Copywriting

Copywriting Patterns

Core Copywriting Formulas

AIDA — Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

Attention: Hook with a bold claim, question, or shocking stat
Interest:  Explain the problem in terms the reader recognizes
Desire:    Paint the "after" picture; introduce your solution
Action:    Single, specific CTA with urgency or scarcity

Example:

"Still losing 3 hours a day to manual reporting? (A) Finance teams at 500-person companies waste 60+ hrs/month on data exports. (I) Acme auto-syncs your tools and generates board-ready dashboards in 90 seconds. (D) Start your free 14-day trial — no credit card. (A)"

PAS — Problem, Agitate, Solve

Problem:  Name the exact pain point
Agitate:  Amplify the cost/consequence of the problem
Solve:    Present your product as the precise solution

Best for: Email subject lines, ad copy, social hooks

BAB — Before, After, Bridge

Before: Current painful state
After:  Desirable future state
Bridge: Your product is the path from Before → After

Best for: Case studies, testimonial framing, landing hero copy

FAB — Features, Advantages, Benefits

Feature	Advantage	Benefit
256-bit encryption	Data stays private	Sleep at night knowing customer data is safe
1-click deploy	No DevOps required	Ship on Friday without fear
Real-time sync	Always current data	Never present stale numbers to the board

Headline Frameworks

The 4 U's Checklist

Every headline should score 3/4:

• Useful — Does it promise a benefit?
• Urgent — Is there a reason to act now?
• Unique — Can only you say this?
• Ultra-specific — Exact number, timeframe, or outcome?

Headline Templates

How to [achieve desired outcome] without [common objection]
The [adjective] way to [verb] [desired outcome] in [timeframe]
[Number] [things] that [target audience] does to [get result]
Why [target audience] [struggle with X] — and what to do instead
[Counterintuitive claim]: [brief supporting evidence]

Power Words by Emotion

Emotion	Words
Curiosity	secret, hidden, revealed, surprising, little-known
Fear	mistake, warning, avoid, danger, costly
Trust	proven, guaranteed, certified, backed, verified
Excitement	breakthrough, new, finally, announcing, launch
Speed	instantly, fast, minutes, now, immediate

CTA Patterns

CTA Hierarchy

1. Primary CTA — one per page/email, highest contrast
2. Secondary CTA — lower friction alternative ("learn more")
3. Tertiary CTA — social proof link, testimonial

CTA Formula

[Verb] + [Value] + [Timeframe/Qualifier]

Examples:

• "Start saving 5 hours/week" (not "Sign up")
• "Get your free audit" (not "Submit")
• "See Acme in action" (not "Request demo")
• "Claim your 30% discount — expires Friday" (urgency)

Friction Reducers Below CTA

• No credit card required
• Cancel anytime
• Setup in 5 minutes
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Join 12,000+ teams

Storytelling Structure

The Hero's Journey (condensed for copy)

1. Ordinary world — Relatable current situation
2. Call to adventure — The problem that disrupts it
3. Refusal/struggle — Why existing solutions fail
4. Mentor appears — Your product enters
5. Transformation — The result after using it
6. New world — Reader's future state

Problem-Solution Narrative Arc

"Before Acme, [customer] spent [X hours] on [painful task].
They tried [alternative 1] and [alternative 2], but [why they failed].
Then they switched to Acme and [specific outcome in timeframe].
Now [emotional benefit]."

Voice Calibration

Tone Spectrum

Formal ←————————————————————→ Casual
Corporate  Professional  Conversational  Friendly  Playful

Voice Calibration Questions

1. If your brand were a person, who would they be?
2. What three adjectives describe your tone?
3. What words do your best customers use?
4. What would your brand NEVER say?

Do/Don't Template

Do	Don't
Use contractions (you're, we'll)	Sound stiff (one must, it is required)
Lead with benefits	Lead with features
Use "you" more than "we"	Make it about the company
Be specific (47%, 3 hours)	Be vague (many, quickly, better)
Write short sentences	Write sentences that go on and on with multiple clauses that confuse the reader

Conversion Copy Checklist

Landing Page Above the Fold

• Headline answers: "What is it?" in 6 words or fewer
• Subheadline answers: "Why should I care?"
• Social proof visible (logos, review count, user count)
• Primary CTA visible without scrolling
• Hero image shows outcome, not product

Email Copy

• Subject line under 50 characters
• Preview text complements (not repeats) subject
• First sentence hooks — no "I hope this email finds you"
• One CTA per email
• P.S. line reinforces CTA (most-read element after subject)

Microcopy

• Form labels: describe what you need, not what field is called
• Error messages: explain how to fix, not what went wrong
• Placeholder text: example value, not field name
• Confirmation: confirm action + set next expectation

Editing Process

1. Write first draft — no editing, just output
2. Cut 20% — delete every sentence that doesn't earn its place
3. Clarity pass — replace jargon with plain language
4. Specificity pass — replace vague claims with numbers
5. Read aloud — fix anything that stumbles
6. Test headline — A/B or poll 5 people cold