6 Reasons why your boring, everyday life is the perfect topic for emails
So. You want to start using storytelling to engage your audience and create true connections…
But your life is kind of, how do I put this… boring. Nothing exciting happens to you. You live a fairly “normal” life, you don’t have any celebrity friends, and your idea of fun is drinking a half-strength marg while sitting on your patio watching the sunset because it’s almost 9pm and that’s your bedtime. (I’m exaggerating a bit here… but if it IS really you. I feel you. Really. This is practically me.)
So, why on earth would people want to hear about your mundane life?
Because it’s PERFECT for writing about!
Don’t believe me? Read on 😉
Your simple stories are better than grandiose tales
First of all, I want to acknowledge that sharing your personal stories can be kind of… scary. There’s the fear of being judged, feeling self-conscious about what you’re going to say, and the worry of not knowing how to make something mediocre into something somewhat interesting.
But what happens when you stop making it about you? Because all of those 👆🏻 things ? That’s who they’re focused on.
Turn your attention to the reader and it becomes:
My stories will help the people in my community
The things I have to share will make them feel seen
I know what I have to say will show them I understand them
And the stories you use as the basis for your writing aren’t going to do anything but entertain them if you’re trying to pull some huge fairy tale out of thin air. Not that entertaining isn’t nice and all. But you want to do more than that.
Honestly, you don’t even need to have an overly dramatic or exciting life to tell great stories. The most powerful stories often come from ordinary, everyday life.
Your lived experiences, insights, ah-ha moments, and random ideas are what people in your community are actually looking for.
And it’s sharing those very things that will help you build trust and a genuine connection with your readers… something you’re ALL looking for.
So, why are your authentic stories the best ones around?
One. They’re relatable
There’s nothing better than getting an email response like, “How the hell did you know this is what I was thinking?” or “It’s like this email was written for me!”
Showing your readers you’re a real life person with real life problems and real life successes helps them realize that we’re really all in this together. They’ll feel they can learn from you because you’ve been there.
Two. They create connections
Sharing stories is an invitation to your readers: hey, friend, come with me on this wild adventure we call life. You’re giving them a peek into the things you experience like you’d do with a friend. And when you encourage them to take your stories as a way to reflect on their own life and reply to your emails, you’re building an even stronger connection with your community.
Three. They inspire
Take a look at where you are now. You have clients/customers. You have an email list, a social media following, a badass offer you’ve built and put out into the world to serve others.
Did you have that five years ago? A year ago? Six months ago?
Your readers may be sitting in the spot you were before your journey began. They may be feeling overwhelmed, defeated, unsure, and scared. Overcoming mindset shifts, learning new skills, and taking a leap into the unknown are all terrifying at times. But they can all be done. You get to show that to your readers.
Four. They differentiate you
The internet is a biiiiiig place. And you’re just one of tens (hundreds?) of thousands of people that do what you do. That’s not said to scare you, there’s plenty of work out there for all of us. But how are you going to set yourself apart from the rest? Can you take a guess?
I’ll give you a moment.
.
.
.
Your stories.
Did you see that coming?! You’re on to me 😉
Now, more than ever, people are looking for brands, companies, service providers, etc. that they feel connected to. That could be through the things you stand for, the way you put yourself out there, your interests and hobbies, your ethics. It could be anything. But your stories are going to be how people see the real you and choose you to help them in their struggles.
Five. They engage
Beyond entertainment, people are nosy AF. And I say that with love. They want to know what’s going on, all the time, in all the places. They want to see the behind the scenes of YOU. Now, don’t go sharing all the nitty gritty details of eeeeverything. Please, pick and choose what you share. Just know people are going to be super excited when they feel like they’re getting exclusive access to the show that is your life.
Six. They help YOU become a better storyteller
As you dig deeper into sharing stories from your own life, you start to identify little glimpses of excitement in your otherwise very normal life. You become aware of the “oh! That would make for a good story!” moments. You take note of how you feel or what you learned. You decide what you’re going to share just because it was funny as hell and you know your readers would love a good laugh. What does it have to do with anything? You’ll figure that out later.
Oh, and I’ve got a free guide to help you with some of this email storytelling stuff too: Make Your Emails Unforgettable 😏
Where to uncover the juicy stories
When I say your stories can come from literally any part of your life, I mean it. But that’s pretty broad and I know it can be overwhelming when you don’t even know where to start looking.
Think about some of your favorite books or all the stories you love. There’s usually some sort of conflict, right? Now I’m not talking about a huge multi-family battle that’s been going on for centuries ro wrestlers hitting each other upside the head with a folding chair… but I’m also not not talking about that if that’s what you’re going through. No judgment.
I’ve written about saving a bee from a black widow. On that same day I ended up adding an extra mile to my hike because I went down a deer trail. Heh, oops.
I’ve shared about the internal struggles I’ve faced (as well as many freelancers/entrepreneurs) when you feel like you can’t take a break because there’s TOO much to get done.
I’ve written about starting a gratitude practice, discovering why I love my nature hikes so much, and being pissed because a friend unsubscribed from my list but then later realizing it was a good thing.
And while I write about all of that in my blog posts…
My weekly emails are where we really get into the stories.
And also, between you and me, you don’t always have to share things that happened to YOU. Maybe you were standing in line at the grocery store and overheard a conversation. Did it involve you? Not technically. But it became part of your life and now you’ve got some extra material to work with. Thank you, random strangers!
So where else can you uncover some stories worth sharing?
Here’s a long-ass list to get you started:
Hidden talents
Unpopular opinions
Childhood dreams
Adult dreams (um, not those kind)
Unique perspectives
Unusual hobbies
Regular hobbies
Personal challenges
Adventures at your local [insert place here]
Failed experiences
Lessons learned from failed experiences
Weird coincidences
Funny moments
Bizarre family traditions
Pivotal moments in your life
Small (or big) celebrations and wins
Overheard conversations
Something new you tried
Something new you want to try
Weird food combos you like
Embarrassing moments that you laugh at now
Important values you hold
Stories other people tell about you and why they’re right/wrong
Mistakes you’ve made and what you learned
Passions outside of business (and how it impacts your biz)
Ah-ha insights from mentors
How you impacted someone else
Unexpected encounters
Okay… so… maybe now you see that when I say you can share stories about literally anything. I meant it 😅
I could go on and on and on, but I want to sign off and close my computer before 7 tonight. It’s still possible!
Your stories can be related just to your biz, or just to your personal life, or they can be a combo of the two. Feel free to switch it up too. And remember, as you start writing, you’ll become more aware of the deeper meanings behind your stories. You can share the feelings, emotions, and sensations you uncover that allow your readers to really feel what you’re talking about.
If you haven’t grabbed this free guide yet, get on it! I’ll help you make more sense of storytelling in your emails so you can get started asap!
So what are you going to write about for your next email? Something from this list, or something I didn’t mention?
And if you’re thinking, okay, I can get the whole story thing down but I don’t want to be the one to actually write it… I get it. That might not be your thing!
But it *is* mine 😉
Let’s chat and see how I can support your biz with all things email copywriting and marketing strategy!
👇🏻
