in normal life – the people he was with, the reactions he got.
I immediately started thinking about cutting up with some friends, about being fun Uncle Angel around my friends’ kids...
How you can do it:
Paint a picture of a better life in the mind of your audience. You’ll wake up that part of their brain that’s hungry for self-improvement.
Action
Finally, clearly state the next step you want them to take.
How they did it:
As the magician wrapped up, he pointed to where we could buy the items. If that wasn’t enough, it just so happened that the exploding wallets were “buy one, get one free.”
I shelled out $124.32 (okay, go ahead and judge me now).
How you can do it:
This story could just be about a fun magic show, but they took it a step further.
You must transition into a request.
“Still have questions on early retirement? Reply to this email and I’ll help you find answers.”
The final takeaways
Is your marketing “exploding wallet” good? Few things are, but there is plenty to learn here.
Take a long look at your marketing and ask yourself these questions:
Question #1:
Am I producing engaging content?
If the answer is “no,” start here. Five years ago, blogging regularly may have been enough on its own. Now, your content must be engaging.
A personal connection video could be a good starting point.
Question #2:
Am I helping prospects visualize the solution to their problem?
Do your best to show and not tell, just like the magician did. He walked us through specific examples of how we could benefit from what he was selling.
Question #3:
Am I going from hypothetical to reality?
This can’t be just a pipe dream or something to do one day. Demonstrate how they can benefit right now.
Question #4:
Is it easy to take action?
This is where a lot of advisers fail. You spend time and money creating a resource, and then it just...ends.
Make things so simple and seamless for your prospect that it would be silly not to take the next step – whether that’s opting into your mailing list, booking a chat, or referring you to others.
There it is: a simple approach to go from interest to action, all learned from a chance trip to a magic shop.
Angel D. Gonzalez is one of three founders and serves as chief marketing officer for Snappy Kraken (www.SnappyKraken.com), an award-winning marketing platform that is revolutionizing the way financial professionals connect with current and prospective clients.
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Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.