TL;DR
Stop pitching your product in cold emails. Start citing pain points. The PAS framework (Problem-Agitation-Solution) works: (1) Cite the specific pain point your ICP faces daily, (2) Agitate it by quantifying the cost/impact, (3) Briefly explain your solution, (4) Use a value-based CTA (offer a resource, not a meeting). Your goal is to generate a reply and start a conversation — not book a meeting in the first email.
The golden rule of email copywriting
🧠 Write emails you would reply to.
This is the only hard rule in cold email copywriting.
Before sending any email, ask yourself:
If I received this email, would I reply to it?
Does this email solve a problem I care about?
Is the sender demonstrating they understand my world?
Is there a compelling reason to engage?
If you answer "no" to any of these questions, rewrite the email.
Why most people fail this test
They write emails they would send, not emails they would reply to.
Example of what NOT to do:
Hi [Name],I'm [Your Name] from [Company]. We're a leading provider of [solution]that helps companies like yours achieve [generic benefit].We've worked with [big brand name] and [another big brand name] todeliver [impressive metric].Would you be open to a quick call to discuss how we can help [Company]?Best,[Your Name]
Why this fails:
Talks about YOU, not THEM
No specific pain point mentioned
Generic value proposition
Asks for time before demonstrating value
Could be sent to literally anyone
The PAS framework explained
PAS stands for: Problem → Agitation → Solution
Why PAS works:
Starts with the prospect's world, not yours
Demonstrates understanding of their specific challenges
Creates urgency by quantifying the cost of inaction
Positions your solution as the natural answer to their pain
Focuses on problems, not product features
The 3-part structure:
Part 1: Problem (Cite the pain point) ↓ Part 2: Agitation (Make it real and urgent) ↓ Part 3: Solution (Present your offering briefly) ↓ Value-based CTA (Offer something valuable, not just a meeting)
P: Problem — cite the pain point
Your goal: Demonstrate that you understand exactly what your prospect faces on a daily basis.
1. Focus on their daily reality
Don't talk about high-level industry trends. Talk about the specific frustration they experience when they sit down at their desk each morning.
Bad (too vague):
Many companies struggle with lead generation...
Good (specific and visceral):
Your SDR team is probably spending 3+ hours per day manually researchingprospects on LinkedIn and finding email addresses...
2. Use their lingo
Speak the language they use internally. This proves you're not an outsider — you understand their world.
For sales teams:
"Cold calling is a numbers game, but your connect rate is probably below 5%..."
"Your pipeline coverage ratio is probably sitting around 2x when you need 4x..."
"Your SDRs are burning hours on unqualified leads..."
For marketing teams:
"Your CAC keeps climbing while your conversion rates stay flat..."
"Attribution is probably a black box — you can't tell which channels actually drive pipeline..."
"Your MQLs aren't converting because sales says they're not qualified..."
For operations teams:
"You're probably drowning in manual data entry between systems..."
"Your tech stack is held together with duct tape and Zapier hacks..."
"Every report requires 6 hours of data cleanup before you can analyze anything..."
3. Make it personal and emotional
Pain points aren't just operational — they're emotional. Connect to how the problem makes them feel.
Operational Pain | Emotional Impact |
Manual data entry takes hours | "You're wasting time on grunt work instead of strategic projects" |
Low pipeline coverage | "You're constantly stressed about making quota" |
Poor deliverability | "Your emails are invisible — like shouting into the void" |
Inefficient processes | "You're firefighting constantly instead of building systems" |
Example combining operational + emotional:
Your team is probably spending 20+ hours/week on manual lead research —time that could be spent actually talking to prospects and closing deals.
4. Be specific, not generic
Generic pain points feel like spam. Specific pain points feel like you've been watching them work.
Generic ❌:
Many companies struggle with efficiency...
Specific ✅:
Your sales team is probably toggling between 7 different tools just tosend one personalized email — LinkedIn, Apollo, HubSpot, Gmail, youremail validator, your spreadsheet, and back to LinkedIn again...
Template for citing pain points
Format:
[Specific action they do] + [frequency/effort] + [negative outcome] + [emotional impact]
Examples:
For B2B SaaS (targeting sales leaders):
Your SDRs are probably spending 40% of their day on list building andmanual research, which means they're only getting 30-40 actualconversations per week — nowhere near the 100+ they need to hit quota.
