{"id":"mkt-x-cold-email-ps-lines","track":"marketing","audience":"sales","category":"writing-emails","technique":"constraints","title":"Write P.S. lines that use real proof, not fake urgency","free":false,"task":"You're an SDR at Gridline, a field-service scheduling app for HVAC companies, testing P.S. lines on a cold email. Write exactly 4 numbered P.S. lines, each starting \"P.S.\" and under 18 words, each using one approved proof point. No fake urgency (\"only 3 spots left\", \"offer ends Friday\") and no discount, and reply with only the plain-text list.","materialLabel":"Sales notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"GRIDLINE - cold email P.S. test (HVAC owners, 5-50 techs)\n\nApproved proof points:\n- Polar Air (22 techs) added 3 jobs per day per dispatcher after switching\n- Average setup: 9 days from signing to first scheduled job\n- Techs see their day on their phone, with customer history and photos\n- 4.7 stars from 312 reviews on a software review site\n\nNot approved:\n- \"We're the #1 HVAC scheduling app\" - no source\n- Discounts - none this quarter\n\nManager notes:\n- The P.S. is the most-read line after the subject. Keep it to one proof point.\n- Last quarter's \"Only 3 onboarding spots left this month!\" got us spam complaints. It wasn't true either.\n- No \"offer ends Friday\" type lines.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":4},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Fake urgency","why":"\"Only 3 spots left\" is the AI's favorite P.S. trick, and it's in the notes.","fix":"Add: \"No limited spots or deadlines.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Unapproved claims","why":"The AI adds \"#1 HVAC app\" to sound strong.","fix":"Add: \"Only approved proof points. No #1.\"","checks":["r2","r0"]},{"title":"Vague P.S. lines","why":"The AI writes \"P.S. Happy to chat anytime!\" with no proof.","fix":"Add: \"Each P.S. uses one proof point.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Getting labeled variants","why":"The AI bolds each variant and explains it.","fix":"Add: \"Exactly 4 numbered lines, plain text.\"","checks":["numberedItems","plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Says how many","patterns":["\\b(4|four)\\b.{0,20}(lines|p\\.?s)","exactly \\d+"]},{"label":"Uses proof points","patterns":["proof","approved","polar air"]},{"label":"Rules out fake urgency","patterns":["urgency","spots","ends friday","deadline"]},{"label":"Rules out discounts and #1","patterns":["discount","#1"]},{"label":"Asks for only the list","patterns":["only the (numbered )?list","no (intro|notes|explanation)","nothing else","plain text"]}],"hint":"The P.S. gets read, so it should carry proof, not pressure. Tell the AI which proof is approved and which tricks to avoid.","rubricLabels":["Every line starts with 'P.S.', is under 18 words, and uses an approved proof point (Polar Air's 3 extra jobs a day, 9-day setup, techs' phone view with history and photos, 4.7 stars from 312 reviews)","No line uses fake urgency (limited spots, ends Friday, last chance) or offers a discount","No line claims #1 or best, and the reply is only the numbered list"]}