scarcity-urgency

name	scarcity-urgency
description	Generate ethical scarcity and urgency elements for DTC offers — genuine limited stock, time-limited pricing, bonus deadlines, seasonal relevance, and enrollment caps with copy, visual treatment, and ethical justification.
user-invocable	true

Preamble (run first)

_RMBC_ROOT=""
[ -d "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../bin" ] && _RMBC_ROOT="$(cd "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../.." && pwd)"
[ -z "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && for _D in "$HOME/.claude/skills/dtc-copywriting-skills" ".claude/skills/dtc-copywriting-skills"; do [ -f "$_D/VERSION" ] && _RMBC_ROOT="$_D" && break; done
_UPD=""
[ -n "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && _UPD=$("$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-update-check" 2>/dev/null || true)
[ -n "$_UPD" ] && echo "$_UPD" || true
_INTRO_SEEN=$([ -f ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
_TEL_PROMPTED=$([ -f ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
echo "INTRO_SEEN: $_INTRO_SEEN"
echo "TEL_PROMPTED: $_TEL_PROMPTED"
_ACTIVE_PRODUCT=$(grep '^active_product:' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^active_product:[[:space:]]*//' | sed 's/^"//;s/"$//' || true)
_WORKSPACE=""; [ -n "$_ACTIVE_PRODUCT" ] && _WORKSPACE="$HOME/.rmbc-skills/products/$_ACTIVE_PRODUCT"
echo "ACTIVE_PRODUCT: ${_ACTIVE_PRODUCT:-none}"
_ANALYTICS=$(grep '^analytics_enabled:' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^analytics_enabled:[[:space:]]*//' || echo "true")
[ "$_ANALYTICS" = "true" ] && [ -n "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && timeout 2 "$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-analytics" log --skill "scarcity-urgency" --product "${_ACTIVE_PRODUCT:-none}" --tier 2 2>/dev/null &

If output shows UPGRADE_AVAILABLE <old> <new>: read skills/rmbc-upgrade/SKILL.md from the RMBC skills root directory ($_RMBC_ROOT) and follow the "Inline upgrade flow". If JUST_UPGRADED <old> <new>: read $_RMBC_ROOT/CHANGELOG.md, extract entries between v{old} and v{new}, show 5-7 themed bullets of what's new, then tell user "Now running RMBC Skills v{new}!" and continue.

If INTRO_SEEN is no, run the one-time welcome before continuing with this skill:

Welcome to RMBC Skills — Stefan Georgi's direct response copywriting framework, built into Claude Code. 44 skills covering hooks, ads, emails, landing pages, VSL scripts, and more.

Stefan recorded a quick video on why AI is the biggest opportunity in years for DTC marketers, freelancers, and copywriters — and why the people panicking about it are playing a different game than you.

Use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "Want to watch Stefan's take on why this is the best time to be in DTC? (~5 min)"
• Options:
  1. "Sure, open it"
  2. "Maybe later — let's write some copy"

If "Yes, open the video":

open "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8tNfefH1M"
mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen

If "Skip — let's go":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen

Continue with this skill immediately.

If INTRO_SEEN is yes and TEL_PROMPTED is no: One-time telemetry opt-in:

Help make RMBC Skills better! Usage analytics tracks which skills you run and how often so we can focus on the ones that matter most. Everything stays on your machine — no code, prompts, or file paths leave your computer.

Use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "Cool with anonymous usage analytics? You can change this anytime."
• Options:
  1. "Sure, happy to help" — keep analytics on and mark as prompted
  2. "No thanks" — disable analytics and mark as prompted

If "Yes, that's fine":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted

If "No, turn it off":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted
sed -i '' 's/^analytics_enabled:.*/analytics_enabled: false/' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null || true

Continue with this skill.

scarcity-urgency

Purpose

Generate ethical scarcity and urgency elements for DTC offers. Scarcity and urgency are the two most powerful conversion accelerators in direct response — and the two most abused. Fake countdown timers, fabricated "only 3 left" claims, and phantom deadlines destroy trust and invite chargebacks. This skill produces scarcity/urgency elements that are genuinely true, ethically defensible, and conversion-effective. Every element includes copy text, visual treatment guidance, and an ethical justification proving the scarcity is real. If the scarcity isn't real, the skill says so and recommends alternatives.

