7 Ways to write a hook for your story-driven emails

So you finally figured out the story you want to use in your email. You’ve got all the details down perfectly in your head, you could practically write the thing without even thinking. 

You sit down to start writing and… wait. Where should you even start?

Is the first part of your story even exciting enough to make people stick around until the magic happens further in the email?

And a long-winded intro or back story is going to leave your readers confused, overwhelmed, and deleting your email before they even get to that good stuff.

Oh, and “once upon a time” just doesn’t cut it anymore 😆

The first sentence of your email is important as hell.

So you don’t want to mess it up.

This intro sentence is the hook of your email …well, besides the subject line. But we’re talking the actual meat of your email today and that little one-liner is an entirely different beast.

Why do you need a hook?

The purpose of your hook is simple: to be so intriguing, attention-grabbing, thought-provoking, etc., that the reader just HAS to continue reading. They MUST know what happens next and will drop what they were doing to read the rest of your email to find out.

So basically, it makes them want to read more.

And in a time where people’s attention spans seem to be shorter than that of a goldfish (I mean, do people even read these blog posts?? 🤔)...

Getting them to read just one more sentence can be quite the challenge.

But how do you create an interesting hook when your story just isn’t interesting? Ummm, well…

First of all - it’s not as boring as you think, so give yourself some credit (and, ahem, see this blog post).

And second - remember, it’s not always about what happened… but the emotions, feelings, lessons learned, etc. that make the story important. And that shit isn’t boring! 

My goal for this post is to give you a quick reference of ways you can start the story in your email.

Bookmark it, save it, print it out… So you can come back to it when it’s time to start writing.

And hopefully, with some time and practice, you won’t need to take a peek at it as much anymore.

I’ll be like a proud mama on graduation day. 

Let’s write some kickass hooks 😉

7 Ways to begin your story

Here’s a list of 7 ways you can start your emails, along with some examples for each. 

A few examples, I’ve taken from the weekly emails I send to my amazing community of subscribers… while others are from emails I actually subscribe to.

Don’t worry, I give them credit 😁

One. Lead with emotion

Think about the transformation that happened in your story. Instead of focusing on WHAT happened, focus on how you felt in that moment. Then, dig into WHY you felt that way.

-Have you ever felt XYZ?

-I had a pretty intense realization a few days ago. After XYZ happened…

-Have you ever gotten halfway through a bad day and thought about just throwing in the towel?

Two. Emphasize a random detail

Look for a part of your story that, when taken out of context, provokes curiosity and maybe even sparks a little bit of “what the hell! Why?” The reader will have to keep on reading to figure out why you said that! 

-Legit question. Have you ever saved a bumble bee from a black widow?

-Rob and I are really good at ruining things - like the lives of copywriters, worldwide. ← Kira Hug

-She sat down next to me with a look I immediately knew, as Taylor would say, all too well. ← Jen Olmstead

Three. Start with disbelief

Make a comment about how your past self would neeeever believe the moment your present self experienced. Then use the story to explain what got you to that moment.

-I never thought writing an email would have me nearly sweating.

-Was I dreaming or did this really happen? After I pinched myself, I remembered, yup, it’s real.

-True story: I grew my business from $50K to $500K in 2 years by telling stories about my grandpa. ← Marisa Corcoran

Four. Pull a direct quote

If your story uses some dialogue, take one of those lines and pop it right at the top of your email. See if you can find a line that digs into some emotion, filling your reader’s heart or making them think wtf! 

It’ll make them wonder what happened in the story to cause the character to say that.

-”A kid just asked me if I could suggest help for his calf injury.“

-”No one really wants to go to in-person events these days…” ← Laura Belgray

-”Why didn’t I just buy the stupid milk?” ← Brenna McGowan

Five. Take a stance

Make a no BS statement that relates to your story and shares your stance on (or your experience with) the topic in your email. Don’t be afraid to tell the truth about how you really feel… especially because your story will dig into why.

-I seem to have a love-hate relationship with water.

-It takes some real grit & perseverance to be an entrepreneur. ← Jenna Kutcher

-Making the big move from 9-5 to full-time freedom is one of the most satisfying, terrifying, and stressful decisions that anyone can make. ← Alex Cattoni

Six. Ask a plot-twist question

Start by asking your reader a question in which they think the answer is obvious, but then your story reveals that what they thought is actually not the case.

-When I say “pivot,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

-Has a rock ever held special meaning to you?

-You know how people say you need a "swipe file?" ←Brenna McGowan

Seven. Work in reverse

Many of your emails will naturally do this when you focus on storytelling but it’s worth calling out in its own bullet. Begin with a statement, then go back in time to share the events that lead to that moment.

-So, I experienced a core memory in my distant past. But, it wasn’t a positive one.

-I was a party girl in college. ← Krystal Proffitt

-Have you ever been in the right room, at the right time? Nah, me either… until - for the first time in my life - I was. ← Jasmine Star

Storytelling is such a powerful approach to use in your emails, but it’s not going to be effective if no one reads past the first line 😉

If you’re still stuck on how to write story-driven emails, this free guide will help!

Now, I’m curious, which of these hook approaches are you already using or are most excited to try?