16-Word Formula That Sells Anything
How one simple formula can clarify your offer, hook your reader, and boost conversions instantly.
Evaldo Albuquerque wrote copy that helped Agora generate over $100 million in sales. And he claims you don’t need a 20-page pitch to sell—just one sentence.
A 16-word sentence, to be exact.
When I first came across the formula in his book, it stopped me cold.
It wasn’t flashy.
It wasn’t clever.
It was… complete.
In just 16 words, it captured the pain, the promise, and the emotional payoff.
It changed how I think about writing copy—especially headlines, landing pages, and sales intros.
Here’s the formula that did it 👇
The Technique: The 16-Word Sales Letter Formula
How to [achieve desired outcome] without [painful obstacle] so you can [positive result].
It’s deceptively simple. But inside this single sentence, you have:
A clear transformation
A specific obstacle the audience hates
A meaningful emotional benefit
This line doesn’t just summarize your product—it sells the shift your audience wants.
Before & After Examples
🚫 Before: “Learn SEO in 30 days.”
✅ After: “How to rank on Google without paying for ads—so you can grow traffic while you sleep.”
🚫 Before: “Our app helps you stay productive.”
✅ After: “How to stay focused all day without burning out—so you can finally finish what matters.”
🚫 Before: “We offer leadership coaching for managers.”
✅ After: “How to lead confidently without second-guessing—so your team trusts you from day one.”
Why It Works
🔹 Starts with a promise: “How to…” is a high-performing headline structure on its own.
🔹 Names the fear: “Without [obstacle]” shows you understand what your audience is trying to avoid.
🔹 Delivers payoff: “So you can…” speaks to aspiration, freedom, and emotion.
It’s not just a copy trick—it’s a conversion shortcut.
Try This in Your Copy
Take your current offer and plug it into this format:
“How to [insert your audience’s main goal] without [insert their top frustration] so you can [insert emotional payoff].”
Use this sentence in your:
Headline
Hero section
Email opening line
Twitter/X post
YouTube video title
Anywhere you need clarity + emotion in one shot.
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✅ Make your headline a promise—not a summary
✅ Use hypophora to guide your reader
✅ Focus on benefits, not features
Nice one