Frameworks That Prints Cash (While Other Copywriters Stare At Blank Pages)
GM,
Quick question: How long does it take you to write an email?
30 minutes? An hour? Three hours staring at a blank page?
I write mine in 15 minutes. Not because I'm faster. But because I stopped "writing" and started assembling.
As you know i've been in the teaching mood recently, having taught you guys, the newbies among you, about some higher level psychological techniques, headlines/subjects and this week, frameworks.
Since last week, I have gotten some amazing responses. Let me share one:
Subscriber: "Fathi, that headline breakdown was awesome. I've been writing emails for 7 months and never understood why some got opened and others died. The 'knock-knock test' was a good one too, What's next?"
Fathi: Love hearing that. And yeah, headlines are the gatekeeper—without them, nothing else matters. But here's the thing: even the best headline in the world can't save a poorly structured email. That's what we're fixing today.
Lets first dispel the myth that structure kills creativity. That frameworks make copy sound robotic or formulaic.
Dead wrong.
Structure is the point of copy, it's the main idea, the meat and potatoes, it’s what enables creativity. Think about jazz musicians, musicians uniquely known for off-the-cuff improvisation. They improvise brilliantly because they've mastered scales, timing, and chord progressions first. The structure is what sets them free, to improv.
Same with copywriting.
When you have a proven framework, you're not staring at a blank page wondering "what do I say next?" You're filling in proven components with your specific message. You write faster. You write better. And most importantly, your copy actually converts.
The giant, Eugene Schwartz once said “Copy is not written. Copy is assembled.”
It’s a shortened version of his original quote:
“Copy is not written. If anyone tells you ‘you write copy,’ sneer at them. Copy is not written. Copy is assembled. You do not write copy; you assemble it. You are working with a series of building blocks, you are putting the building blocks together, and then you are putting them in certain structures. You are building a little city of desire for your person to come and live in.”
So yeah, understand that the craft of copy is to assemble it, like joining the pieces of a puzzle together.
And understand that every high level copywriter can puzzle-piece and create copy from structure, inside their heads, long before he puts it to pen and paper.
Moving on, last week, I taught you how to write headlines that get read.
This week, I'm showing you the frameworks that turn those opened emails into sales.
Here's what you're getting today:
- The 5 essential components every high-converting email needs (miss even one and your response rates tank)
- Why "fascinations", the secret weapon master copywriter Clayton Makepeace used to print millions, belong in every email you write (and exactly how to craft them)
- The 5 frameworks I cycle through in my emails (and when to use each one)
- Where most copywriters put their bullets (and why I'm breaking my own rule in this email to prove a point)
The 5 Essential Components Every High-Converting Email Needs
Miss even one of these and your response rates tank.
Component #1: Headlines/Hooks
Without these, nobody reads. Period.
Last week's email covered this in depth, the "knock-knock test," the 10 proven formulas, how to enter your prospect's world, etc.
Your headline is the gatekeeper. It decides if your email gets opened or ignored.
It needs a component of specificity, benefit and curiosity(supported by Caples & Ogilvy).
Get this wrong and nothing else matters. The best body copy in the world is worthless if nobody reads it.
Component #2: Story
This is where connection happens, where skepticism melts, where they see themselves in your message.
Stories do what facts can't, they bypass resistance and create identification.
When you tell a story about someone who had the same problem your reader has, who felt the same frustration, who tried and failed the same way... your reader stops thinking "this is a sales pitch" and starts thinking "this is about me."
Component #3: Bullets (Fascinations)
These create desire, urgency or just interest. They promise specific, irresistible outcomes.
This is the secret weapon master copywriter Clayton Makepeace used to generate over $1.5 billion in sales.
Instead of just listing benefits, you create fascinations, curiosity-driven bullets that make it impossible NOT to keep reading.
Not: "Learn how to write better headlines"
But: "The 3-word phrase that tripled my open rates (and why most copywriters will never discover it)"
See the difference?
Fascinations don't reveal everything. They tease. They hint. They create a gap between what the reader knows and what they want to know.
And that gap? That's what pulls them through your entire email.
Here's how to craft them:
Start with a benefit or result, then add mystery. "How to [desirable outcome]" becomes "The counterintuitive method for [desirable outcome] that [surprising element]."
Use parentheses to add intrigue. The aside in parentheses often does more work than the main claim.
Be specific. "Make more money" is boring. "The exact 47-word email that generated $12,983 in 6 hours" creates curiosity.
Component #4: Body/Framework
The structure that guides readers from curiosity to desire to action.
This is what we're diving deep into today. The frameworks are the skeleton that holds everything together.
Without a framework, your email wanders. It meanders. It loses momentum.
