Alright, This has been a busy week so today’s article is going to be short and sweet! Today, we’re talking about a common content marketing tactic for creating headlines and structuring content promos itself! The Problem-Agitation-Solution model!
This model has proven effective in most marketing endeavors and advertisements for the same reason that content marketing itself works: Because it defines a painful issue and resolves it for the audience.
The Problem-Agitation-Solution model is (obviously) structured into three parts and contains all the necessary ingredients for piquing the curiosity of a relevant audience.
Here’s my very own example that I’ll use to make comparisons and examples throughout the rest of the article:
“Like many business leaders, you likely struggle to find the time or expertise to master your digital marketing management (problem). This likely makes you feel as though you are spinning your tires, unable to gain traction and make the difference that you know you can (agitation). At Denison Digital Marketing, we help business leaders streamline and execute profitable and effective digital marketing solutions! (solution).
So, let’s discover some ways that you can make this method work for you in your content marketing journey!
Problem-Agitation-Solution: The Problem
Most marketing advertisements or content promotions need to emphasize a problem.
Unfortunately, this is one of the largest factors in promotional success that most marketers don’t do or recognize. Solely because it defines the nature of the intended audience from the very beginning.
Defining the problem is not about revealing a pain point, we do that in the “agitation” section, more so, defining the problem is about describing relevant characteristics of the underlying issue that work to CAUSE the pain on the consumer’s end.
Think of it this way, I can describe the pain all I want, but without first describing the underlying conditions of why that pain exists, how can my audience feel comfortable with my diagnosis or ability to resolve the issue?
They can’t.
As a marketer, you must describe the conditions that must be met or the situation that is relevant to your audience that will cause them the pain that you bring to light in step 2!
Take my previous example: “”Like many business leaders, you likely struggle to find the time or expertise to master your digital marketing management (problem).”
Problem-Agitation-Solution: Agitation
Agitation works to accomplish a few things.
First, agitating the pain points of the consumer motivated them to take action to avoid that pain.
And second, agitation causes the consumer to relate your brand as empathetic and understanding of their position, further increasing trust and rapport.
This combination of things makes you the “go-to” to resolve the problems they face, and the pain that causes them to take action.
All you must do to agitate an issue is to describe the side effects of the problem as seen and felt by the consumer themselves.
One of the best ways to discover these side-effects is to crowdsource them and ask your consumers what issues they face relative to the solution you provide!
Here’s the example of my own that I gave earlier: This likely makes you feel as though you are spinning your tires, unable to gain traction and make the difference that you know you can (agitation).
Notice that I describe the feeling and result of the problem in terms of the pain the consumer feels in their own mind. This gives them something to concentrate on and establishes authority and understanding of my solution.
Problem-Agitation-Solution: Solution
The solution section is pretty self-explanatory!
All you must do is provide exactly the solution that your consumer is looking for in terms of your ability to help them. This is also your “offer” although I don’t like that word all that much!
It’s more of a value proposition that is quantified in the mind of consumer relative to the pain that you agitate.
Ultimately, providing the solution is about telling them what you do to solve the problem, and how they can interact with your brand to solve theirs!
Here’s my example again: At Denison Digital Marketing, we help business leaders streamline and execute profitable and effective digital marketing solutions! (solution).
Conclusion
I hope I was able to help you form some good content promotions, headlines, advertisements, and more! With these tips, you can get your content in front of more of your audience and pique their interests!
Thanks for reading!
Work With Austin
-Austin Denison is a management consultant and coach from Southern California and founder/CEO of Denison Success Systems LLC. He is the author of The Essential Change Management Guidebook: Master The Art of Organizational Change as well as The Potential Dichotomy: The Philosophy of a Fulfilling Life, and, the Best-Selling book, KICK*SS Content Marketing, How to Boost Your Brand and Gather a Following.
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