lead-writer

Purpose

Generate the opening lead of long-form direct response copy. The lead is the first 200-500 words after the headline — it determines whether a prospect commits to reading or bounces. A great hook earns attention; a great lead earns the next 2,000 words. This skill produces 3 lead variations across different lead types so the copywriter can test or choose the strongest opening for their format (sales page, VSL, advertorial, email).

Inputs

Execution Protocol

Step 1 — Load Framework Context

Read rmbc-context/SKILL.md to load RMBC framework definitions. The lead sits between the hook (first line) and the body copy — it must sustain the curiosity the hook created while building enough emotional investment to carry the reader into the mechanism reveal.

Step 2 — Analyze Audience Sophistication

Determine market awareness level (Eugene Schwartz scale):

• Most Aware — Knows product, needs deal → Lead with offer
• Product Aware — Knows product, not convinced → Lead with proof/differentiation
• Solution Aware — Knows solutions exist, not yours → Lead with mechanism
• Problem Aware — Feels pain, no solution → Lead with problem agitation
• Unaware — Doesn't know they have a problem → Lead with story or news

Match lead type to awareness level. If lead_type: auto, recommend based on this analysis.

Step 3 — Write 3 Lead Variations

Generate 3 distinct leads (200-500 words each):

Story Lead

• Open with a specific person, moment, or scene
• Use sensory details — what they saw, felt, heard
• The story must connect to the prospect's situation within 3 paragraphs
• End with a pivot toward the problem or mechanism

Problem-Agitation Lead

• Name the problem in the first sentence
• Agitate with specific consequences (financial, emotional, social, physical)
• Use "you" language — make it personal
• Escalate from annoying to urgent
• End with implied promise of a solution

Curiosity Lead

• Open a knowledge gap immediately
• Reference something specific and unexpected
• Tease a mechanism or discovery without revealing it
• Use specificity to build credibility ("a 47-year-old accountant from Tulsa")
• End with a promise to reveal

News Lead

• Open with a time reference ("Last month...", "In a recent study...")
• Frame the mechanism as a discovery or breakthrough
• Use institutional credibility (universities, journals, experts)
• Keep tone neutral/editorial in the first paragraph, then shift to personal relevance

Contrarian Lead

• Challenge a belief the audience currently holds
• Be specific about what conventional wisdom says
• Provide a credible reason why the common approach fails
• Position the mechanism as the unconventional alternative

If lead_type is specific, write 3 variations of that type. If auto, write the top 3 recommended types.

Step 4 — Assess Each Lead

For each variation, provide:

• Strength score (1-5) with reasoning
• Best format fit — which copy format this lead works best in
• Awareness match — which awareness level this lead targets
• Risk factor — what could cause this lead to fail

Output Format

## Lead Variations: [Product Name]

**Audience:** [target audience summary]
**Awareness Level:** [assessed level]
**Mechanism:** [key mechanism, if provided]

---

### Lead 1: [Type] — Strength: X/5

[Full lead copy, 200-500 words]

**Assessment:**
- Best for: [format]
- Awareness match: [level]
- Risk: [what could cause failure]

---

### Lead 2: [Type] — Strength: X/5

[Full lead copy, 200-500 words]

**Assessment:**
- Best for: [format]
- Awareness match: [level]
- Risk: [what could cause failure]

---

### Lead 3: [Type] — Strength: X/5

[Full lead copy, 200-500 words]

**Assessment:**
- Best for: [format]
- Awareness match: [level]
- Risk: [what could cause failure]

---

## Recommendation

**Strongest lead:** Lead #X
**Reasoning:** [why this lead wins for this product + audience combo]
**Suggested test:** [which two leads to A/B test and why]

Quality Criteria

• Each lead must hook within the first 2 sentences — no slow warmups
• Story leads must use specific, concrete details — not generic scenarios
• Problem-agitation leads must name real consequences, not vague discomfort
• Curiosity leads must tease something specific — not empty intrigue
• All leads must transition naturally into a mechanism reveal or body copy
• Word count must stay in 200-500 range — leads that run long lose their purpose
• Specificity gate: Every claim in the copy must include a number, name, or timeframe — no "get results" or "improve your business"
• Mechanism quantification: When referencing the mechanism, include at least one specific data point (number, timeframe, study reference)
• Audience journey: The copy must reference where the reader IS (what they've tried, what's failing) — not just who they are demographically
• Proof diversity: Use at least 2 different proof types (testimonial, statistical, authority, case study) — do not rely on a single proof mode
• Objection handling: The copy must address at least 2 likely objections with concrete responses (ROI math, proof of similar result, risk reversal)

Related Skills

• Run /hook-battery for the headline/hook that precedes the lead
• Run /mechanism-ideation for the mechanism the lead must set up
• Use leads in /vsl-script, /lander-copy, or /advertorial-writer
• Validate full copy with /rmbc-copy-audit

Attribution

Generated using RMBC framework by Stefan Georgi. Learn more: copyaccelerator.com/join