You're staring at a blank email. You know WHAT you want to say, but not HOW to say it.
So you write something generic. Delete it. Try again. Delete it again. It's been 40 minutes and you're still on the first sentence.
Here's a faster way. Copywriting formulas are templates for persuasion. They're not fill-in-the-blank scripts where you sound like a robot, but they do give you a proven structure that actually works.
Think of them like recipe templates. The formula is "sear protein, deglaze pan, reduce sauce." Your version is chicken piccata, steak au poivre, whatever. Same structure, different execution.
What Are Copywriting Formulas?
Frameworks that structure persuasive writing. You still write in your own voice, but the sequence is proven. Most come from old-school direct response marketing like sales letters and print ads from the 70s and 80s. Turns out those patterns still work.
They work in email because email IS direct response. You send a message, someone takes action or doesn't. That's the same mechanic as a sales letter. Just smaller.
These aren't magic. They're patterns that've worked for decades. Use them as scaffolding, not a script. If you already know what you're writing and it flows naturally, you don't need a formula. But when you're stuck or writing something you've never done before, having a structure helps.
When to Use Formulas vs Freeform Writing
Use formulas for:
- Promotional emails (sales, launches, offers)
- Cold outreach where you need structure
- Re-engagement campaigns
- When you're completely stuck and need a starting point
Write freeform for:
- Personal newsletters where your voice is the main draw
- Simple updates or announcements
- When you already know exactly what you want to say
If you're already a great writer, formulas might feel restrictive. That's fine. These are training wheels. Use them when you need them.
For more foundational email writing principles, check out our email copywriting tips.
Formula 1: AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
The Swiss Army knife of copywriting formulas. If you only learn one, learn this.
Structure:
- Attention: Hook with a bold statement or question
- Interest: Explain why they should care
- Desire: Show what's possible (the outcome or benefit)
- Action: Tell them what to do next
When to use it: General-purpose formula. Works for most promotional emails.
Example email:
Subject: Your email open rates are lying to you
Body:
23% open rate. Feels good, right? Industry average is 21%, so you're winning.
Except that number includes Apple Mail Privacy Protection opens. Those aren't real. Your ACTUAL open rate might be 14%. Maybe less.
What if you could see TRUE engagement? Not inflated Apple opens, but real humans who actually read your emails. That's what proper tracking gives you. Accurate data so you stop optimizing for ghosts.
[Link to guide or tool]
Tactical notes:
- The hook is make-or-break. If Attention fails, nobody reads the rest.
- Desire should paint the outcome, not list features.
- Action should be ONE clear next step. Not three CTAs fighting for attention.
Pair this with email subject lines best practices for writing hooks that actually get opened.
Formula 2: PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solution)
This one works when people already know they have a problem. You're not introducing new information. You're making them feel the pain, then offering relief.
Structure:
- Problem: State the pain point
- Agitate: Make it worse (twist the knife)
- Solution: Offer the fix
When to use it: Great for pain-aware audiences. Works well for abandoned cart emails, re-engagement campaigns, or problem-solution products.
Example email:
Subject: You left something behind
Body:
You added [product name] to your cart but didn't check out. That happens. Maybe you got distracted, maybe you weren't sure yet.
Thing is, we're running low on stock. If you come back tomorrow, it might be gone. Then you're back to square one scrolling through alternatives, comparing prices, wondering if you should've just bought it the first time.
Finish your order now and we'll throw in free shipping. No code needed. Just click below.
[CTA button]
Tactical notes:
- Don't agitate so hard it feels manipulative. Make it real, not fearmongering.
- The solution should relieve the tension you just built.
- Works best when the problem is already top-of-mind for the reader.
See our abandoned cart email sequence guide for more PAS examples in action.
Formula 3: BAB (Before, After, Bridge)
Transformation stories sell. This formula makes you show the Before state, paint the After, then explain how to get there.
Structure:
- Before: Describe their current state (usually a problem)
- After: Paint the better future
- Bridge: Explain how to get from Before to After
When to use it: Great for onboarding sequences, educational emails, case studies. Anytime you're selling a transformation.
Example email:
Subject: How we went from 12% to 31% open rates
Body:
Six months ago, our emails were getting buried. 12% open rate. Nobody clicked. We were shouting into the void and wondering if anyone was even listening.
Today? 31% open rate. 8% click rate. Our subscribers actually reply to our emails now. We have real conversations, not just metrics on a dashboard.
The change was simple. We stopped writing "email marketing" emails and started writing like actual humans. No more "Hope this email finds you well." No more corporate speak. Just talking.
Here's the exact playbook we used: [link]
Tactical notes:
- Before and After should be specific. Real numbers, real details. Not vague "things were bad, now they're good."
- The Bridge is where you actually sell. Make it concrete.
- This formula is basically storytelling with a CTA at the end.
Pair with email personalization best practices for the "writing like humans" approach.
Formula 4: 4 Cs (Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible)
This isn't a persuasion formula as much as it's a communication checklist. Use it when clarity matters more than emotion.
Structure:
- Clear: No jargon, no confusion
- Concise: Short sentences, no fluff
- Compelling: Give them a reason to care
- Credible: Back it up with proof
When to use it: Product launches, feature announcements, anything where you need to inform AND persuade at the same time.
Example email:
Subject: New feature: Schedule sends for your timezone
Body:
You can now schedule emails to send at the optimal time for each subscriber's timezone. Set it once, we handle the rest.