For agencies (targeting agency owners):
You're probably stuck in the feast-or-famine cycle — too busy deliveringfor clients to do your own outreach, then scrambling when projects endand the pipeline is empty.
For e-commerce brands (targeting CMOs):
Your Facebook ad costs have probably doubled in the last 12 months whileROAS dropped 30%, and now you're burning cash trying to replace thatchannel without a clear alternative.
A: Agitation — make it real and urgent
Your goal: Quantify the cost and impact of the problem. Make it impossible to ignore.
Without agitation: "Yeah, that's a problem, but I'll deal with it later..." With agitation: "Wait, this is costing us HOW MUCH? We need to fix this NOW."
1. Quantify the cost
Problem: Manual data entry Agitation:
If your team is spending 10 hours/week on manual data entry, that's520 hours per year — the equivalent of hiring a full-time person justto copy-paste between systems.
Problem: Low reply rates Agitation:
If you're sending 500 emails per week with a 2% reply rate, you'regetting 10 replies. Increase that to 8% and you get 40 replies — 4xthe pipeline from the same effort.
Problem: Poor deliverability Agitation:
If only 60% of your emails reach the inbox, you're effectivelythrowing away 40% of your prospecting budget. For a team sending10,000 emails/month, that's 4,000 invisible emails.
2. Cite industry benchmarks
Format:
"[Their likely situation] while [industry benchmark/competitors] are achieving [better outcome]"
Examples:
Most sales teams are seeing 5-8% reply rates with proper targeting andpersonalization, but generic outreach typically caps at 1-2%.
Companies with this headcount typically lose $1,000+ per day inproductivity due to [specific problem].
Your competitors are probably using [solution category] to achieve[outcome] — if you're not, you're falling behind.
3. Highlight the opportunity cost
While you're spending 20 hours/week on manual research, your competitorsare using that time to send 500+ personalized emails and book 30+ meetings.
Every month you delay fixing your deliverability is another month ofinvisible emails — hundreds or thousands of potential conversations you'llnever get back.
4. Create time pressure (when relevant)
With Q4 planning coming up, now is the time to fix this before it impactsyour annual targets.
Most companies see a 60-90 day ramp-up period for new systems — if youstart now, you'll be fully operational by [important deadline].
⚠️ Warning: Don't manufacture false urgency. It damages trust and hurts reply rates.
Agitation template
Format:
[Quantified cost] + [comparison/benchmark] + [opportunity cost]
Complete example:
Problem:
Your SDRs are spending 3+ hours per day on manual list building...
Agitation:
...which means they're only getting 30-40 conversations per week insteadof the 100+ that top-performing teams achieve. That's 60-70 missedopportunities every single week — 2,800+ per year — that could have turnedinto pipeline.
S: Solution — present your offering
Your goal: Briefly explain what you do and how it solves the problem you just described.
Key principle: Keep it SHORT.
❌ Don't: Write three paragraphs about your product features, technology, and company history. ✅ Do: Write 1–2 sentences that clearly connect your solution to their problem.
Solution formula
Format:
"We/[Company] chose to solve [specific problem] with [clear solution description]"
Why this format works:
"Chose to solve": Positions you as problem-solvers, not product pushers
Specific problem: Connects directly back to P and A
Clear description: No jargon, no buzzwords — just what you do
Examples:
Problem: Manual prospecting
We chose to solve this by building a tool that automates the researchand enrichment process — so your SDRs can skip the busywork and gostraight to personalized outreach.
Problem: Poor email deliverability
We chose to solve this by creating an AI-powered warm-up system thatgradually builds your domain reputation with real inbox interactions —so your emails actually reach the primary inbox.
Problem: Low reply rates
We chose to solve this by combining AI personalization with provencopywriting frameworks — so your emails feel hand-written, not automated.
What to EXCLUDE from your solution
❌ Don't include:
Technical specifications
Feature lists
Company credentials
Customer logos (save for case studies after they reply)
Pricing (too early)
✅ Only include:
WHAT you do (the solution)
WHY it matters (connects to their problem)
The 2-sentence rule
Sentence 1: What you do Sentence 2: How it helps (optional — only if it adds clarity)
Example 1 (one sentence):
We built a platform that automates 90% of the lead research processso your SDRs can focus on conversations, not spreadsheets.
