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Unlock Marketing Success with OATH Approach.
Optimise Your Marketing with the OATH Framework.
Improve your marketing with the OATH framework. OATH stands for Oblivious, Apathetic, Thinking, and Hurting and it helps categorise your customers’ level of awareness about their problems. This framework is used in copywriting and marketing to ensure you reach your audience with the right message.
In this article, we’ll explain the four elements of OATH and show you how to connect with your customers based on their psychological state. Make your marketing more effective by using the OATH framework.
What is OATH?
OATH is a concept created by Michael Fortin that divides consumer’s problem awareness levels into four categories: oblivious, apathetic, thinking, and hurting. The OATH framework can be used in marketing, copywriting, and any other situation that requires target setting.
Targeting is essential in marketing and copywriting. If not done correctly, your campaigns and messages will not be understood by anyone because the “what to write (how to approach)” varies depending on the target.
Consider the example of copywriting for a diet supplement. If you try to sell it to people who don’t have an interest in dieting by saying “Now you can try this diet supplement for free”, most people in that group will think they don’t need it, because they are not aware of the need in the first place.
Therefore, to reach them, you should consider a different approach such as educating them on why they need a diet.
As you can see from the above examples, target setting is a very important element in marketing and copywriting, and using the OATH framework makes target setting easy and clear.
Elements in OATH
The OATH framework’s first category, “Oblivious,” refers to those who are not yet aware of their problems. As a result, convincing these people to buy your products is challenging.
Despite the challenge of targeting this group, it is crucial to do so because it makes up the largest portion of the four categories. Neglecting this group would result in missing out on a substantial potential customer base.
For this reason, it is essential to take a long-term approach when approaching the “Oblivious” group. A marketer can create a solid foundation and a relationship with this group by reaching them, which will eventually result in more sales and brand awareness.
For people in this group to have more interest in your products, we recommend educating them about the problem’s causes and consequences first. As such copy tends to become detailed and long, content marketing is an effective way to target this group.
The OATH framework’s second category, “Apathetic,” refers to those who are aware of the problem, but not interested in solving it. These people believe that eventually, they will need to solve the problem, but not necessarily right now.
Therefore, a long-term marketing plan and lead nurturing technique are needed to target this group. Moreover, these people can be persuaded to become engaged clients with the correct marketing strategies. So it’s important to avoid ignoring this group just because they aren’t instantly interested in purchasing.
To reach this group, crating marketing materials that educate them on the “importance of solving the problem” and “benefits and advantages of doing so” is recommended.
The OATH framework’s third category, “Thinking,” refers to those who have a problem that they are aware of and want to solve it. These people are gathering information about potential solutions and weighing their options.
We often write copy for this group that includes information like “how your product is different in the industry,” “uniqueness and strength,” and “authoritativeness: how well you know the market.”
It is recommended to incorporate seminars and consultations into marketing campaigns.
The OATH framework’s fourth category, “Hurting,” refers to those who experience disadvantages by the problem and want to resolve it now. They are also at the stage where they are comparing different solutions in order to solve the problem. Give them a brief explanation of how your service differs from the services offered by other businesses and of your strengths.
This group is eager to “fix their problem now,” but they are not yet ready to make a purchase. Therefore, when approaching them, use words like “limited time only” to emphasise the product’s scarcity and get their attention. This will make it easier for them to make a purchase.
It is also recommended to have the image of giving them a push in order to lower the purchasing hurdle.
Copy examples for OATH
The following section showcases examples of copywriting utilising the OATH framework.
This group is unlikely to make a purchase due to their unawareness of the problem. Trying to sell to them without first addressing this lack of knowledge could come across as pushy and may not be effective. The key is to educate these customers and raise their awareness of the problem before offering a solution.
“New measurement to predict metabolic syndrome, BMI is too old. You might have it if your weight is more than half your height…” **
** Please note this is just an example, and not true. There are many more factors to determine metabolic syndrome.
The Apathetic are aware of their problem, but may not fully understand the severity of the situation. It is important to educate them on the potential consequences of not addressing the problem, and create a sense of urgency to encourage action.
By effectively communicating the consequences, you can motivate the apathetic to become more proactive (Thinking) and move towards making a decision to solve their problem, making the sales process much smoother.
“Metabolic syndrome can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes if left untreated. These conditions can be life-threatening, and if you develop diabetes, you may have to make drastic changes to your diet and lifestyle. Don’t wait, take action now to prevent these consequences.”
“Simply drink before meals! Reduce fat absorption and get a dream body in a few months.”
Because of a sense of urgency, the Hurting group not only understands the problem, but they are also more eager to purchase a solution.
A gentle push may result in a sale with the Hurting group, but be cautious because they are often in distress. They may be unsure of their needs, have tried several products with minimal success, and are searching for information.
We recommend using ‘testimonials’ and ‘free customer support’ to promote your product. Make it apparent that the product is limited or offers particular benefits by using phrases like “limited sale only” or “with special deals” to add urgency.
“Limited Time Offer: Transform Your Body in 1 Month! Only 30 spots available with Free Consultation and Programme PDF included.”
Thanks for reading
The OATH framework is a must-have tool for your marketing strategy since it gives a valuable structure for targeting and better copy creation.
We recommend reading the “The Complete Guide to 4Cs” article to deepen your understanding and improve your campaigns.
This comprehensive guide addresses the essential principles of successful marketing and provides practical advice on how to create effective campaigns.