3 Copywriting Frameworks That Simplify Persuasion

Author

Greg Swan
August 30, 2023 • Estimated Time Loss: 4 minutes

When I first started as a freelance writer back in 2017, my writing “workflow” looked like this:

  1. Open a doc

  2. Start writing

  3. Make edits

  4. Write some more

  5. Stop when I felt the writing was in a good place

This is what writing without a system is like.

But the shoot-from-the-hip workflow misses something reallllly important.

A framework to guide your writing between #2-5.

A copywriting framework, or formula, helps you create a standardized, repeatable approach that ensures your writing hits on:

  • The value proposition

  • Pain points

  • Solutions & benefits

  • Addressing buyer apprehensions

  • Persuading them to take action

Like an error-free recipe for encouraging your audience to take action.

There are many copywriting frameworks, today we're going to look at my 3 simple ones that are my faves:

PAS, FAB, and AIDA.

Here's why these 3 copywriting formulas are great for guiding your writing process, how they work, and examples of each.

1. PAS: Problem - Agitate - Solve 🧙 

Ouch! That really hurts. Here's a magical bandaid.

PAS stands for Problem, Agitate, and Solve.

 ✍️ The Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) framework is all about identifying a problem that your audience is facing, agitating that problem to create a sense of urgency, and then offering a solution.

PAS framework is great for:

  • Empathizing with your audience's problem

  • Driving pain points

  • Mid to upper funnel (lower stage of awareness)

2. FAB: Features, Advantages, Benefits 🥳 

That's cool. Oh here’s what I get. And here’s how it makes my life better.

FAB stands for Features, Advantages, and Benefits.

 ✍️ The Features-Advantages-Benefits (FAB) framework helps you explain the features of your product or service, the advantages it offers, and the benefits it provides to your audience.

It's a great way to persuade your audience by showing them how your product or service will improve their lives.

The FAB framework is perfect for:

  • Explaining your product

  • Showing why it's the best

  • Mid to lower funnel (problem aware)

3. AIDA: Attention - Interest - Desire - Action 🎯 

What is this? Ooh, it's designed just for me. I actually kind of want this. How do I get it?

AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.

 ✍️ The Attention, Interest, Decision, Action (AIDA) framework helps you grab your audience's attention, build interest in your product or service, create a desire for it, and then get them to take action.

It's a tried-and-true formula that has been used by copywriters for decades.

The AIDA framework is great for:

  • Building awareness and interest

  • Creating desire and driving action

  • Can be used across all stages of awareness (from problem unaware to solution aware)

Final Takeaway

Writing without a system or framework is like trying to cook a dish without a recipe.

 ✍️ Copywriting frameworks are proven formulas that guide your writing process to check all of the essential boxes to craft the best message possible to drive action.

And the best part is, writing frameworks are easy to use and can be applied to any type of writing, from email marketing to social media posts.

Next time you see a marketing message that captures your attention, think about the "framework" behind the message that's being used to pull you in.

Then add it to your copywriting framework swipefile as a future recipe to make your writing more effective! 🧠 

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