---
name: pms-research-reference
description: PMS (Problems, Myths, Dreams) research framework — structured audience intelligence before writing copy. Loaded by @copywriter during Phase 3 research.
---

# PMS Research — Problems, Myths/Lies, Dreams

## What is PMS?

PMS is the foundational audience research framework for direct response marketing. Before writing a single word of copy, map the prospect's:

- **P — Problems:** What frustrates them daily? What have they tried that failed?
- **M — Myths & Lies:** What do they believe that isn't true? What has the industry told them that keeps them stuck?
- **S — Dreams:** What do they actually want? What does their ideal outcome look like in specific terms?

Copy that mirrors PMS back to the prospect in their OWN vocabulary converts. Copy that uses marketing speak doesn't.

---

## Where to research PMS

### Tier 1 — High-signal sources (use first)

| Source | What to capture | How to search |
|---|---|---|
| **Amazon reviews** (books in the niche) | Exact phrases describing pain, disappointment, and transformation. 1-star reviews = problems. 5-star reviews = dreams. | Search Amazon for "[topic] book", read reviews of top 5 books |
| **Reddit** | Anonymous, unfiltered language about real problems. Subreddits are niche-specific goldmines. | Search `site:reddit.com "[problem]"` or browse r/[niche] |
| **YouTube comments** | What people say under popular videos about the topic — their questions reveal gaps, their complaints reveal objections. | Find top 5 videos on the topic, read top 50 comments each |
| **Google autocomplete** | What real people are typing — reveals questions, comparisons, and pain language. | Type "[topic] why..." / "[topic] how to..." / "[topic] vs..." |

### Tier 2 — Competitive intelligence

| Source | What to capture |
|---|---|
| **Competitor sales pages** | What promises they make, what language they use, what objections they address |
| **Competitor reviews/testimonials** | The words THEIR customers use to describe results |
| **Facebook Groups** | Questions members ask = problems. Complaints = myths. Success posts = dreams. |
| **Quora** | Longer-form problem descriptions with emotional context |

### Tier 3 — Data validation

| Source | What to capture |
|---|---|
| **Google Trends** | Is interest rising or falling? Seasonal patterns? |
| **Industry reports / studies** | Specific numbers to anchor claims |
| **Forum/community polls** | Quantified pain points |

---

## PMS mapping template

After research, fill this structure:

```markdown
## PMS Map — [Audience / Niche]

### P — Problems (what keeps them up at night)

1. **[Problem in their words]**
   - Frequency: how often mentioned across sources
   - Emotional weight: frustration / shame / anger / fear
   - Quote: "[exact quote from source]" — [source]

2. **[Problem 2]**
   - ...

3. **[Problem 3]**
   - ...

### M — Myths & Lies (what they believe that isn't true)

1. **"[Myth in their words]"**
   - Why they believe it: [who told them / cultural context]
   - The truth: [what's actually correct]
   - Copy angle: how to address this without insulting them

2. **"[Myth 2]"**
   - ...

### S — Dreams (what they actually want)

1. **[Dream in their words]**
   - Specificity: how concretely can they describe it?
   - Emotional core: freedom / status / safety / belonging / health
   - Quote: "[exact quote]" — [source]

2. **[Dream 2]**
   - ...

### Vocabulary Bank
Words and phrases the audience uses repeatedly:
- "[phrase 1]"
- "[phrase 2]"
- "[phrase 3]"
- ...

### Primary Objections (derived from PMS)
1. [Objection]: derived from [Problem/Myth]
2. [Objection]: derived from [Problem/Myth]
```

---

## Example: Complete PMS map — Weight loss niche

### P — Problems

1. **"I lose 5 kg and then gain 7 back"**
   - Frequency: mentioned in 80%+ of diet book reviews
   - Emotional weight: shame + frustration
   - Quote: "Every January I start a new diet. By March I've gained everything back plus more. I'm tired of the cycle." — Amazon review, The Obesity Code