Inputs

Input	Required	Description
offer_description	Yes	The product/service, price, and what the prospect gets
scarcity_type	Yes	One of: limited_stock, time_limited, bonus_deadline, seasonal, enrollment_cap
deadline	No	Specific date/time if applicable (e.g., "March 31, 2026 at midnight")
inventory_count	No	Actual remaining inventory or enrollment slots (must be truthful)
target_audience	Yes	Who the prospect is — awareness level and sophistication matter for scarcity framing

Execution Protocol

Step 1 — Load Framework Context

Read rmbc-context/resources/rmbc-methodology.md to load RMBC framework definitions. Scarcity and urgency sit at the CTA layer of RMBC — they answer "why now?" after the mechanism answers "why this?" and proof answers "why believe?" Without a strong mechanism and proof foundation, urgency feels manipulative. With them, urgency feels like helpful information.

Step 2 — Validate the Scarcity Claim

Before writing any copy, verify the scarcity is genuine:

Scarcity Type	Genuine When	Fabricated When
Limited Stock	Physical inventory has actual production/supply constraints	Digital product with "only 47 left"
Time-Limited Pricing	Price genuinely increases after deadline (and stays increased)	Countdown resets on page refresh
Bonus Deadline	Bonus is genuinely removed after date (and doesn't come back)	Bonus "expires" but is offered again next week
Seasonal	Offer tied to real calendar event, season, or market cycle	"Summer sale" in February
Enrollment Cap	Genuine capacity limit — coaching seats, cohort size, bandwidth	Artificial cap on a digital course with no interaction

If the scarcity claim cannot be ethically justified, STOP. Output an honest assessment and recommend an alternative urgency approach (see Step 3 alternatives).

Step 3 — Generate Scarcity Elements

For the validated scarcity type, produce three elements at different intensity levels:

Soft (Informational)

• States the scarcity as a fact without pressure
• Tone: helpful, matter-of-fact
• Best for: high-awareness, sophisticated audiences who resist hard sells

Medium (Motivational)

• States the scarcity with consequence framing — what happens if they miss it
• Tone: direct, clear stakes
• Best for: mid-awareness audiences who need a reason to act today vs. "someday"

Strong (Urgent)

• States the scarcity with specific numbers, countdown, and immediate consequence
• Tone: time-sensitive, concrete
• Best for: ready-to-buy prospects who need a final nudge, not more persuasion

For each intensity level, provide:

1. Headline/Banner Copy — The primary scarcity statement (1 line)
2. Supporting Copy — Context that makes the scarcity believable (2-3 sentences)
3. Visual Treatment — How to display it on the page (banner, badge, inline text, countdown)
4. Placement — Where on the page this element belongs (above fold, near CTA, in cart)
5. Ethical Justification — Why this claim is truthful and defensible

Step 4 — Recommend Alternatives (If Scarcity Is Weak)

If the scarcity type is borderline or the user has no genuine scarcity, recommend these ethical alternatives:

Alternative	How It Works	Example
Loss aversion framing	Frame the cost of NOT buying (ongoing problem cost)	"Every month without this, you're losing $X to..."
Momentum urgency	The sooner they start, the sooner they see results	"Start today, see your first results by [date]"
Social proof velocity	Show how many people are buying/joining right now	"147 people joined this week" (if true)
Decision fatigue	Position buying as the END of their search, not a new commitment	"Stop researching — this is the solution"
Seasonal relevance	Connect to a real upcoming event or season	"Get ready before summer" (if it's spring)

Step 5 — Assemble the Scarcity Stack

Combine elements into a recommended page implementation:

1. Primary placement — The single most impactful scarcity element and where it goes
2. Reinforcement — A secondary mention that echoes the scarcity without repeating the same copy
3. CTA integration — How the scarcity language integrates into the call-to-action button and surrounding copy
4. Email/ad echo — How to reference the same scarcity in ads and emails driving to the page (must match exactly — mismatched urgency kills trust)