With a framework? You guide your reader on a journey. From problem to solution. From skepticism to belief. From curiosity to action.
The frameworks below give you that structure.
Component #5: Close/CTA
This is where most copywriters fail. They write brilliant emails then forget to tell people what to do.
Your close needs to:
Make it clear. "Click here" is better than being clever.
Make it singular. One action. Not three options.
Make it easy. Remove friction. The fewer steps between desire and action, the higher your conversion.
Always. ALWAYS. Include a clear call to action.
It’s like being a bodybuilder and leaving gains on the table by not eating your extra protein.
Don’t leave your CTA on the table.
The 5 Frameworks I Cycle Through in My Emails
Framework #1: The Classic AIDA
Attention → Grab them with your headline
Interest → Hook them with a story or insight
Desire → Build want with benefits and proof
Action → Tell them exactly what to do next
Simple. Boring. Effective.
Eugene Schwartz used this. Gary Halbert used this. I use this and so does every other copywriter.
Why it works: It mirrors the natural buying process. People need to notice you, care about what you're saying, want what you're offering, then take action.
When to use it: Almost always. This is your default framework when nothing else fits.
Framework #2: FAB (Features, Advantages, Benefits)
Features → Description of the technical or functional characteristics of the product or service
Advantages → Description of how the characteristics translate into advantages for the customer
Benefits → Description of how those advantages improve the customer's life
Example: "This email course includes 52 proven templates. (Feature) Which means you'll never stare at a blank page again. (Advantage) So you can write emails in 15 minutes instead of 3 hours and actually enjoy your evenings. (Benefit)"
Simple. Logical. Persuasive.
Why it works: It bridges the gap between what you're selling and what they actually care about. Most copywriters stop at features. Smart ones get to benefits. The advantage layer is what makes the connection clear.
When to use it: When selling to logical, detail-oriented buyers. When your product has strong technical specs or unique features. When you need to educate before you persuade.
Framework #3: PASTOR (Problem, Amplify, Story, Transformation, Offer, Response)
Problem → Identify the audience's problem and show its importance
Amplify → Increase the intensity of the problem and create a strong emotion
Story → Tell an engaging story that shows the transformation from problem to solution
Transformation → Show how the proposed solution can solve the audience's problem
Offer → Propose a clear and immediate solution offer
Response → Push them to take action
This is the framework used by legendary copywriter Ray Edwards. One of the most powerful frameworks ever created.
Why it works: It taps into deep emotion through amplification, then offers hope through story and transformation. By the time you make your offer, they're already sold on the solution.
When to use it: When you're addressing a serious problem your audience is struggling with. When emotion and transformation are at the heart of your message. When you want to create a deep connection before asking for the sale.
Framework #4: Before-After-Bridge
Show them where they are now (Before). Show them where they could be (After). Bridge the gap with your offer.
"Right now you're struggling to get clients. Imagine waking up to a waitlist. Here's how we get you there."
Why it works: Contrast creates desire. The bigger the gap between their current reality and their dream state, the more they want the bridge.
When to use it: When selling transformations. When your audience can clearly visualize both states.
Framework #5: Star-Story-Solution
Introduce a hero (Star). Tell their transformation (Story). Reveal how they did it (Solution).
Classic case study format. Works every single time.
Why it works: People believe stories more than claims. When they see someone like them succeed, they believe they can too.
When to use it: When you have strong testimonials or case studies. When proof is more powerful than promises.
Where Most Copywriters Put Their Bullets (And Why I'm Breaking My Own Rule)
Notice something about this email?
I put the bullets (fascinations) in the "5 essential components" section near the top.
Normally? I write them after the story or framework explanation. I’ve done this with the majority of most of my previous emails.
Why? Because usually the story builds to the bullets. The narrative creates desire, then the bullets promise fulfillment of that desire.
But today I wanted to prove a point: frameworks are guidelines, not handcuffs.
You can rearrange them. Break them. Rebuild them for your specific audience and message.
The components matter. The order? That's flexible.
Sometimes putting fascinations early creates curiosity that pulls readers through the entire email.
Sometimes putting them late builds desire through story first, then amplifies it with specific promises.
Test. Experiment. See what works for your audience.
Next week, I'm breaking down the psychology of the close. How to ask for the sale without sounding desperate or pushy. How to make the CTA feel like the obvious next step.
Till then, pick one framework from this email and use it in your next, email, proposal, or social media content.
See what happens.
You’ll notice you have an edge over non-copywriters.
If you think this list will be useful to a copywriter friend, forward them this email.
And if someone forwarded this to you and you're new here, consider subscribing to my email list for more. There's a link to a free ebook in the first email you'll receive. it'll help you start building your list, making money, and living the life you actually want.
Till next time,
Fathi
