A foolproof framework for great introductions.
If you write bad introductions, all of your writing time is wasted.
People clicked on your article because you’ve written a great headline. But if you disappoint them with a lengthy beginning, they’ll never return for more. Instead, they’ll remember that your articles don’t deliver on your catchy headlines.
And the worst thing is that it won’t matter whether your main content is excellent.
You can be the most helpful writer with an engaging story. You can say the wisest words and give the best advice. But if your introduction sucks, nobody will read the rest.
Many writers don’t get the intros right. They ramble around life stories, unrelated facts, and unnecessary anecdotes until the reader is finally gone.
But writing a bulletproof introduction isn’t rocket science.
Copywriters created an effective tool to hook readers into an article. The PAS technique will help you write introductions that make people read your writing. And return for more.
In this article, we’ll look at the three parts of excellent introductions so you can replicate the process and make people read everything you write.
1) Problem— Be very clear about the problem
Readers click on your article because they want you to solve one of their problems. They turn to you for advice, inspiration, or guidance. They won’t waste time reading your work if they don’t get what they want.
To be respectful of your reader’s time, start with their problem in mind.
The better you describe the problem, the more you can show that you understand it. And that’s how you can quickly build trust with your readers.
You don’t only assume the problem of your readers; you exactly know it. As if you’ve been reading their mind and saying: I know you have a problem, and I’m here to help you.
See how I started this article:
“If you write bad introductions, all of your writing time is wasted.”
If you’re a writer, you don’t want to lose a reader. I touched a pain point you’d want to solve. This is the Problem part of the PAS acronym.
Now you
What are you trying to solve for the reader in your current draft?
If you don’t yet have a draft, what solution are you aware of that can help people? The problem can be anything you’re good at and know a solution to. It can even be about writing emails or recommending books.
Pick a painful problem and write one sentence where you describe it as vividly as you can.
Here’re a few examples to inspire you in your process:
- “Most people see email as a strictly transactional tool, using it only when they need something or owe someone something. That’s exactly why you should use it to stand out.” — The 7 Emails You Should Send Every Week to Get Ahead in Your Career
- “Books don’t magically make you live the good life. You can read a book a week without changing at all.” — 3 Binge-Worthy Books for Life-Long Learners
2) Agitate — Make the problem more painful
In the second part of the technique, you make the problem so itchy that your readers can’t click away without finding out the solution. That’s that Agitation part of the PAS.
This is how I did it in this article:
“And the worst thing is that it won’t matter whether your main content is great.
You can be the most helpful writer with an engaging story. You can say the wisest words and give the best advice. But if your introduction sucks, nobody will read the rest.
Many writers don’t get the intros right. They ramble around life stories, unrelated facts, and unnecessary anecdotes until the reader is finally gone.”
Here the problem becomes almost alive. It’s filled with emotions and specificity. The aim of the agitation is to make the readers feel that they desperately need to solve that problem. If they don’t, it’ll deeply affect them.
You turn the problem from ‘bad’ to ‘worse’ and describe why it’s so terrible.
You can think of the problem part as a fact and the agitation as the vivid emotional background that comes with it. In the intro of this article, the problem became terrible because the writer wasted time and their knowledge is lost.
You can describe what the problem feels like. Or, if it fits your context, you can add studies and statistics to show your readers the possible consequences and the scale of the issue.
Now you
Make the problem more specific and more emotional. In the Problem part, you described the issue. In the Agitation, it’s time to paint it with vivid colours.
Ask yourself:
- Why is this problem so bad?
- What will happen if the problem isn’t solved?
- How can I make this feel more painful?
- How can I depict a realistic scenario for the reader?
- Which emotional words would fit the problem?
- How did I feel when I faced a similar situation and didn’t have a solution?
3) Solution— Here’s how you offer a way out
The last element of the PAS framework is the Solution. After building up so much tension, you must provide your readers with a cure.
Here’s how I did it in the introduction of this piece:
“But writing a bulletproof introduction isn’t rocket science.
Copywriters created an effective tool to hook readers into an article. The PAS — Problem, Agitation, Solution — technique will help you write introductions that will make people read everything from you. And return for more.
In this article, we’ll look at the three parts of excellent introductions so you can replicate the process and make people read everything you write.”
Remember that you don’t have to solve the problem in the introduction. You’ll have plenty of time for that in the main part. So be short and snappy.
Your task in the intro is to promise a realistic and accessible solution. Your readers should feel that if they keep reading, their problem will be solved. To take the solution one step further, you can briefly describe the outcome. Explain what will change in your readers’ lives after solving this specific problem.
Now you
After you’ve vividly described the problem, it’s time for resolution. Show the reader that there’s a solution, and your article will deliver it.
Be empathetic and offer your readers a way out.
Summarise the proposed solution promptly before entering it in-depth. You have the whole article to explain the cure for the problem. And if your readers will want to solve the problem, they’ll likely stay until the end of the article.
Remember the essence
To write bulletproof introductions, you can rely on the PAS framework.
Describe the Problem and highlight the pain in the first few sentences. Start a new paragraph to push the issue further by making it more specific and emotional. Agitate until it’s almost unbearable. The readers should feel desperate to get to know the solution.
To ease the pain, offer a way out. Your article will be the cure for the problem. If people read the whole piece, they’ll have an implementable, straight-to-the-point Solution.
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