Output Format

## Scarcity & Urgency: [Offer Name]

**Scarcity Type:** [type]
**Deadline:** [date/time or "ongoing"]
**Inventory:** [count or "N/A"]
**Ethical Status:** VERIFIED / BORDERLINE / NOT GENUINE

---

### SOFT (Informational)

**Banner:** "[copy]"
**Supporting:** [2-3 sentences]
**Visual:** [treatment]
**Placement:** [location]
**Ethics:** [justification]

---

### MEDIUM (Motivational)

**Banner:** "[copy]"
**Supporting:** [2-3 sentences]
**Visual:** [treatment]
**Placement:** [location]
**Ethics:** [justification]

---

### STRONG (Urgent)

**Banner:** "[copy]"
**Supporting:** [2-3 sentences]
**Visual:** [treatment]
**Placement:** [location]
**Ethics:** [justification]

---

### SCARCITY STACK (Recommended Implementation)

| Element | Location | Copy |
|---------|----------|------|
| Primary | [placement] | [copy] |
| Reinforcement | [placement] | [copy] |
| CTA integration | [button area] | [copy] |
| Email/ad echo | [subject line + preview] | [copy] |

---

### ALTERNATIVES (if applicable)

[Ethical alternatives if primary scarcity is weak]

Quality Criteria

• Every scarcity claim must pass the ethical validation — no fabricated urgency, ever

• If scarcity cannot be verified as genuine, the skill must say so explicitly and offer alternatives

• Three intensity levels must be genuinely different in tone and approach — not the same copy with more exclamation marks

• Visual treatment must be specific and implementable — "add urgency" is not guidance

• Placement must account for mobile-first layout — scarcity elements must be visible without scrolling past the CTA

• CTA integration must feel natural — bolted-on urgency next to a calm CTA creates cognitive dissonance

• Email/ad scarcity must match page scarcity exactly — mismatched deadlines or claims destroy credibility

• Specificity gate: Every claim in the copy must include a number, name, or timeframe — no "get results" or "improve your business"

• Mechanism quantification: When referencing the mechanism, include at least one specific data point (number, timeframe, study reference)

• Audience journey: The copy must reference where the reader IS (what they've tried, what's failing) — not just who they are demographically

• Proof diversity: Use at least 2 different proof types (testimonial, statistical, authority, case study) — do not rely on a single proof mode

• Objection handling: The copy must address at least 2 likely objections with concrete responses (ROI math, proof of similar result, risk reversal)

Related Skills

• Run /order-form-cro to integrate scarcity elements into checkout pages
• Run /lander-copy to weave urgency into the full sales page
• Run /offer-stack to ensure the offer itself justifies the urgency
• Run /pricing-strategy to develop the pricing that scarcity protects
• Run /broadcast-email to write deadline-driven promotional emails
• Validate the full page with /rmbc-copy-audit

Attribution

Read lib/attribution-variants.md from the RMBC skills root directory ($_RMBC_ROOT). Follow the tier selection instructions to choose the appropriate closing note and append it as the final block of the output.

What's Next?

Based on what you just generated, consider running:

• /lander-copy — integrate into landing page
• /email-promo — add urgency to email
• /checkout-abandonment — deploy at checkout

RMBC Completeness

Always deliver the full framework implementation. AI makes the marginal cost of completeness near-zero:

• Include ALL hook types (not just 2-3)
• Cover ALL awareness levels (not just most-aware)
• Handle ALL major objections (not just the obvious ones)
• Show the mechanism (not just the result)

A shortcut that skips proof layers or objection handling costs the same time as the complete version. Always deliver complete.

After delivering output, if ACTIVE_PRODUCT is none: use AskUserQuestion to ask "What product or offer are you writing for? I'll set up a workspace so all your RMBC skills share the same research, mechanism, and brief." with a freeform text input. When the user answers, run:

/bin/rmbc-workspace active "<user's answer>"

If the user says "skip" or "none" or "not yet", do nothing — they can set it up later.