![\"winning](\"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/winning-copywriting-formula.jpg\" "\\"winning")
<\/a><\/p>\nYou trudge painfully to the crest of the dune.\u00a0 You\u2019re exhausted.\u00a0 Your eyes can barely focus.\u00a0 The need for water is overwhelming.<\/p>\n
And then you see it.\u00a0 An oasis.\u00a0 A cool, shimmering pool of crystal-clear water.\u00a0 A tree for shade.\u00a0 Some soft grass to rest in.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re saved. A sense of profound relief washes over you.\u00a0 You start to stumble towards the water.\u00a0 You can already feel its cool touch on your lips.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re safe. You can make it over the next dune, and the next, and the one after that. You can find your way out of the wilderness\u2026thanks to this small desert oasis. <\/strong><\/p>\n A Classic Copywriting Formula<\/strong><\/p>\n The story above is an example of classic copywriting formula \u201cP.A.S.\u201d or \u201cProblem, Agitate, Solution\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0As you may know, P.A.S. has been used in one form or another since Claude Hopkins\u2019 day.\u00a0 And it works just as well now as it did 100 years ago.<\/p>\n In the story above, I stated a problem (lost in the desert and thirsty), agitated it, (described the physical sensations associated with that experience) and then gave you solution (water and shade).<\/p>\n That\u2019s P.A.S. in action.\u00a0 Now let\u2019s break down the P.A.S. formula in a little more detail.<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>What\u2019s Their \u201cBig Problem\u201d?<\/strong> How do you do that?\u00a0 First, you need to find your ideal prospect.\u00a0 You need to know who they are, what they want, and why they want it.<\/p>\n Then you can find out what really gets them worked up.\u00a0 What are the \u201chot button\u201d issues in the market?\u00a0 What really gets your prospects worried about their future?<\/p>\n When you know what your prospect\u2019s hot buttons are, you can identify their biggest problem.\u00a0 Once you know your prospect\u2019s biggest problem, you have thirsty market.\u00a0 And you own the oasis.<\/p>\n How much do you think your \u201cthirsty market\u201d is willing to pay for a glass of water?\u00a0 That\u2019s how powerful know your market\u2019s \u201cBiggest Problem\u201d should be.<\/strong><\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Emotionally Agitate the Problem<\/strong> When you emotionally agitate your prospect\u2019s Big Problem, you get them emotionally involved in your copy.\u00a0 And when you do that, your prospects will become intensely aware of the pain their \u201cBig Problem\u201d is creating.\u00a0 And when they\u2019re really feeling that pain, they\u2019re ready to buy\u2014at your price and on your terms.<\/strong><\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Offer a Simple, Straightforward Solution<\/strong> But be careful: If your solution sounds like too much work, you can break the momentum of the sale.\u00a0 Once that happens, it\u2019s almost impossible to get that momentum back. It\u2019s vital that your offer is simple to understand and easy to act on.<\/p>\n Want an example? Just think of the \u201cdesert traveler\u201d story above. Thirst is a simple problem. And water is the simplest, easiest, and most logical solution to that problem. That\u2019s how straightforward your solution should be.<\/p>\n So that\u2019s it: P.A.S. in a nutshell.\u00a0 This time-tested copywriting formula is deceptively simple and very powerful.\u00a0 When you use it in your copy, you can easily find the thirstiest \u201cdesert travelers\u201d in your market.<\/p>\n You can lead them by the hand to your own private oasis. \u00a0And you can charge them top dollar for each sip of that cool, refreshing water.<\/p>\n – Paul<\/em><\/p>\n
\nTo write good copy, you need to find a thirsty market with a big problem.<\/p>\n
\nOnce you\u2019ve identified your market\u2019s \u201cBig Problem\u201d, you need to agitate that problem<\/em> emotionally<\/em>.\u00a0 At the very least, you should get the prospect \u201cseeing\u201d, \u201ctouching\u201d, and \u201cfeeling\u201d their pain, frustration, and anxiety about the Big Problem.<\/p>\n
\nOnce you\u2019ve identified the Big Problem<\/em> and Emotionally Agitated<\/em> the heck out of it, the sale is almost closed. Now all you have to do is offer a simple, easy-to-use solution.<\/p>\n