MATT HIGGINS

I don’t really use the frameworks described below. Great sell, right? What I mean is I don’t consciously use any of them. You probably don’t either. If you’re a good copywriter, it’s pretty much instinct. But I have a secret trick for these techniques. Before I reveal it, let’s go through the popular frameworks.

PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solution)
This is called a pain-first structure and is an absolute classic formula. It’s also extremely simple and easy to use. PAS identifies a problem, makes the consequences feel significant and real, and presents the solution. PAS showcases the fix.

Problem: the source of the pain is identified. “Acne affects 85% of teenagers.”
Agitate: intensify the pain by playing on emotions, being specific, etc. “Ignoring it can lead to scarring.”
Solution: present the product or service that will solve the problem. “Dullaskin stops acne in its tracks.”

Best for: direct response, email, landing pages, ads where the pain is known.

AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
This is more of a marketing model than a specific framework for copywriting and was developed by Advertising Hall of Famer (yes, that’s a thing) Elias St. Elmo Lewis in 1898. AIDA remains relevant in marketing and copywriting because it mirrors the natural decision-making process or journey of consumers. It’s also the foundation for the idea of the conversion funnel.

Attention: grab the audience’s attention with a strong hook. This is typically a subject line, headline, or opening line. “Become a millionaire in 5 years.”
Interest: keep the audience’s attention with relevant information or a story. “Investing in an easy to manage mix of an S&P 500 Index Fund, a growth fund, and two fractional stock shares, 30-year-old Tyler started with only $1,000 at 21 and could now retire if he wanted. When asked what he invested in, he always answers ‘himself’ but explains he added to his investment mix, which had high and low risk elements, every chance he could.”
Desire: build emotional want and a favorable view of brand and product. This is adding relevance to the awareness that has been established. “Eventually it is too late. The longer you wait, the harder it gets. Make it easy and start now. Get the stress of retirement funds off your mind. Your future retirement starts with downloading this no-nonsense plan.”
Action: Provide the specific next step. This is often a CTA. “Earn Your Million.”

Best for: longer-form sales and webpages, videos, emails that need to build momentum.

BAB (Before, After, Bridge)
Simple and highly visual. BAB is similar to PAS, but it focuses less on pain and more on transformation.

Before: the current painful or limited state. “Nobody wants crispy, burnt, yellow grass. Summer heat and dry spells wreck lawns.”
After: the improved future state. “Imagine a lawn you want to walk barefoot across. A properly-fed lawn stays green even during drought.”
Bridge: position product or service as the way to get from before to after. “Green, healthy grass isn’t an accident. PureLawn fertilizes your lawn for every season.”

Best for: direct response, email, landing pages, ads where the long-term goal is known.

4 Ps (Picture, Promise, Prove, Push)
A more benefit- and proof-oriented structure that typically ends with a CTA.

Picture: start with the problem or the solution. Paint a vivid scene of the desired outcome or current struggle. “Rehydrate instantly and stay in the game.”
Promise: deliver clear, specific claim about outcome. “Max62Sport uses science to fuel your body with 62 key ingredients.”
Prove: provide evidence (testimonials, data, demos, guarantees). “500 professional athletes use Max62Sport exclusively when training.”
Push: strong call to action with urgency or risk reversal. “Place your order now and receive a free sampler.”

Best for: product pages, webinars, and offers that need credibility. Also works for email.

5 Ps (Promise, Picture, Proof, Push, Personal)
An expansion of the older 4 Ps formula. The 5 Ps reorders the sequence slightly and adds a final element, Personal, to close the gap the original formula left open: making the reader feel individually addressed.

Promise: open with what the reader will get. “Never wash your car again.”
Picture: paint a vivid, sensory image of the benefit. “Imagine a car wax so slick and protective dirt and grime doesn’t stick.”
Proof: back the promise with evidence. Testimonials, guarantees, before-and-after data. “Super-C-Wax has been third-party tested and includes a money-back guarantee.”
Push: close with a direct, specific call to action. “Get your free sample today.”
Personal: speak to the reader as an individual, not a market segment. “Your car and wallet deserve this.”

Best for: sales pages, product pages, and longer-form marketing content that needs to build a complete argument before asking for action.

FAB (Features, Advantages, Benefits)
Value-based framework. FAB helps you move from technical to practical. Benefits beat features. Thus, most good copy spends less time on features and far more on benefits. FAB shows what a product has and why it matters.

Feature: What it is / what it has. “The 2027 model has an optional turbo-charged inline four-cylinder engine.”
Advantage: explain what that feature does. “This smaller 2-liter engine boosts performance without sacrificing gas mileage.”
Benefit: highlight what that means for the customer. Answer the “so what?” question. “Merge onto the highway with ease and still save at the pump.”

Best for: direct response, email, landing pages, ads for new technology or products with competition.

4 Us (Useful, Urgent, Unique, Ultra-Specific)
A checklist-style formula developed by copywriter Michael Masterson, originally built for writing headlines but flexible enough for CTAs, subject lines, and short-form copy. The 4 Us don’t need to appear in a fixed order. Instead, they function as a diagnostic you can run your copy through

Useful: show a clear benefit to the reader. “Cut your energy bill in half.”
Urgent: give a reason to act now, not later. “Offer ends Friday.”
Unique: highlight a point of difference that’s a competitive advantage. “The only HVAC filter designed to improve efficiency.”
Ultra-Specific: replace vague claims with exact detail. Instead of “Save Money,” use “Save $340 a year!”

Best for: headlines, subject lines, and CTAs where you need to earn attention in a few words.

Gary Bencivenga’s Persuasion Equation
Developed by noteworthy direct-response copywriter Gary Bencivenga, this formula focuses on four things persuasive copy needs to overcome skepticism and drive action. He revealed his system at his retirement seminar after decades of keeping it private. Unlike the other frameworks here, Bencivenga trademarked the name, so you’ll see it properly written as the Bencivenga Persuasion Equation®. It’s less a step-by-step template and more like another diagnostic for grading whether an ad has what it needs to convert.

Urgent Problem: identify a problem the reader feels needs solving right now. “Most hot water heaters fail within ten years.”
Unique Promise: offer a solution a competitor can’t credibly match. “The only system engineered to outlast your home.”
Unquestionable Proof: make the promise impossible to doubt. Demonstrations, guarantees, third-party testing, real testimonials. “EPA certified.”
User-Friendly Proposition: make the next step easy and low risk. “Free assessment, no obligation, done in 30 minutes.”

Best for: high-stakes direct response copy, sales letters, and any offer where skepticism is the biggest barrier to overcome.

The Secret

These copywriting frameworks are great for providing direction or a proven formula to follow, breaking writer’s block, and quality checking your own work, but in this changing world what they’re probably most useful for today is sharpening AI prompts. The best use for copywriting frameworks today might not be using them yourself. It might be using them to get better work from AI. AI is capable of producing decent copy, but “write me an email about paint” is a vague instruction. A copywriting framework gives the AI structure, priorities, and a clearer definition of success.

Here’s an example: “You’re a professional marketing copywriter who specializes in short, punchy copy that converts. Use the PAS copywriting framework to write a marketing email for a new interior paint that is stainproof. The goal is to drive people to the website to signup for a free sample.”