Example 2 (two sentences):
We created an email deliverability monitoring system that shows youexactly where your emails land (inbox, spam, or promotions). This letsyou fix issues before they tank your entire campaign.
The value-based call-to-action
Your goal: Get them to reply by offering something valuable — not by asking for their time.
Why "Would you be open to a call?" fails
Traditional CTA ❌:
Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call to discuss this?
Why it fails:
Asks for their time before demonstrating value
No clear benefit to them for taking the call
Feels like a sales pitch, not a conversation
Low response rate (1–3% at best)
The prospect's internal reaction: "You just described a problem I have, but why would I give you 15 minutes of my time? I don't know you, I don't trust you yet, and I don't know if you can actually help."
What is a value-based CTA?
Format:
"Can I send you [specific valuable resource] that shows [specific outcome]?"
Key components:
Specific resource: Not "more information" — an actual deliverable
Relevant outcome: Tied directly to the problem you cited
Permission-based: You're asking if they WANT it, not forcing it
Low commitment: Receiving a document is easier than scheduling a call
Types of value-based CTAs
Case study / Results document
Can I send you a quick breakdown showing how [similar company]reduced their [problem] by [specific metric]?
Should I send over the exact framework we used to help [similar company]go from 2% to 12% reply rates in 60 days?
Audit / Analysis
Should I run a quick audit of your [specific element] and send youthe findings?
Want me to analyze your current email sequence and send you 3 specificimprovements you could implement this week?
Resource / Guide
Should I send you our 5-step framework for writing cold emails thatget 8%+ reply rates?
Can I send you the exact email templates we use to book 30+ meetingsper month with [ICP]?
Comparison / Benchmark
Should I send you a benchmark report showing how your reply ratescompare to others in your industry?
Want to see how your current prospecting efficiency compares totop-performing sales teams?
Why value-based CTAs work
Lower barrier to entry: Saying "yes, send it" is easier than "yes, book 30 minutes"
Demonstrates expertise: Offering valuable resources proves you know what you're talking about
Builds trust first: You're giving before asking
Creates reciprocity: When you provide value, prospects feel more inclined to engage
Generates trackable engagement: When they reply, you have explicit permission to continue
Qualifies interest: If they reply asking for the resource, you know the pain point resonates
Value-based CTA template
Format:
[Question asking permission] + [specific resource] + [specific outcome they'll get]
Complete examples:
Can I send you a quick doc showing how we helped [similar company]solve this exact problem — cutting their [metric] by [%] in [timeframe]?
Should I send over the 3-step framework we use to [solve their problem]?It takes about 5 minutes to read and you can implement it this week.
Want me to send you a breakdown of what's likely causing your low[metric] and the exact fixes that worked for teams like yours?
The real goal: generate conversations, not meetings
Mindset shift required
❌ Old thinking: "My goal is to book a meeting in the first email"
✅ New thinking: "My goal is to generate a reply and start a conversation"
Why replies matter more than meetings
Replies = Qualified interest
When someone replies to your cold email, they're telling you:
The problem resonates
They're open to learning more
They're giving you permission to continue
Meeting requests without permission = low show-up rates (40–60%) Meeting requests after engagement = high show-up rates (80–90%)
Replies = Trackable contacts
Once someone replies, you can:
Mark them as engaged in your CRM
Continue the conversation with additional context
Segment them for future campaigns
Track them as marketing contacts
Re-engage them later if timing isn't right now
If they never reply, you have:
No permission to follow up aggressively
No idea if your message resonated
No basis for future personalization
Replies = More information
The first reply tells you:
What specifically interested them (based on which pain point they mention)
Their level of urgency (how they phrase their response)
Their decision-making context (questions they ask)
Whether they're the right contact (if they refer you elsewhere)
The conversation path
Step 1: Cold email with value-based CTA ↓
Step 2: Prospect replies ("yes, send it") ↓
Step 3: You send the promised resource + soft next step ↓
Step 4: Prospect engages with resource / asks questions ↓
Step 5: You deepen the conversation ↓
Step 6: NOW you suggest a meeting (with context and earned trust)
What to send after they reply
When a prospect replies to your value-based CTA, don't immediately pitch a meeting.
Bad response ❌:
Great! Here's the case study [link].Are you available Tuesday at 2pm for a quick call?
