A little-known trick for writing powerful problem copy:
Andrew Gould@AndrewWriteCopy
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Apr 14, 2025
~2 min read
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A little-known trick for writing powerful problem copy:
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Writing about your target audience’s problems...
Is a great way to show you understand them.
So I'm going to share a simple trick for digging deep into a prospect's problems.
And writing problem copy that resonates with them on an emotional level.
But first...
Is a great way to show you understand them.
So I'm going to share a simple trick for digging deep into a prospect's problems.
And writing problem copy that resonates with them on an emotional level.
But first...
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Let’s have a quick refresher on benefits.
To write benefits you start with a feature...
And then ask yourself “which means” or “so what?” to find the benefits.
For example...
To write benefits you start with a feature...
And then ask yourself “which means” or “so what?” to find the benefits.
For example...
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A feature for a computer might be a 27” monitor.
Converted to a benefit:
"27" monitor which means it’s far easier on the eyes than smaller screens."
And you don’t need to stop there...
Converted to a benefit:
"27" monitor which means it’s far easier on the eyes than smaller screens."
And you don’t need to stop there...
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You can keep going to find more powerful benefits:
"27" monitor which means it’s far easier on the eyes than smaller screens which means you can work for longer and without the risk of eyestrain.”
And you probably already know all that.
But what you might not know...
"27" monitor which means it’s far easier on the eyes than smaller screens which means you can work for longer and without the risk of eyestrain.”
And you probably already know all that.
But what you might not know...
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Is you can do exactly the same thing with problems.
Instead of features and benefits...
You have problems and pain points.
Let me explain...
Instead of features and benefits...
You have problems and pain points.
Let me explain...
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You start with a problem.
For example, for an anti-aging product:
“Wrinkles”
And that’s ok, but it’s the same as a feature.
So you want to turn it into a paint point...
For example, for an anti-aging product:
“Wrinkles”
And that’s ok, but it’s the same as a feature.
So you want to turn it into a paint point...
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And you do that the same way you turn a feature into a benefit.
You ask yourself “which means” or “so what?”
In other words...
Think about why your prospect should care about the problem.
In this case...
You ask yourself “which means” or “so what?”
In other words...
Think about why your prospect should care about the problem.
In this case...
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“Wrinkles mean the prospect looks old.”
And as with benefits we can keep digging:
“Wrinkles mean the prospect looks old which means they get turned down for a date even though they’re younger than the other person.”
Now we’ve gone from what was...
And as with benefits we can keep digging:
“Wrinkles mean the prospect looks old which means they get turned down for a date even though they’re younger than the other person.”
Now we’ve gone from what was...
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A bland problem...
To a specific, emotional pain point.
And you can keep digging until you can’t go any further.
Plus each problem probably has multiple pain points.
So don’t just stop at the first one you think of.
And this will help you...
To a specific, emotional pain point.
And you can keep digging until you can’t go any further.
Plus each problem probably has multiple pain points.
So don’t just stop at the first one you think of.
And this will help you...
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Write copy that truly resonates with your prospects.
That paints a more accurate, and more painful, picture of their problem than they could themselves.
Which will lead to them believing you can help them.
Which will lead to more sales.
So to sum up...
That paints a more accurate, and more painful, picture of their problem than they could themselves.
Which will lead to them believing you can help them.
Which will lead to more sales.
So to sum up...
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To write powerful problem copy:
• Start with the problem.
• Use “which means” or “so what?” to convert it into a paint point.
• Then keep digging to find deeper pain points.
• Start with the problem.
• Use “which means” or “so what?” to convert it into a paint point.
• Then keep digging to find deeper pain points.
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Follow me @AndrewWriteCopy for more tweets and threads on marketing and copywriting.
And if you found this thread valuable, RT the first tweet to help your fellow persuasion professionals:
And if you found this thread valuable, RT the first tweet to help your fellow persuasion professionals:
Andrew Gould@AndrewWriteCopy
A little-known trick for writing powerful problem copy:
