Copywriting Frameworks
Headlines
AIDA (Attention → Interest → Desire → Action)
- Attention: Hook that stops the scroll
- Interest: Why should they care?
- Desire: What's in it for them?
- Action: What to do next
Example:
- A: "Your barber is losing 30% of bookings"
- I: "No-shows and phone tag are killing their revenue"
- D: "SlotSync fills their calendar automatically"
- A: "Try free for 14 days"
PAS (Problem → Agitate → Solve)
- Problem: State the pain
- Agitate: Make it worse (show consequences)
- Solve: Present your solution
Example:
- P: "Managing appointments by phone is chaos"
- A: "Every missed call is a missed booking. Every no-show is lost revenue. Your competitors already have online booking."
- S: "SlotSync — online booking in 5 minutes. No phone needed."
BAB (Before → After → Bridge)
- Before: Life without your product (pain)
- After: Life with your product (pleasure)
- Bridge: How to get there (your product)
4U Headlines
- Useful: What's the benefit?
- Urgent: Why now?
- Unique: What's different?
- Ultra-specific: Concrete numbers/details
4 Ps (Ray Edwards)
- Problem: State the problem
- Promise: What your solution promises
- Proof: Evidence it works
- Proposal: The offer/CTA
QUEST
- Qualify: Who is this for?
- Understand: Show you get their situation
- Educate: Better way exists
- Stimulate: Make them want it
- Transition: Move them to action
Landing Page Copy Structure
- Hero headline (PAS or BAB — 6-12 words max)
- Subheadline (expand on the value — 15-25 words)
- Primary CTA (action-oriented — "Start free trial" not "Submit")
- Social proof (logos, testimonials, stats — as close to hero as possible)
- Features (3-4 key features, benefit-first language)
- How it works (3 steps, simple)
- More social proof (case study or detailed testimonial)
- Pricing (if applicable — be transparent)
- FAQ (overcome objections)
- Final CTA (repeat the primary CTA)
Hero Header Rules (Julian Shapiro)
- Must be fully descriptive of what you're selling
- Litmus test: If visitor reads ONLY the header, will they know what you sell?
- Bad: "Improve your workflow!" (slogan, not description)
- Good: "Groceries delivered in 1 hour. Say goodbye to traffic, parking, and long lines."
- Key insight: SPECIFICITY is step one to strong headers
- Purchase Rate = Desire - (Labor + Confusion)
Header Writing Process
- Identify value: What bad alternative exists without your product? How are you better?
- Add a hook: Bold specific claim OR address key objection
- Subheader: How it works + what makes claim believable (1-2 sentences max)
CTA Writing Rules
- Start with a verb: "Start", "Get", "Try", "Build", "Create"
- Include the benefit: "Start saving time" not just "Start"
- Reduce friction: "No credit card required", "Free for 14 days"
- Create urgency (when genuine): "Limited spots", "Price increases Monday"
- Be specific: "Get your first booking in 5 minutes" beats "Get started"
- Should feel like natural continuation of hero narrative
Email Copy
- Subject line: 6-10 words, curiosity or benefit-driven, no all-caps
- Preview text: extends the subject line hook
- Body: One idea per email. Short paragraphs. Personal tone.
- CTA: Single clear action. Button or link (not both).
Social Post Formulas
Twitter/X
- Hook (first line = headline): surprising stat, bold claim, or question
- Body: 2-3 short sentences expanding
- CTA: link or ask
- Provide value first (80%), pitch second (20%)
- Title: descriptive, not clickbait (Reddit hates clickbait)
- Body: story format — "I built X because Y. Here's what I learned."
- End with: "happy to answer questions" (invites engagement)
ProductHunt
- Tagline: what it does in 6-8 words
- Description: problem → solution → key features → social proof
- First comment: founder story (why you built it, what's next)
- Maker comment on every response (shows engagement)
Hacker News
- Title: factual, no marketing language (HN hates hype)
- Format: "Show HN: [Product] – [what it does in plain English]"
- Comment: technical details, architecture decisions, honest challenges
- Engage genuinely with feedback (especially criticism)
Reference Docs
- repos/launch-docs/julian-shapiro-landing-pages.md
- repos/launch-docs/copyhackers-formulas.md
Changelog
- 2026-03-20: Initial copywriting frameworks with Julian Shapiro + CopyHackers source material