No more 3 AM emails to your European customers. No more missed windows because you sent at the wrong time for half your list.
Our beta users saw a 22% lift in open rates just from sending at the right local time. Same emails, better timing.
[Screenshot of dashboard] + [link to case study]
Turn it on in Settings → Automation.
Tactical notes:
- This is boring but effective. Use it when you don't want to be clever, just clear.
- Credibility is critical here. Screenshots, stats, case studies. Back up what you're claiming.
Check out email send frequency for more timing strategy.
Formula 5: Star-Story-Solution
People trust people more than they trust brands. This formula puts a real person at the center of your email.
Structure:
- Star: Introduce a person (customer, case study, even yourself)
- Story: Tell their problem and journey
- Solution: Show how they solved it
When to use it: Testimonials, case studies, customer spotlight emails. Great for building trust when you need social proof.
Example email:
Subject: How Emma grew her list from 200 to 12,000 in 6 months
Body:
Emma runs a Shopify store selling sustainable home goods. Six months ago, she had 200 email subscribers. Most were friends and family who signed up because she asked them to.
She tried pop-ups. Tried giveaways. Nothing worked. Her list grew maybe 10 people a month if she was lucky.
Then she changed one thing. Instead of offering a generic "10% off your first order" like everyone else, she created a "sustainability checklist" PDF as a lead magnet. Genuinely useful content people actually wanted.
In six months, her list hit 12,000 subscribers. Her secret? She gave people something they wanted, not just a bribe to join her list.
Want to build a lead magnet that actually works? [Link to guide]
Tactical notes:
- The Star should be relatable. Not a Fortune 500 company unless your audience is Fortune 500.
- Story needs conflict plus resolution. The "tried X, failed, then did Y and won" structure.
- Solution should tie back to what YOU offer (guide, tool, service).
See how to create a mailing list and build a targeted email list that converts for more list growth tactics.
Formula 6: The Slippery Slide
This isn't a structural formula. It's a flow principle. Every sentence should pull the reader to the next one. No stopping points until they hit your CTA.
How it works:
- Short sentences after long ones to vary rhythm
- One-sentence paragraphs for punch
- Questions that beg answers
- Cliffhangers that create curiosity
Example email:
Subject: I deleted 4,000 subscribers yesterday
Body:
I deleted 4,000 subscribers yesterday.
On purpose.
Sounds insane, right? Why would you shrink your list when everyone's obsessed with growing theirs?
Because they weren't opening. Hadn't opened in 6 months. They were dead weight dragging down my deliverability stats.
Dead weight hurts you. It tells Gmail you're boring. So I cut them loose.
Result? My next email hit 38% open rate. Up from 19%. Same content, cleaner list.
Sometimes subtraction beats addition.
[Link to guide on list cleaning]
Tactical notes:
- Every line should create curiosity or momentum. Don't let them stop reading.
- Vary sentence length. Short punch, longer flow, short punch again.
- Don't deliver the payoff too early. Build to it.
Check out email list cleaning for when and how to prune dead subscribers.
Formula 7: The One-Sentence Paragraph Bomb
This is a formatting trick more than a formula. Build tension with a few sentences, then hit them with a one-sentence paragraph for impact.
Example:
Most people treat email like a chore. Write the thing, hit send, move on to the next task. Rinse and repeat until your list stops caring.
That's why their emails don't work.
Because email isn't about sending. It's about connecting. And you can't connect when you're just checking boxes.
Here's what changes when you stop batch-and-blasting: [link]
Tactical notes:
- The one-liner is your punch. Make it count.
- Works best for emphasis or turning a concept on its head.
- Don't overuse it or it loses impact.
See email marketing automation strategy for how to automate without losing the human touch.
How to Mix Formulas (Don't Be Robotic)
You don't need to pick one formula per email and stick to it rigidly. Blend them.
Example: Start with a Star-Story hook (relatable person with a problem), use PAS for the middle section (problem, agitate, solution), finish with AIDA's Action step (clear CTA).
The point isn't rigid adherence to a structure. It's using proven patterns to organize your thoughts, then writing it in your own voice.
If you sound like a fill-in-the-blank template, you're doing it wrong. Formulas are scaffolding. They hold the structure while you write like yourself.
Common Mistakes When Using Formulas
1. Being too formulaic
Readers can tell when you're following a paint-by-numbers template. The formula should be invisible. Your voice should come through.
2. Skipping the hook
AIDA starts with Attention for a reason. If you don't hook them in the first sentence or two, they're gone. The rest doesn't matter.
3. Over-agitating in PAS
There's a line between persuasive and manipulative. Don't fearmonger. Don't make up problems that don't exist. Keep it real.
4. Forgetting ONE clear CTA
Don't give three options. "Click here to read this, or check out this, or maybe schedule a call." Pick one. Make it obvious.
5. Using the wrong formula for the intent
PAS works for pain-aware audiences. It feels off for simple announcements. 4 Cs works for informational emails. It feels boring for emotional storytelling. Match the formula to the goal.
Pick One and Practice
Don't try to memorize all seven. Pick one (I'd start with AIDA), and use it for your next 10 emails.
Once it's muscle memory, try another.
Over time, you'll know which formula fits which situation without thinking about it. That's when they stop being formulas and start being instinct.
Want more email writing tactics? Check out email CTA best practices and email preheader best practices.
One formula. Ten emails. That's the assignment.