Good response ✅:
Great! Here's the case study [link].I highlighted the section on [specific topic they care about] basedon what you mentioned.After you've had a chance to look it over, happy to answer anyquestions or dig deeper into how this would work for your specific situation.
Why this works:
You deliver on your promise (the resource)
You add personalization (highlighting relevant sections)
You invite continued conversation without pressure
You let THEM drive the next step
Follow-up #2 (2–3 days later):
Hey [Name],Just wanted to make sure you got the case study I sent over.One thing I forgot to mention: [additional insight specific to their situation].Let me know if you have any questions!
Follow-up #3 (if they engage):
Hey [Name],Since you found the case study helpful, figured I'd share how we'dapproach this for [their company specifically].[1–2 sentences with specific, customized insight]Want to jump on a quick call next week to walk through this? I haveTuesday at 10am or Thursday at 2pm open.
NOW you ask for the meeting — after:
They've replied
You've provided value
They've engaged with your content
You've demonstrated specific understanding of their situation
Complete email template breakdown
Template structure:
[PROBLEM: Cite specific pain point with lingo and emotion][AGITATION: Quantify cost, add urgency, cite benchmarks][SOLUTION: Brief explanation of what you do][VALUE-BASED CTA: Offer specific resource][SIGNATURE]
Example 1: For B2B SaaS sales teams
Subject: Re: [Company]'s outbound strategy
Hey [First Name],[PROBLEM]Your SDR team is probably spending 3+ hours per day manually buildinglists and researching prospects on LinkedIn — time that could be spentactually having conversations and booking meetings.[AGITATION]If they're only getting 30-40 conversations per week, that's nowherenear the 100+ needed to consistently hit pipeline targets. That's60-70 missed opportunities every week — 2,800+ per year — that could haveturned into qualified pipeline.[SOLUTION]We chose to solve this by automating 90% of the research and dataenrichment process, so your SDRs can skip the busywork and go straightto personalized outreach.[VALUE-BASED CTA]Should I send you a quick breakdown showing how a similar-sized teamcut their prospecting time in half while doubling their meeting volume?[First Name]
Example 2: For marketing teams
Subject: [Company]'s CAC problem
Hi [First Name],[PROBLEM]Your paid acquisition costs have probably doubled in the last 18 monthswhile conversion rates stayed flat — which means you're burning twice asmuch budget for the same results.[AGITATION]For most B2B SaaS companies at your stage, that typically translates to$50K-$100K in wasted ad spend per quarter on channels that are onlygetting less efficient. Meanwhile, your board is asking why CAC keepsclimbing.[SOLUTION]We chose to solve this by building a multi-channel attribution systemthat shows you exactly which channels drive actual pipeline (not justMQLs) — so you can reallocate budget to what actually works.[VALUE-BASED CTA]Want me to send you a quick audit of your current attribution setupwith 3 specific improvements you could implement this month?Best,[First Name]
Example 3: For operations teams
Subject: Re: [Company]'s data workflow
Hey [First Name],[PROBLEM]Your ops team is probably spending 15-20 hours per week on manual dataentry between Salesforce, HubSpot, and your analytics tools — basicallyacting as human APIs when they should be building systems.[AGITATION]That's 800-1,000 hours per year spent copy-pasting data instead ofoptimizing processes or analyzing trends. At a fully-loaded cost of$75/hour, you're burning $60K-$75K annually on manual busywork.[SOLUTION]We chose to solve this with a no-code integration platform that syncsdata automatically between your core systems — so your team can focuson analysis and optimization instead of data cleanup.[VALUE-BASED CTA]Should I send you a workflow map showing how other ops teams eliminated80% of their manual data entry in under 30 days?Thanks,[First Name]
Real-world examples (with analysis)
Example 1: Email deliverability service
Subject: Your emails are probably invisible
Hi Sarah,Most sales teams don't realize that 30-40% of their cold emails neverreach the inbox — they land in spam or promotions where prospects neversee them.If you're sending 500 emails per week, that means 150-200 areeffectively invisible. That's 7,200-9,600 lost opportunities per yearthat you're paying for but getting zero return on.We chose to solve this with an AI warm-up system that builds yourdomain reputation through real inbox interactions — so your emailsconsistently land in the primary inbox.Should I send you a quick deliverability report for your domain showingexactly where your emails are landing right now?Best,Marcus