2. **"I don't have time to cook special meals"**
   - Frequency: top 3 complaint in fitness subreddits
   - Emotional weight: guilt (they feel they "should" have time)
   - Quote: "I work 10 hours, have 2 kids. When am I supposed to meal prep for 3 hours on Sunday?" — r/loseit

3. **"I've spent thousands on nutritionists and nothing sticks"**
   - Frequency: common in 2-3 star Amazon reviews
   - Emotional weight: anger at the industry + hopelessness
   - Quote: "R$350 per session, 6 months, and I'm exactly where I started. Expensive failure." — Google review of nutrition clinic

### M — Myths & Lies

1. **"Calories in, calories out is all that matters"**
   - Why they believe it: every doctor, trainer, and magazine says it
   - The truth: hormonal and metabolic factors (insulin, cortisol, thyroid) play a dominant role
   - Copy angle: "Your doctor meant well — but the calorie model was debunked by [study]"

2. **"You need to exercise more to lose weight"**
   - Why they believe it: fitness industry profits from this belief
   - The truth: exercise is excellent for health but accounts for only 10-15% of caloric expenditure
   - Copy angle: "What if the gym was the wrong battle?" (challenge without shaming)

3. **"Eating fat makes you fat"**
   - Why they believe it: 1990s nutritional guidelines, still culturally embedded
   - The truth: healthy fats are essential for metabolic function; sugar is the bigger driver
   - Copy angle: "The 1992 food pyramid was based on politics, not science"

### S — Dreams

1. **"I want to eat without guilt"**
   - Specificity: very concrete — they imagine a dinner where they enjoy food without counting
   - Emotional core: freedom
   - Quote: "I just want to sit at a restaurant with my husband and order what I actually want without calculating macros in my head." — Reddit

2. **"I want to look good in photos again"**
   - Specificity: tied to a specific event or situation (beach, wedding, reunion)
   - Emotional core: belonging / status
   - Quote: "My daughter's wedding is in 6 months. I don't want to hate every photo." — Facebook group

3. **"I want energy to play with my kids"**
   - Specificity: physical activity with children, keeping up
   - Emotional core: love / fear of missing out on family life
   - Quote: "My 6-year-old asked me to run with him and I couldn't keep up for 2 minutes. That was my wake-up call." — YouTube comment

### Vocabulary Bank
- "yo-yo dieting"
- "nothing works for me"
- "slow metabolism"
- "food guilt"
- "cheat day"
- "I've tried everything"
- "my body fights against me"
- "I just want to feel normal"
- "tired of the cycle"

### Primary Objections
1. "I've tried everything and nothing works" → derived from Problem 1
2. "I don't have time for this" → derived from Problem 2
3. "How is this different from the last thing I tried?" → derived from Problem 3 + Myth 1

---

## How PMS maps to the 5 Acts

| PMS element | Where it appears in the 5 Acts |
|---|---|
| Problems | Act 1 (Lead hook — name their pain), Act 3 (Mechanism — why they failed) |
| Myths | Act 3 (Mechanism — invalidate the old belief), Act 5 (FAQ — handle objections) |
| Dreams | Act 1 (Lead — promise the dream), Act 4 (Offer — the product delivers the dream), Act 5 (Two Paths — visualize the dream vs. staying stuck) |
| Vocabulary | Everywhere — use their exact words, not marketing speak |

---

## PMS research rules

1. **Spend 30-60 minutes max** on PMS research. Depth comes from quality of sources, not quantity.
2. **Capture exact quotes** — verbatim language is gold. Paraphrasing dilutes the power.
3. **3 problems, 3 myths, 3 dreams minimum** — if you can't find 3 of each, the niche research isn't deep enough.
4. **Prioritize by emotional weight** — the problem that causes the most shame/frustration is usually the best lead hook.
5. **Save to `researchs/{slug}/pms-map-{date}.md`** for reuse by other agents.
6. **If web search is unavailable:** use LLM knowledge to construct a provisional PMS map. Mark it as `[inferred — not validated]` and recommend the user validate with real audience data.
