It still amazes me how many people overlook the power of the marketing funnel. Most folks want to skip straight to the end — they throw money at ads on Television, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, and then wonder why they’re not getting any Action.
No sales. No downloads. No signups.
But here’s the truth: you don’t get action without Awareness.
If you’re reading this, then boom — I’ve got you at Awareness. You know my name, and you know what I do. Can I hold your Attention? I hope so — but truthfully, most of the time, we can’t. That’s why branding exists.
Branding doesn’t directly make sales — that’s not its job. Its purpose is simple: raise awareness so that your message has a chance to be remembered.
In today’s world, that’s harder than ever. Attention spans are shrinking. The average person decides in about three seconds whether to keep scrolling or stay. Compelling content can earn awareness for free — but attention must be earned, and earned again, every few seconds.
That’s why I use AAIDA for this blog — Awareness, Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. It’s not just a framework; it’s my North Star.
An illustration of my AAIDA funnel. The AIDA funnel with an added layer – Attention.
- Awareness
- Attention
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
To learn more about North Stars – I recommend The Art and Science of Digital Market by Alex Schutz.
My goal for this blog isn’t entertainment — it’s readership. I measure success by whether people actually read what I write. My metrics: time on site, page views, and scroll rates. These tell me if my message is connecting, if someone is following the story, if they’re thinking rather than just swiping.
Think of it like building a shelter. You need a floor, walls, and a roof. Is that a house? Not yet — but it’s shelter. Take away any one of those, and it collapses.
That’s what AIDA provides — the structure that protects and guides your marketing.
An illustration of the AIDA funnel with its four basic levels.
- Awareness
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
Remove any layer and you no longer have a funnel.
In my blog, I use AAIDA. In my wealth management business, I extend it to AAIDTA — adding Trust before Action. Because if you lose Trust — if you don’t call back promptly, or if you fail to match a portfolio to a client’s goals — you lose more than the sale. You lose the relationship.
And without trust, no funnel in the world can save you.
Metaphor
The AIDA funnel is like learning to snowplow as a skier. You can’t move up the mountain without learning it first. Even ski patrollers sometimes snowplow when bringing an injured skier down steeps (think Bridger Bowl Ridge). There might be times in your creative and entrepreneurial journey when you’ll have to do the same — go back to the basics, they might just keep you alive until you figure it out. In other words – a shelter.
Takeaway
Every business needs a funnel. Start with AIDA. Decide what action you want your audience to take. Your “North Star”. Then add layers like Awareness or Trust as your business requires. But whatever you do — don’t remove the fundamentals.
Take away a wall, floor, or roof, and you lose your shelter. Take away any part of AIDA, and you lose your funnel.
