Model Behavior
At first, most people don’t get it. But once it clicks, it becomes the most powerful methodology for messaging, marketing and media itself.
By “it,” I’m referring to “WHY.”
Until I’m blue in the face, I will die on the hill that effective messaging and copywriting needs to be structured in a very deliberate “WHY→HOW→WHAT” hierarchy. In other words, if you want your message to resonate and achieve its objective, you simply MUST lead with WHY.
But not your WHY…theirs!
Nobody cares about your WHAT—or even your HOW —until you’ve connected to their WHY.
The Power of Why is not just a viral TED Talk by Simon Sinek; it’s a proven model for messaging hierarchy that directly maps to the tried and true Sales Funnel framework. In other words, the model of “WHY→HOW→WHAT” is specifically engineered to nurture a potential customer into the action of your choosing…but in the time of the customer’s choosing. Because that’s who’s going to dictate the timing of a potential next step…not your urgent “call to action.”
The WHY can be better understood when framed as a buying motivation. Most often (in the B2B world) that motivation is rooted in pain…sometimes it can be gain. But understand: before a potential customer ever reaches your doorstep, they are motivated by their own problems or aspirations — NOT the features of your product or service.
So why ask WHY? Because that’s the mindset your coveted client is already in; and you need to map to it in order to emotionally connect with that prospect.
AIDA, RACE and WHW
Tom and Curtis go into three essential frameworks for marketing success on their Bullhorns and Bullseyes podcast. The first is the tried and true sales funnel, which follows a person from Awareness, through Interest and Desire, then ultimately to Action.
The RACE model, created by Dr. Dave Chaffey, is about planning, measurement, and aligning tactics with funnel stages: Reach, Action, Conversion and Engagement. Note how each metric in the RACE framework directly maps to a stage in the AIDA model:
When overlaid, it becomes obvious why you should lead with WHY, support that with HOW, and then deliver validating WHATs, our universally adopted framework for messaging, copywriting, and pretty much everything we do here at The Creative Mill.
Listen + Look + Learn:
Watch the entire episode below. Listen and subscribe to the audio podcast here. Check out the fuller explanation of the concepts explored in this episode via the Amplify and Aim newsletter below the video.
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Episode Recap: Model Behavior
This lesson in brief: “You Can’t Skip the Funnel—But You Can Equip It…Then You Should Flip It!”
In this episode of Bullhorns and Bullseyes, Tom Nixon and Curtis Hays geek out (in the way that only true geeks dare!) on three powerful marketing models that shape how they plan campaigns, create content, and measure success.
If you’ve ever wondered why some campaigns flop while others convert like magic, this episode is your masterclass in doing it the Bullhorns and Bullseyes way—from the top of the funnel to the flip at the end.
Let’s break it all down…
∇📊 Model #1: The OG Sales Funnel (AIDA)
First up: a classic. Tom reintroduces the trusty old AIDA sales funnel—Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action. Though it’s been around since the 19th century, too many marketers still get it wrong today by trying to skip straight to the sale. (Looking at you, “Buy Now” Facebook ads shown to total strangers.)
The funnel represents the customer’s mindset—not just the steps they take. It’s linear, even if the journey increasingly isn’t. People move from not knowing you exist, to knowing you exist, to wanting what you offer, to finally buying it. But you can’t rush that process…or cheat it.
Key Point: Most failed campaigns are a result of skipping the early steps—awareness and interest—and pushing for conversion way too early. Want to close more? Nurture more.
🏃♂️📊 Model #2: The RACE Framework (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage)
Next, Curtis shares a modern framework he’s been leaning on for nearly a decade: RACE, created by Dr. Dave Chaffey.
Where AIDA is about mindset, RACE is about planning, measurement, and aligning tactics with funnel stages.
Reach = Build awareness. Don’t measure conversions here—measure impressions, traffic, and engagement.
Act = Spark exploration. This is where educational content shines and you begin building trust.
Convert = Now it’s time to push for leads or purchases. But only now.
Engage = Post-conversion, turn customers into advocates who drive future reach and help you flip the funnel.
Curtis emphasizes that proper planning sits above the framework. How much budget goes to each stage depends on where you are today. A startup? You’ll need to invest heavily in awareness. A mature brand? You may be ready to convert.
Key Point: The most efficient marketing spend aligns your budget, your tactics, and your metrics to the right stage of the funnel. Do it wrong, and you’re lighting money on fire.
💬📝 Model #3: WHY→HOW→WHAT
Finally, Tom rolls out his own spin on Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle—tailored for messaging. The core insight? You need to align with your audience’s why, not your company’s.
Here’s how the model maps onto the funnel:
WHY: The emotional driver. Pain, aspiration, purpose. Start here to capture awareness.
HOW: Your method. This is what separates you from competitors and converts interest into desire.
WHAT: The features. This is what you do—but by the time someone is deciding that they want your WHATs, you’ve already won them over with the WHY and the HOW…because every competitor has your same WHAT, but not your HOW…and you can bet that they’ve skipped the all-important WHY altogether!
Curtis admitted he used to get this backward—he thought “why” was about defining your brand’s purpose. Turns out, the real power lies in identifying your customer’s purpose and showing them how you help them fulfill it.
Key Point: “Nobody cares how awesome your product is—until they know you understand what they’re going through from a pain or gain standpoint.”
💡 Pro Tips and Favorite Quips
“You can’t skip the funnel—but you can equip the funnel. And then, you should flip the funnel.” —Tom
“Don’t engineer for awareness then measure conversions.” — Curtis
“Marketing should be viewed as an investment, not an expense. So spend wisely.” — Smart Consultants Everywher
When you skip steps, you’re not just burning money—you’re forfeiting valuable trust along the way….and that’s a currency all its own!
🧠🛠️ Why This Matters
Marketers often focus on tactics—ads, blogs, email campaigns—without a framework to tie them together. What Tom and Curtis lay out here is a way to plan smarter, message more effectively, and measure in a way that aligns with reality…not your perfect dream world.
Whether you’re a startup or a century-old brand, if you want better results from your marketing, you need to align what you're doing with where your customers are in their journey.
And if you want your campaigns to actually convert? Be a model citizen…exemplify model behaviors…and apply a proven model for success!
🎧 Listen or watch the full episode on your favorite platform or at bullhornsandbullseyes.com. Bonus: You’ll find downloadable visuals that map it all out. Subscribe to Amplify and Aim here.
💥 Until next time: Keep blasting that bullhorn 📢 — and aiming for the bullseye 🎯‼️