You have a headline that’s “fine.” You know it could be better but you don’t have time to brainstorm 10 versions. This skill takes any piece of marketing copy and generates 5+ variants, each using a different psychological framework. Every variant is labeled so you know what angle it’s testing.
What Makes This a Claude Code Skill
Claude Code reads your project context — brand voice, target audience, existing copy — to generate variants that actually fit your brand. Unlike generic AI copy tools, it labels each variant with the framework behind it (urgency, social proof, curiosity gap, etc.), so you know what you’re testing and can learn which angles work for your audience over time.
The command file lives at .claude/commands/ab-variants.md.
What Gets Generated
For each input piece of copy, you get 5+ variants using frameworks like:
- Social Proof — “Join 2,400 marketers who switched this month”
- Loss Aversion — “Your competitors already automated this”
- Urgency — “14 days. Zero risk. Full access.”
- Curiosity Gap — “The email trick that doubled our reply rate”
- Specificity — “Save 11 hours/week on content creation”
- Authority — “Used by 47% of Fortune 500 marketing teams”
- Contrast — “Stop guessing. Start testing.”
Each variant is labeled with the framework so you can track what resonates.
Setup
Create .claude/commands/ab-variants.md:
Generate A/B test variants for this copy: $ARGUMENTS
## Step 1: Context
Read the project's brand voice guidelines, existing copy, and target audience info (if available) to ensure variants match the brand.
## Step 2: Analyze the Original
Identify:
- What type of copy this is (headline, subject line, CTA, ad copy, tagline)
- The current psychological angle (if any)
- The core value proposition being communicated
- Character/word constraints (especially for subject lines and CTAs)
## Step 3: Generate Variants
Create 5-8 variants, each using a different framework:
- **Social Proof**: Reference numbers, users, or community
- **Loss Aversion**: Frame what they'll miss or lose
- **Urgency**: Time pressure or scarcity (only if authentic)
- **Curiosity Gap**: Create an open loop the reader wants to close
- **Specificity**: Replace vague claims with exact numbers
- **Authority**: Reference expertise, data, or credible sources
- **Contrast**: Before/after or problem/solution juxtaposition
- **Direct Benefit**: Lead with what the reader gets
For each variant:
1. The copy itself
2. Framework label in brackets
3. One-line rationale for why this angle might win
## Step 4: Testing Recommendation
Suggest:
- Which 2-3 variants to test first (most different from each other)
- What to measure (opens, clicks, conversions depending on copy type)
- Minimum sample size for statistical significance
## Output
Print all variants with labels and testing recommendations to terminal.Usage
/project:ab-variants "Start your free trial today"Returns variants like:
- “Join 2,400 marketers who switched this month” [Social Proof]
- “Your competitors already automated this” [Loss Aversion]
- “14 days. Zero risk. Full access.” [Specificity + Urgency]
- “What happens when you stop writing copy manually?” [Curiosity Gap]
- “Save 11 hours/week on marketing. Start free.” [Direct Benefit]
Tips
- Works best for headlines, email subject lines, CTA buttons, and ad copy
- Test the most different variants against each other — don’t A/B test two social proof variants
- Keep a log of which frameworks win for your audience — patterns emerge fast
- This is for generating variants, not full ad sets — use Ad Creative Generator for complete campaign copy