What is a brand and the AIDA model of advertising according to Dale Carnegie – Attention

In the last blog “What is a Brand in the Words of a Few Good Men?” we discussed why we need to go back to basics and not hide behind jargon, call a brand for what it is – a person’s or an organization’s reputation.

So how do you build and manage a reputation, in other words a powerful brand that connects with your customers and prospects by being unique and satisfying their physical and emotional needs?

Brand Building is Reputation Building
You say what you do and then do what you say. In other words, building a reputation is about effective communication and keeping your promises to earn trust.

Effective marketing communication is first and foremost about getting ATTENTION! Without it, your message will simply never have a chance. This one of the reasons headlines, regardless of the media they appear on are paramount. If the headline doesn’t grab attention then the rest of the article, story, blog, tweet, video, billboard, etc will not have a chance to communicate the rest of the message.

There are many different techniques advertisers, PR people, journalists, writers, educators and anyone in the communication business use to get attention, but in the very simplest form, “How to Win Friends and Influence people” summarises it perfectly in the section titled “Win people to your way of thinking”:

1.    Dramatize your ideas. Most great advertising dramatises ideas, as do great speechwriters and script writers. Great ads for example manage to tell an emotional and engaging story in just 60 seconds.
2.    Throw down a challenge. From shampoos to household appliances or overnight deliveries, a promise or a guarantee is way to challenge the status quo and grab attention!
3.    Appeal to the nobler motives.
4.    Begin in a friendly way.
5.    Let the person feel that the idea is his or hers
6.    Let the other person do a great deal of talking
7.    Get the other person saying ‘yes’ immediately
8.    Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of views.
9.    Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires
10.    Avoid Arguments.
11.    Show respect, never say “you are wrong”
12.    If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.