Just like that secret ingredient your grandma adds to her famous (INSERT YOUR GRANDMA’S BEST DISH), adding stories to your emails is essential to make it crave-worthy. Think about it. They’ve already got a taste of what you have to offer and signed up for your list. Now it’s time to expand their palette with flavorful ideas and insights wrapped up in a blanket of interesting stories that keep them coming back for seconds (and thirds!)

But if you’re like many service providers I know, writing engaging emails might not be your thing.

In fact you’d rather do anything but write… You’d rather spend your time engaging, connecting, and helping your audience achieve whatever their goals.

But guess what? You can do ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL of that when your emails are engaging, story-driven and oh-so-read-worthy!

So if you’re here trying to figure out how to transform your email list into the go-to place for people looking for (INSERT YOUR EXPERTISE) expertise. Then you’ve come to the right place.

But first…

Why do stories work?

As humans, we’re wired for stories. Long before there were TVs, podcasts, and books, people gathered around campfires, passed down tales from generation to generation, and created myths and legends. Stories allow us to connect and empathize with the experiences of others. They add color to our imaginations and transport us to, well…wherever we want to go!

It’s why people still go to the movies, read books, and why a show like Survivor is on its 44th season! 

I’ve never really watched the show, but I do still hear people talking about it. Why? The drama, the backstabbing, and of course, the adventures.

While you don’t have to have drama in your emails. Or people trying to vote each other off. Adding a story can help make your message more memorable. Sticky. Relevant. The perfect appetizer to the offer you’re brewing up.

And if you’re a service provider looking to build your audience and serve a wider audience with your own course or membership, building your email list and keeping people engaged isn’t just important. It’s a must. 

How do you insert storytelling in your emails?

In this blog, we’ll answer two questions, how to insert storytelling into your emails and what story to tell. Let’s start with how.

There are three spots where you can add a bit of storytelling in your emails.

1. Your subject line – A curiosity-driven, cliff hanger-esque subject line gets your email opened.

If you want your audience to open their inbox and choose your email over the dozens of unopened emails in your inbox, you need a subject line that creates curiosity. You want to give no other choice but to click on it and see what’s on the other side. Subject lines should open a loop in your reader’s mind and get them to say, “What is it?” “and then what happened?” or “Tell me more!”

Examples of subject lines could be: “Rocky Road or Chocolate Brownie?“Don’t forget this…” “This distracted me” 

See what I mean about the open loop? Each one leaves you wondering what they’re talking about.

2. Your introduction – Your first line sets the tone for the entire email.

Do you get down to business right away? Or do you start with a story to draw ‘em in to keep reading? There’s a time and place for both. 

But let’s say you started with a story. You don’t have to give them all of this backstory to set up the scene. Just drop your readers in the middle of the action like you would a friend. 

For example:

“I was on my way to work one day when I saw a sign for the new iPhone.” 

Or you can start with a question that brings them in and then go into your story. 

“You know that noise your car makes when you’ve got a flat tire? It’s pretty scary, right?

An added bonus to storytelling is the opportunity to share a little bit more about yourself…creating a bond that adds (hopefully) points to your “like” category and helps you create that trust with them. 

3. Your visuals – Make your story extra memorable by adding an image (or gif) to your email.

Maybe there’s a photo that goes with your story or a particular gif that goes with the pop culture reference you made; add it in there! 

For example, I told a story about my foster dog, Becky. I included this cute photo of her to add more context to the story. (She’s cute, right?)

What story should I tell?

Finding the right story is all about finding the right combination of flavors to introduce your message. This can be anything…even the most mundane detail can turn into a story that leads to your point.

Like the email that brought you here, I started telling you about the people who applied to adopt my foster dog, Becky, and how they made it a point to connect with me only to transition to the importance of finding something relatable to your audience. 

A story can be short. Subtle. Nothing dramatic or distracting. It just needs to draw your reader in and make it easier to understand the point you’re trying to make.

So here’s how to get started:

Start by thinking about what you want to write about. What messages do you want to get out there in your weekly newsletter? Or, if you’re working on launch emails, make a list of each email’s job.

