# Copywriting

> When to activate: copywriting, conversion copy, headlines, AIDA, PAS, BAB, CTA writing, sales pages, landing page copy, ad copy, storytelling, persuasion

- Skill: `mattakushi432/copywriting` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mattakushi432/copywriting`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mattakushi432/copywriting/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: Mattakushi432 (https://skillmd.com/u/mattakushi432)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mattakushi432/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