LANDING PAGE OPTIMIZATION: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions

Chapter 4. Understanding The Decision Process

A-I-D-A. Attention, interest, decision, action.

—Blake (played by actor Alec Baldwin) in the 1992 movie Glengarry Glen Ross)

People naturally follow a similar mental trajectory when they make decisions. If we are trying to persuade them to take action, we must also have a firm grounding in this entire process.

Overview of the Decision Process

In 1898, Elias St. Elmo Lewis pioneered a framework for describing stages of consumer interest and behavior. In effect, he created the modern concept of the sales funnel. All people were thought to progress through four stages covered by the acronym AIDA.

Awareness (Attention)

Interested

Desire (Decision)

Action

In 1911, Frederick Sheldon added a fifth post-sale stage ...