Why this works:
Problem: Specific and alarming ("30–40% never reach inbox")
Agitation: Quantified loss (7,200–9,600 opportunities)
Solution: Clear and specific (AI warm-up system)
CTA: High value, low commitment (domain report)
Length: Short and scannable (under 100 words)
Example 2: Sales enablement tool
Subject: Re: SDR productivity at [Company]
Hey Tom,Your SDRs are probably toggling between 7+ different tools just to sendone personalized email — LinkedIn, Apollo, HubSpot, Gmail, your emailvalidator, your outreach tracker, and back to LinkedIn again.All that context-switching probably costs 90-120 minutes per day per rep.For a team of 5 SDRs, that's 7.5-10 hours of lost productivity daily —the equivalent of 1.5 full-time people.We chose to solve this by consolidating the entire workflow into oneplatform — research, validation, personalization, and sending all happenin one place.Want me to send you a workflow comparison showing how teams cut theiroutreach time by 40% without sacrificing personalization?Cheers,Alicia
Why this works:
Problem: Visceral and relatable (toggling between 7 tools)
Uses lingo: "Context-switching," "lost productivity"
Agitation: Translated to headcount cost (1.5 FTEs)
Solution: Simple value prop (consolidation)
CTA: Results-focused (40% time savings)
Example 3: Recruiting tech
Subject: [Company]'s time-to-hire problem
Hi Jennifer,Your recruiting team is probably spending 15-20 hours per week manuallyscreening resumes and scheduling interviews — which means your time-to-hireis likely 45-60 days for senior roles.In a competitive hiring market, that's long enough to lose your topcandidates to companies that move faster. Every extra week of an openreq costs $3K-$5K in lost productivity, not to mention the opportunitycost of delayed projects.We chose to solve this with an AI screening system that pre-qualifiescandidates and auto-schedules interviews — cutting time-to-hire in halfwithout sacrificing quality.Should I send you a case study showing how a similar-sized companyreduced their time-to-hire from 52 days to 26 days in one quarter?Best,Rahul
Why this works:
Problem: Specific metric (45–60 days time-to-hire)
Agitation: Competitive context + cost quantification
Emotional hook: "Lose top candidates to faster companies"
Solution: Clear outcome (cut time-to-hire in half)
CTA: Proof-based (case study with specific metrics)
Common mistakes to avoid
❌ Mistake 1: Leading with "who you are" Fix: Start with their pain point, not your credentials.
❌ Mistake 2: Vague pain points Fix: Be specific about the exact problem your ICP faces.
❌ Mistake 3: Feature-focused solution Fix: Connect your solution directly to the pain point you cited.
❌ Mistake 4: Asking for a meeting too early Fix: Offer something valuable first, earn the meeting later.
❌ Mistake 5: Making it about you Fix: Keep the focus on them — their pain, their cost, their solution.
❌ Mistake 6: Too long Fix: Keep emails under 125 words. Short paragraphs (2–3 lines max).
❌ Mistake 7: No clear CTA Fix: Ask a specific question with a clear yes/no answer.
❌ Mistake 8: Manufactured urgency Fix: Only create urgency if it's real and relevant to their situation.
Best practices summary
Structure:
Start with Problem (their pain point)
Add Agitation (quantify the cost)
Include Solution (brief explanation)
End with Value-based CTA (offer something useful)
Keep it under 125 words total
Content:
Use specific, visceral pain points (not generic ones)
Speak their language (use industry lingo)
Quantify costs in dollars, hours, or opportunities
Keep solution to 1–2 sentences maximum
Focus on them (80% their problem, 20% your solution)
Psychology:
Write emails you would actually reply to
Demonstrate understanding before pitching
Give value before asking for time
Make replying easier than declining
Build conversation, not immediate meetings
Mechanics:
Subject lines: Specific and relevant (not clickbait)
Paragraphs: 2–3 lines maximum
Formatting: Use line breaks for scannability
Personalization: At least name + company (ideally more)
Signature: Keep it minimal
Testing & Optimization:
A/B test pain points (not just subject lines)
Track reply rate as primary metric (not opens/clicks)
Test different value-based CTAs
Iterate based on reply quality (not just quantity)
Monitor deliverability continuously
Common questions
Q: How long should my cold emails be? Under 125 words is the sweet spot. Prospects skim cold emails in 5–10 seconds. If they can't grasp your point instantly, they delete. Keep paragraphs short (2–3 lines max) with plenty of white space and one clear CTA.
