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September 12, 2023

Take a PAS at Persuasion

Stories are an incredibly powerful tool for communicating ideas and connecting with readers on a deep, emotional level.

Writing messaging and copy that converts is the key to success in any marketing campaign and I have a cool little framework that will help you dial up your messaging and stories to the next level.

It's called The PAS Framework.

The PAS framework was developed by advertising legend Claude Hopkins to help writers craft persuasive copy that resonates with their target audience. It's a powerful tool for persuading and influencing an audience.

The PAS Framework stands for Problem, Agitation, Solution, and Persuasion.

The process begins with stating the problem. This is where you explain the issue, what caused it, and how it affects your audience.

Next, you need to agitate the problem. This means highlighting the negative consequences of leaving the problem unresolved and emphasizing the urgency of taking action.

After that, you provide a solution to the problem. This is where you explain what needs to be done and why it's the best option.

Finally, you use persuasive language to urge the audience to make a decision. With this simple but effective framework, you can effectively communicate your message and influence your audience.

Let's dive a little bit deeper into the framework, but first you need to consider...

The Purpose of Your Message

Before you even start writing, you need to know the purpose of your message. Your goal is to guide your reader to take a specific action.

If you want your reader to buy a product, you need to show them why it’s a good investment and how they’ll benefit from it. If you want your reader to sign up for your email list, you need to give them a reason they’d want to do it. The first step in crafting persuasive copy is deciding what outcome you want your readers to achieve. What exactly do you want your readers to do?

Your message needs a clear and concise purpose to be effective. Without it, your readers are likely to lose interest and move on.

Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Headline

Advertising legend Claude Hopkins was known for using the PAS framework to create some of the most effective advertising copy in the world. One of the most important elements of the PAS framework is the attention-grabbing headline.

You want you want the problem to jump out and physically and emotional pull the reader or listener in.

Once you’ve managed to catch your reader’s attention, you can reel them in by addressing their needs and offering a solution.

Consider the following headline: “How to Write a Killer Blog Post in 30 Minutes or Less without staring at a blank screen all day.”

This headline immediately tells readers what they’ll learn when they continue reading and highlights the problem they might face. Staring at a blank screen and blinking cursor.

It also sparks curiosity as to why it would take less than half an hour. In addition to revealing what people will get out of reading your content, you need to establish why they should care.

The Power of Storytelling to Agitate the Audience

Stories are an incredibly powerful tool for communicating ideas and connecting with readers on a deep, emotional level. Hopkins believed that every great advertisement contained a “story,” and he was right. Stories engage our emotions, which is why readers are more likely to respond to your message if it’s delivered in the form of a story. When you use storytelling in your copy, you’re connecting with your readers on a deep, personal level. You’re giving them a reason to care about your message and take action by taking the next step in the buying process. When you use storytelling in your copy, you’re connecting with your readers on a deep, personal level.

This allows you to build your credibility and why you both understand the problem and the solution. It's also a fantastic way to start to agitate the problem.

The agitation step is so important. This is the part of your message where you dig deep and get to the root of the problem, and it's where you drive home the urgency of the situation. And most importantly help the audience imagine a world where they don't solve their problem.

With the right words and approach, you can tap into your readers' emotions, getting them to respond to your call to action.

Your Message Must Resonate with Your Target Audience

When you write copy that resonates with your target audience, you reduce the chances of losing readers by a huge margin. You also significantly increase the likelihood of getting them to take the next step in the buying process. The best way to make sure your message resonates with your audience is to understand who they are and offering a solution that they believe could solve their problem.

This means you took the time to research your target readers and learning as much about their needs and desires as possible.

When you understand your target audience, it becomes much easier to tailor your message and solution to their needs and desires.

Tips for Using the PAS Framework to Write Copy that Converts

Once you understand the PAS framework, it becomes much easier to apply it to your copywriting and craft persuasive, engaging content. If you’re struggling to use the PAS framework in your writing, try keeping the following tips in mind.

  1. Make sure your message has a clear purpose. Your readers should know exactly what they’ll get out of reading your content and why they should care.
  2. Use storytelling to connect with your readers on an emotional level.
  3. Research your target audience., it’s easier to tailor your message to their needs and desires.
  4. Test different variations of your stories and messaging.

What are you waiting for?

The PAS copywriting framework is a time tested and proven method for crafting persuasive, engaging, and effective messages. It has stood the test of time and continues to be used by copywriters and storytellers today. So how can you add this to your next campaign?

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