# Action Filter Example: Hairdresser Newsletter

**VTC Context:** Hairdresser newsletter signup

**Action Filter:**

```yaml
action_filter:
  required_action:
    description: "Click the 'Start Staying Ahead' button to begin email signup"
    success_criteria: "User clicks with confidence, clear on what they'll get"

  business_impact:
    connection: "Email capture drives 500 newsletter signups goal"
    logic: "Click button → Enter email → Confirm subscription → New subscriber"

  user_motivation:
    positive_driver: "Satisfies wish to 'be local beauty authority' by getting trend info"
    negative_driver: "Addresses fear of 'missing industry trends' with regular updates"

  essential_information:
    - "WHAT they'll get: Weekly trend alerts (enables confident click)"
    - "HOW OFTEN: Every Monday (sets expectation, reduces uncertainty)"
    - "TIME INVESTMENT: 60 seconds per trend (shows it's manageable)"
    - "SOCIAL PROOF: 2,000 stylists (reduces risk, builds trust)"
    - "COMMITMENT LEVEL: Free, cancel anytime (removes fear barrier)"

  cut_list:
    - "Company founding story (doesn't enable signup action)"
    - "Technical newsletter platform details (irrelevant to action)"
    - "Full team bios (nice but doesn't reduce barriers)"

  action_barriers:
    - barrier: "Fear of email overload"
      solution: "Weekly (not daily), 60-second reads, unsubscribe anytime"
    - barrier: "Uncertainty about value"
      solution: "Specific: 'Top 5 trends' + testimonial about client reactions"
    - barrier: "Distrust of free offers"
      solution: "2,000 stylists already using it (social proof)"
```

---

## Analysis

**Required Action:**
"Click signup button with confidence" - specific, observable behavior

**Business Connection:**
Click → Email capture → Subscription → 500 signups goal

**User Motivation:**
- Wish: "Be beauty authority" → Gets trend info
- Fear: "Miss trends" → Regular updates

**Essential Information (5 elements):**
All focused on enabling confident click by addressing barriers:
1. What: Weekly trend alerts (clarifies offering)
2. When: Every Monday (sets expectation)
3. Time: 60 seconds (shows manageable)
4. Proof: 2,000 stylists (builds trust)
5. Commitment: Free, cancel anytime (removes risk)

**Cut List (3 elements):**
All "nice to know" but don't enable the action:
- Company story (impressive but irrelevant)
- Technical details (doesn't reduce barriers)
- Team bios (interesting but unnecessary)

**Barriers Addressed (3):**
Each barrier gets specific content solution:
- Email overload → "Weekly, 60 seconds, unsubscribe"
- Uncertainty → "Top 5 trends + testimonial"
- Distrust → "2,000 using it" (social proof)

---

## Key Insights

**Information is filtered through action:**
- Only 5 essential elements kept
- 3 "nice to know" elements cut
- Everything serves the signup action

**Barriers drive content:**
- Each barrier identified gets targeted content
- Not generic "benefits" but specific barrier removal
- Content is strategic, not decorative

**Business + User alignment:**
- Action serves business goal (email capture → signups)
- Action serves user motivation (authority wish, trends fear)
- Win-win: both parties get what they need

---

_Example demonstrating Action Mapping for hairdresser newsletter signup_
