PAS for Intros & Conversion Sections
Use PAS – Problem, Agitate, Solution to write intros that hook people and conversion sections that move them — whether you’re writing for your own blog or pitching to publications like WIRED.com.
Think of this page as a little control panel: fill PAS once, then reuse it in your intro, mid-article transitions, and bottom-of-page conversion sections.
How this PAS framework works
PAS means Problem, Agitate, Solution. It’s a simple way to shape intros (how you start) and conversion sections (how you move readers to act) in your articles, emails, and landing pages.
You’ll use PAS in two places: top of the page (intro) and near the end (conversion block). The structure stays the same: show the problem, press a little on why it hurts, then show the path out.
One-screen PAS grid for intros & conversion sections
Pick one topic (a tech story, product, service, or article angle). Then fill each PAS box. You can reuse the same answers in your intro, in your mid-article tension, and in your final CTA.
1. Problem — Name the pain in plain language
Start by naming the main frustration, risk, or gap your reader is already feeling. No jargon. No buzzwords. Just the pain.
- What keeps them stuck or annoyed right now?
- What do they complain about to friends or colleagues?
- What feels unfair, confusing, or wasteful?
2. Agitate — Turn the volume up a little
Here you show what happens if the problem isn’t fixed. You’re not being cruel; you’re being honest about the cost of doing nothing.
- What does this problem cost in money, time, or energy?
- What embarrassing or stressful situations does it cause?
- What future does the reader risk if they ignore it?
3. Solution — Offer a believable next step
Finally, you bring in the solution: your article, your framework, your tool, or your client’s product. It should feel like a natural answer to the problem you just described.
- What simple step can they take today?
- How does your article, guide, or product help?
- What small, realistic win can they expect first?
Use PAS to get paid for intros & conversion sections
Editors and clients pay for two big moments in your writing: when readers start (intro) and when readers act (conversion section). PAS helps you sharpen both.
- Intros for magazines & big blogs Use PAS to open with a problem your reader immediately recognises, show how it plays out in real life, then point to your article as the path to clarity.
- Conversion sections for content sites At the end of a piece, reuse PAS: remind them of the problem, quickly agitate, then invite them to subscribe, click, or buy.
- Client work & copywriting Agencies, SaaS companies, and DTC brands pay well for writers who can rewrite weak intros and weak CTAs into clear PAS sections.
- Strong PAS intros = editors see a clear problem + clear angle, so they say “yes” faster.
- Strong PAS conversion blocks = more signups, clicks, and sales, so clients trust you with more projects.
- You can build a small portfolio showing “Before → After PAS” transformations for intros and CTAs to prove your value.
Rewriting just the intro and final CTA with PAS can often make the difference between a “nice article” and a high-performing, money-making piece.
Workflow: Use PAS for intros & conversion sections
➊ Fill PAS for your topic → ➋ Turn PAS into an intro → ➌ Turn PAS into a conversion section → ➍ Pitch / publish → ➎ Reuse PAS in email + social.
Below, you’ll see one PAS intro and one PAS conversion section you can copy, adapt, and plug into your own articles, landing pages, or emails.
Demo: PAS intro for a WIRED-style feature
Example topic: how “smart” productivity apps quietly turn every free moment into micro-work for remote workers.
PAS notes for this topic
Remote workers feel like they’re “on” all the time because of pings, dashboards, and constant status tracking.
-
Problem
Most remote workers can’t tell when the workday actually ends. Their task apps bleed into evenings, weekends, and even the walk to the kitchen. -
Agitate
They answer “just one more” notification at midnight, stare at dashboards on holidays, and feel guilty if the progress bar isn’t full — even when their actual work is done. -
Solution
A story that shows how the design of “helpful” tools creates invisible overtime — and what workers, managers, and tool makers can change.
Draft intro using PAS
Problem: There’s no “off” switch on the remote workday anymore.
Your project app doesn’t clock out at six — it just follows you from laptop to
phone to smartwatch.
Agitate: You answer “just one more” ping while stirring dinner,
clear overdue tasks from the sofa, and check a progress dashboard that always
seems to be slipping behind. The tools that promised freedom from the office now
sit on your bedside table, glowing quietly until you tap them back to life.
Solution (teased, not fully explained yet): In this story, we look at
how productivity apps for remote teams quietly turn every spare minute into
micro-work — and what it would take to design tools that protect time instead of
devouring it.
Demo: PAS conversion section at the end of an article
Now we reuse the same PAS notes to write a conversion block at the bottom of a blog post or newsletter — this time inviting readers to join a list or download a guide.
Problem: If your tools control your calendar, your attention, and your energy, it’s hard to protect time for deep work — or for doing nothing at all.
Agitate: The default settings in most apps push you toward more alerts, more check-ins, and more invisible overtime. You don’t notice the cost until you feel permanently tired and permanently “behind”.
Solution: That’s why I’m building a short, practical email series on deleting invisible overtime — with screenshots, scripts, and tiny experiments you can run in your own tools.
If you want your apps to serve you — not the other way around — you can join the list here. I’ll send you the first “reset your tools” checklist in the next 24 hours.
For client work, you can swap the “email series” with a product demo, free resource, or trial. The structure stays: name the problem again, show why it still hurts, then offer one simple next step.
Fill-in-the-blanks PAS templates (intros & conversion)
Use these templates as a quick starting point. Replace each [bracketed text] with your own situation.
Template · PAS intro for an article / newsletter
Template · PAS conversion block at the end
Checklist: Is your PAS doing its job?
Run through this checklist before you send a pitch, publish a post, or hand in client work. You’re checking two things: clarity for the reader and value for the editor/client.
- Problem: I’ve named a clear, specific problem using simple words, not jargon.
- Agitate: I’ve shown one realistic consequence or scene, not just repeated the same statement again.
- Solution: I’ve described a believable next step, not a magic fix.
- Intro: My intro uses PAS to pull the reader in and promise a useful path forward.
- Conversion: My final CTA reminds readers of the problem, shows the cost of doing nothing, and points to a simple, specific action.
- Money link: If this is for a client or publication, the PAS intro and CTA make their business goal (clicks, signups, sales) more likely.
Over time, PAS will become automatic: every time you start or end a piece, your brain will naturally look for the problem, the pressure, and the path out — the exact shape that makes your work easier to say “yes” to.