Writing · 7 min read
AIDA, PAS, BAB, PPP and QVC: which framework to use for each cold email
A framework isn’t a template: it’s the order in which you tell the story. Five structures for writing cold emails, when each one works and a real example of each.
If you’ve ever stared at a blank email with no idea where to start, you’re not short on talent: you’re short on structure. That’s what copywriting frameworks are for. They don’t decide what you say, but in what order you say it: problem first or result first, proof first or question first.
In a cold email, order matters more than in almost any other kind of writing. The recipient doesn’t know you, wasn’t expecting your message and decides within two lines whether to keep reading. In this article we go through the five frameworks most widely used in B2B prospecting (AIDA, PAS, BAB, PPP and QVC), when each one works, when it doesn’t, and a complete example of each.
What a framework is, and what it isn’t
A framework is a sequence of stages. Each stage has a specific job: grab attention, show you understand the other person, present an outcome or ask for a next step. Once you know the stages, writing becomes a matter of filling in the gaps with real information.
What a framework isn’t:
- It isn’t a template. A template repeats the same sentences with a different name. A framework repeats the order, but every sentence is different for every recipient.
- It isn’t a magic formula. A well-structured email with a made-up fact is still a bad email. The framework organizes the information; bringing the information is up to you.
- It isn’t an excuse to write more. In a cold email, each stage can be a single sentence. A good first touch runs between 50 and 125 words.
With that out of the way, let’s get to the five.
AIDA: attention, interest, desire and action
AIDA is the oldest and best-known framework. The acronym stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action, and it’s attributed to the American advertising pioneer Elias St. Elmo Lewis in the late 19th century; the earliest surviving published reference is a 1925 article by the psychologist Edward K. Strong.
The four stages in an email:
- Attention: open with something the recipient recognizes as their own. Not generic flattery, but a specific fact about their business.
- Interest: connect that fact to something they care about.
- Desire: show what they stand to gain, in their terms.
- Action: ask for one small, specific step.
“Hi Sarah, I saw you’ve just opened your second practice in Richmond (attention). A new location usually means an empty diary for the first few months (interest). We help practices like yours fill those first appointments without relying on discounts (desire). Could we talk for 15 minutes on Thursday? (action)”
When it works: when you have a specific, recent fact about the company: a new location, a new service, a job posting, a change to their website. It’s the most versatile framework and the best place to start if you’re not sure which one to pick.
When it doesn’t: if the attention stage is generic (“I checked out your website and loved it”), everything else falls apart. AIDA lives or dies by its first sentence.
PAS: problem, agitate, solution
PAS stands for Problem, Agitate, Solution. You name a problem the recipient already has, explain why it gets worse if left unsolved and offer the way out.
- Problem: describe a specific situation the recipient will recognize.
- Agitate: explain the consequence, cost or risk of doing nothing.
- Solution: present your offer as the way to avoid it.
“Hi James, I see from your website that class bookings across your three gyms are handled over WhatsApp (problem). With three locations, that tends to end in full classes nobody confirms and gaps that never get filled (agitate). Our app brings bookings and waitlists together in a single dashboard, and members book on their own (solution). Can I show you how it would look with your classes?”
When it works: when the problem is obvious and verifiable from public information. It’s especially powerful with small business owners, who live with the problem every day.
When it doesn’t: when you can’t demonstrate the problem. Agitating a problem you’ve imagined comes across as manipulative and is the fastest route to the trash folder. The rule of thumb: if you can’t point to the problem on their website or in a public source, don’t use PAS; use AIDA.
BAB: before, after, bridge
BAB stands for Before, After, Bridge: where they are now, where they could be and what gets them from one to the other. It’s the framework for transformation stories.
- Before: the recipient’s current situation, or that of someone very similar.
- After: what things look like once the problem is solved.
- Bridge: what you did to make it happen.
“Hi Tom, a year ago an architecture practice in Hackney, much like yours, relied entirely on work that came in through referrals (before). Today, every quarter, three new residential building owners ask them to quote for refurbishment work (after). We got there by reaching out, one by one, to the managing agents in their area (bridge). Shall I tell you how we’d do it for you?”
