You’re probably subscribed to at least a few email newsletters. Most of us are, in this age of the internet and information galore. But I bet there are some you read all the way through, some that you skim, and others that you delete without even opening.
Go unsubscribe to those newsletters right now! (That’s a topic for a different blog post, though.)
Why do you read some until the end and others not-so-much?
The answer: STORY.
I’m willing to bet that the email newsletters you love the most are rife with stories—they may be funny stories, uplifting stories, motivating stories, horror stories, cautionary stories …
We humans are natural-born storytellers and storyseekers! We look for ways to relate to one another and to find our place in this vast Universe that we live in, often through story. It’s how we bond. So by strengthening your storytelling mojo, you just might strengthen your bond with your readers as well.
Here are 3 great reasons to start telling more stories in your email newsletters:
1. Storytelling Helps Your Audience Relate to You
Telling stories makes you relatable, which strengthens your bond with your readers. Humans are fascinating bundles of experiences. And if you’re quietly grumbling to yourself right now that your life is pretty boring and mediocre and you don’t have any interesting stories, I’m not going to let you get off that easy. No way!
Everyone has stories to share with the world about lessons they’ve learned, funny things that have happened to them, interesting encounters, sadness and heartbreak … every story you share with your readers and with the world could potentially be the exact words that someone needs to read right now. You never know!
Sharing yourself and all that you’ve experienced is one of the greatest gifts that you can give to the world and to your readers. They’ll think you’re waaaay more interesting if you talk about what’s really going on with you than if you solely send out promotional emails and lists of upcoming events.
2. Storytelling Makes Writing Your Email Newsletters a Breeze
Telling stories actually makes it easier to write your email newsletter, because all you have to do when you sit down to write is think about what’s happened to you recently that could be of value to your readers. Obviously you’ll want your stories to be tied into your business and whatever you normally write about, but your life is ripe with content.
For example, maybe you’re a musician with an upcoming gig you want to promote in your newsletter. Perhaps you could lead into it by telling your readers about this really funny thing that happened with your drummer in rehearsal last week, and how you don’t know if you’ll make it through your next gig without cracking up about it. Oh, and by the way, readers—you should probably come to the gig, because it’s going to be the best time ever!
See how that works? Tell a story; invite people into your world. Interesting things that are share-worthy happen all the time—start thinking about what’s happened in your world lately that your readers might be interested in!
3. Storytelling Helps You Strengthen Your Brand Message
If your brand is all about caring for the Earth, you could share personal stories about how ridiculously excited you were about the new water-saving showerhead you purchased. If your brand is all about punk music, you could write about an amazing punk show you went to and share a pic of you and you friends there.
Stories give your brand more depth. They can show that you’re walking your talk, so to speak. My brand is all about color, happiness, and moving boldly toward your dreams, so you can bet that the stories I share in my email newsletters are related to those ideas.
What is your brand all about? What stories can you share about yourself and from your life to deepen that message?
Start keeping a small notepad with you so you can write down interesting things that happen, funny things that you see, strange encounters you have, conversations you overhear … it’s all fodder for amazing email newsletters!