In partnership with
The Problem-Agitate-Solve Copywriting Formula
Imagine walking into a doctor's office. You sit down and tell the doctor your shoulder hurts.
Without looking up, the doctor immediately writes a prescription for painkillers, hands it to you, and calls for the next patient. You would not trust that doctor. You would probably never go back.
A great doctor does something entirely different. First, they listen to the specific Problem. "My shoulder hurts."
Then, they Agitate the problem to understand its full scope. "Does it hurt when you lift your arm to comb your hair? Is the pain keeping you awake at night?"
Only after they fully understand the reality of your daily pain do they offer the Solution. This is not manipulation. It is a deep, accurate diagnosis.
The Lie About Copywriting Formulas
When we hear the phrase "copywriting formula," we immediately think of manipulative, high-pressure sales tactics. We picture aggressive marketers trying to trick people into buying things they do not need.
Because you care about your audience, you avoid formulas entirely. You just write and hope your value shines through.
But hope is not a business strategy. The truth is much simpler.
An empathetic writing formula is not a trick. It is a structure for showing you understand. It proves to your reader that you see their problem clearly and feel its impact on their daily life.
You earned the attention. Here's what to do next.
Most creators spend years building an audience on platforms that own it. The reach is real. The relationship isn't. One algorithm change and the people who chose you stop seeing you.
A newsletter is different. Your list is yours. Every subscriber is earned and stays earned. And on beehiiv, the tools to grow it, monetize it, and own it completely are built in from day one.
30% off your first 3 months with code LIST30. Start building today.
The Empathy Formula
n the writing world, the doctor's diagnostic process is called the "Problem-Agitate-Solve" formula. Or PAS. Here is how it works in practice.
Problem: State the reader's pain clearly and simply.
Example: You are pouring hours into content that gets no engagement.Agitate: Deepen the emotional reality of that problem.
Example: It is frustrating and makes you question if anyone is even listening.Solve: Introduce your idea, framework, or offer as the clear, logical path forward.
Example: The solution is not more content. It is more effective content that answers two key questions.
The Architecture of Impact
The people who have the biggest impact are the ones who can articulate the problems of others better than they can themselves.
If you can describe a person's problem better than they can, they will automatically assume you have the solution.
The PAS framework is simply a tool for doing exactly that. It turns your expertise into a genuine service.
Quick Win
Think about the primary problem your business solves. Write one sentence for the Problem. Write one sentence to Agitate the reality of that problem. Write one sentence for the Solution. You have just created the outline for your next homepage, email, or social post.
P.S. Now that you know how to structure your message, how do you actually ask people to take the next step? On Friday, we will focus on the most crucial part of "Solve"—the Call to Action—and how to make it feel like a generous invitation instead of a demand.
Know another Quiet Expert who is tired of writing content that goes nowhere? Please forward this email to them. It might be exactly the perspective shift they need today.
The Invitation
This newsletter is the place where we explore foundational business principles every week. It's a quiet corner of the internet dedicated to building durable, meaningful businesses.
For the practical "how-to" guides on using AI to build on your foundation, I invite you to my website.
Explore the deep dives at dbhockman.com