When it works: when you have a real case study that’s similar to the recipient’s situation: same industry, size or area. It’s ideal for follow-ups, after a first email written with AIDA.
When it doesn’t: if the case doesn’t resemble the recipient, or if you make it up. A generic case (“a company like yours”) loses all its power.
PPP and QVC: the lesser-used ones
These two frameworks are less well known, but very useful for adding variety and for follow-ups.
PPP: praise, picture, push
PPP stands for Praise, Picture, Push: you acknowledge something the company does well, paint a picture of what it could achieve and give a gentle nudge.
“Hi Laura, your seasonal menu built around local produce is one of the most thoughtful I’ve seen in the area (praise). Imagine every autumn dish also carrying an early-harvest olive oil you can taste from the very first spoonful (picture). Can I drop off a sample this week? (push)”
It works when the praise is sincere and specific. Generic praise sounds like flattery and has the opposite effect.
QVC: question, value, call to action
QVC stands for Question, Value, Call to action. You open with a question the recipient is already asking themselves, offer something of value and finish with a next step.
“Hi Emma, how do you handle summer camp sign-ups once the waiting list fills up? (question) Other clubs tell us they lose several places every summer because nobody lets the next people on the list know in time; our platform does it automatically (value). Shall I put together a proposal for next year’s camp? (call to action)”
It’s the shortest framework, and it works really well as a second or third follow-up, once you’ve already used your strongest argument.
How to pick a framework in 30 seconds
If you’re unsure, answer these questions in order and go with the first “yes”:
| You have… | Use |
|---|---|
| An obvious, verifiable problem you can see on their website | PAS |
| A real success story similar to the recipient’s situation | BAB |
| A specific, recent fact about their company | AIDA |
| Something you genuinely admire about their business | PPP |
| A question the recipient is almost certainly asking themselves | QVC |
And if you have none of these, the problem isn’t the framework: it’s that you don’t know enough about that company yet. Before you write, read their website.
Common mistakes when using frameworks
- Filling the stages with empty sentences. “I know you’re really busy” is not an attention stage. Every stage has to carry information about the recipient or about your offer.
- Using the same framework for everything. If all your emails follow AIDA, your follow-ups end up sounding the same. Switch frameworks at each step of the sequence.
- Forgetting the call to action. It’s the stage people skip most often and the hardest to make up for. An email without a concrete next step doesn’t generate replies, only readers.
- Asking for too much. The action in a first email is small: a short call, a sample, a question. Not an hour-long meeting or a purchase.
- Making up facts to make the framework fit. If the framework asks for a problem you can’t prove, change frameworks. Never invent the problem.
A checklist to run through before you hit send
Before you click send, go through these six points:
- Is the first sentence about their business, not yours?
- Can every fact you mention be verified on their website or in a public source?
- Is the framework there without the structure showing?
- Is there a single call to action, small and specific?
- Is it under 125 words?
- Would it sound natural if you read it aloud to the person receiving it?
If the answer to all six is “yes,” the framework has done its job: organizing what you know so the other person wants to reply.
Sources
- Strong, E. K. (1925). “Theories of Selling.” Journal of Applied Psychology, 9(1), 75–86. The first published reference to the AIDA formula, attributed to E. St. Elmo Lewis.
- AIDA (marketing), Wikipedia: history and variants of the model.
- Google. Email sender guidelines (content, authentication and unsubscribes).
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine two frameworks in the same email?
Yes, but one has to lead. The usual approach is to use the structure of one (PAS, for example) and borrow a device from another (the opening question from QVC). Mixing them without a plan is the same as having no framework at all.
Which framework works best for a first cold email?
The one you can back up with a real fact about the recipient. If you have a specific detail from their website, AIDA; if you can see an obvious, verifiable problem, PAS; if you have a similar success story, BAB. Without a real fact, no framework will save the email.
Do frameworks work for follow-ups too?
Yes. In fact, switching frameworks with each follow-up is the easiest way to avoid repeating yourself: if the first email was AIDA, the second can be a BAB with a case study and the third a QVC with a short question.
How long should an email written with a framework be?
Between 50 and 125 words for a first touch. Frameworks help you organize, not pad: each stage can be a single sentence.