Then make a second column to brainstorm stories of random, mundane events, common challenges, or universal experiences that your target audience can relate to

Seems simple enough, right? Well, it is. Sometimes. Even with all the writing I do, I can get stuck sometimes trying to find a story that relates.

So when that happens, I might start with a question. Or some random story that I read on the news. Or even a quote people may have heard. 

And if you’re really stuck, you can turn to your new friend AI to help you brainstorm some questions about mundane events in your life that you can tie to whatever point your email is trying to make. 

How to use AI to brainstorm story prompts 

If you’ve tried ChatGPT, you know how it works. You give it a prompt and then it spits out what you’re asking.

(Yes. Very much like a Magic 8 Ball)

So if you’re writing emails, and you’re stuck on what story to start with. You can brainstorm ideas with ChatGPT. 

So I typed in the following prompt: “Imagine you are copywriter, and you want to reach professional and creative service providers. Come up with a series of story questions related to mundane events to work in business emails about my origin story.”

(That was my exact prompt btw)

That prompt kicked out the following questions for me to start thinking about potential stories to use in writing your emails.

1. Have you ever had a moment of frustration with a mundane daily task that sparked the idea for our business?
2. Can you guess what simple, everyday event led to the creation of our business?
3. Have you ever encountered an everyday inconvenience that made you think, “There has to be a better way?” That’s exactly how our business was born.
4. How did a regular conversation with a friend or family member inspire the vision behind our business?
5. What seemingly ordinary moment made us realize the potential for our unique product or service?
6. Can you imagine how a routine task inspired us to develop an innovative approach in our business?
7. How did an everyday encounter with a stranger shape our perspective and motivate us to start our own business?
8. Can you guess how a regular day at work led to the realization of our business idea?
9. How did a simple observation during our daily routine inspire us to launch a business that fills a gap in the market?
10. Have you ever had a moment of clarity during a mundane activity that pushed you to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams? 

Hopefully, something on the list gets the creative juices flowing and you start remembering stories that you could use for your email.

Or maybe you want to talk about your process. You can change up the prompt to get get you a different set of questions/prompts to work with.

“Imagine you are [Insert what you do], and you want to reach [describe your ICA]. Come up with a series of story questions related to [type of events] events to work in business emails about my [which aspect of your business].”

Give it a try, and let’s see what you come up with. 

Your emails + engaging stories = must reads!

You might be thinking, if it can do that, can’t ChatGPT write the emails for me? I’m sure you’ve heard that it can. Sort of. But without your curiosity-piquing subject lines, your engaging story-driven introductions, and memorable images, well…your emails might blend in with everyone else’s. This isn’t a diss on using AI, though. ChatGPT is a great tool for brainstorming and research. It’s like having a research assistant / junior copywriter at your service anytime.

So now it’s your turn. Was your goal to send out an email per week? Or maybe you’ve got a launch sequence just waiting to be written. Brainstorm some ideas of potential stories you can infuse into your emails. Start by making a list of the job to be done by each email, and then start thinking of potential stories to deliver the message.

Need help coming up with a strategy for your emails? Or maybe you want to have a cohesive message throughout your emails that tie in your stories and make a stronger impact on your audience, so they’ll follow you wherever you take them.

I’d love to hop on a call with you to discuss how a messaging roadmap can help you do that in your next launch. 

Have we met? I’m Ren btw!

I’m a conversion copywriter and brand voice and messaging strategist for online service providers who are launching 1: to many offers and courses. 

If you enjoyed this blog, then you’ll want to get on my email list. I love sharing stories from in and around the copywriting world as well as fun facts about history and behavior science, and of course, storytelling. 

And if you’re looking to get your launch copy or web copy done well and done fast, my VIP Copy Week might be the thing you need. When you book, you’ll get a lite brand voice analysis, in-depth VOC research, and your copy all done without the weeks and months of back and forth trying to get it “just right.” 

Or if you’ve got a sales page that’s not performing as well as you want, but you’re not sure what it needs. You can book grab SHINE Sales Page Copy audit. You’ll get a thorough 5-point audit of your sales page copy and wireframing, as well as rewrites of your most important sections. 

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