The QUEST copywriting format

This has not been around as long as AIDA. The QUEST copywriting format is relatively new, but in some respects, it allows you to speak more directly to your target market (compared to AIDA).

QUEST is an acronym for....

Qualify
Understand
Educate
Stimulate
Transition

Okay, so it's a bit of a forced acronym, in my opinion. But it serves well enough to describe how it works.

Qualify

To qualify your reader, means to target only those that you really want to speak to, not the general population. This is done with the first heading, and perhaps the sub heading and first paragraph.

An example of that, would be a headline that reads...

You can see how the headline immediately identifies with your target market. Smokers. Specifically smokers who wish to kick the habit. We aren't trying to talk to smokers that enjoy a cigarette, and have no intentions of giving it up. Always sell a product to those that want it, which is not necessarily those that need it.

Understand

The key thought here, is empathy. Do you really understand the readers needs, desires, frustrations? In the headline above, you might explain how you tried for 15 years to kick the smoking habit, so you know how hard it is. If you have experienced the frustration of failed attempts to give up, then say so. People will know that you have walked in their shoes, that you understand what they are going through.

Educate

Your potential customers have to know what your product can do for them. So educate them. What benefits do they get from owning this? Why doesn it leave the competition for dead? Answer these questions so that your readers know the benefits you are providing them. Don't make them figure these things out for themselves. Because chances are they won't ;-)

Stimulate

How much desire for your product have you created? Stimulate that desire. Glowing testamonials throughout your copy will help with that. People identify with real life case studies that show how others in their position have benefited from your product.

Transition

At some stage, your reader needs to move from interested to a "ready to buy" state. Your Call To Action is what helps people move towards that. Never leave people hanging, unsure of what the next step is. Transition them to that Buy Now! gel button, or whaever your particular Most Wanted Response happens to be.

Create a sense of urgency, but don't take your customers for fools. Lying to them with fake javascript countdown clocks for instance, will alienate people very quickly. Sales are built on two things. Do people want the product? And do they trust you enough to purchase it from you? If your product is what people want, then you have won half the battle. But break that trust, then you have lost the war.

Notes

To the best of my knowledge, the QUEST copywriting system was first devised by Michael Fortin . You will find his blog, to be exceptionally helpful, if you want to improve your copywriting skills. I highly recommend it.