Q: Should I personalize every single email? Yes, but strategically. Minimum viable personalization: first name, company name, one specific detail (title, industry, recent news). Ideal personalization: specific pain point relevant to their role, reference to their actual situation (tech stack, team size, recent changes), industry lingo that proves you understand their world. Don't waste time on complimenting their website, mentioning their LinkedIn post if it's not relevant, or over-personalizing low-priority prospects.
Q: Can I use the PAS framework for LinkedIn messages? Yes, but make it even shorter. LinkedIn messages should be 50–75 words maximum.
Adapted template:
[1-2 sentence problem][1 sentence agitation][1 sentence solution][Simple CTA]
Example:
Hey Sarah,Most sales teams waste 20+ hours/week on manual prospecting when theycould be having conversations. That's 1,000+ hours per year.We automated 90% of that workflow for teams like yours.Should I send you a quick breakdown?
Q: What if my product is complex and can't be explained in 2 sentences? You don't need to explain everything in the first email. Your goal isn't to make them understand your entire product — it's to get them to reply. First email: cite pain + offer value. Second email (after they reply): add more context. Third email/call: full explanation. Save the complexity for after they've expressed interest.
Q: What if I don't have case studies or resources to offer? Create simple, valuable alternatives:
Quick audit: "Want me to take a quick look at [their current situation] and send you 2–3 specific improvements?"
Framework/template: "Should I send you the exact framework we use to [solve problem]?"
Comparison: "Want to see how your [metric] compares to others in your industry?"
Personalized insight: "Should I send you my thoughts on how to fix [specific issue] for [their company]?"
These don't require formal case studies — just your expertise.
Q: How many follow-ups should I send if they don't reply? 3–4 follow-ups over 2–3 weeks.
Follow-up #1 (3 days later): Bump with additional value
Hey [Name], bumping this up in case it got buried.One thing I forgot to mention: [new insight specific to them].
Follow-up #2 (4 days later): Different angle on the same pain
Hey [Name], I know inbox overload is real.Quick question: is [specific pain point] something you're activelyworking on, or should I check back in a few months?
Follow-up #3 (7 days later): Breakup email
Hey [Name], I'll stop cluttering your inbox after this!If [pain point] becomes a priority, here's that case study I mentioned: [link]Feel free to reach out anytime.
Q: Should I mention competitors or alternatives in my email? Generally no, not in the first email. It complicates the message and can trigger objections before you've built any trust. Exception: if you're displacing a specific incumbent and that's your value prop:
If you're currently using [Competitor] for [use case], you're probablyfrustrated by [specific limitation]. We built [Solution] specificallyto solve that problem.
Otherwise, focus on the problem, not the competitive landscape.
Q: How do I write pain points if I'm targeting multiple ICPs? Create separate campaigns for each ICP. Don't try to write one email that works for everyone. The more specific your pain point, the better your reply rate.
Example — if you sell to both sales and marketing:
Campaign A (Sales):
Your SDR team is probably spending 3+ hours/day on manual prospecting...
Campaign B (Marketing):
Your paid acquisition costs have probably doubled in the last yearwhile conversion rates stayed flat...
Same product, different pain points. Segment and personalize.
Q: What if my prospect replies negatively ("Not interested")? Respond graciously and learn from it.
Good response:
No worries, [Name]! Appreciate you letting me know.Out of curiosity, is it just bad timing, or is [pain point] notsomething you're dealing with?
Why this works: shows respect for their time, keeps the door open, and gives you feedback for future campaigns. Sometimes they'll clarify: "Actually, we're dealing with this, but we're already using [competitor]" — now you have useful information.
Q: Should I A/B test my cold emails? Yes, but test the right things.
What to test:
Different pain points (which resonates most?)
Different agitations (which creates urgency?)
Different value-based CTAs (which gets most replies?)
Email length (shorter vs. slightly longer)
What NOT to test:
Open rates (unreliable metric)
Subject line tricks (focus on relevance, not clickbait)
Sending time (minimal impact compared to copy quality)
Test one variable at a time and use reply rate as your success metric.