On Monday, I was reading an article from Sean D’Souza (a veteran marketer for over 29 years) titled:
Why Negotiation Consistently Fails In Real-World Scenario
Sean dived deep into human psychology, revealing the secret weapon behind negotiation outside of a book. The concept was fascinating, yet…
What caught my attention was “how Sean communicated his insights.”
I’m not going to spoil the content here…
But here’s a quick glimpse into the pattern:
– Make a statement
– Tell a story to support that statement
– Make the next statement
– Tell a story to support that statement
(repeating for the whole article)
Why story?
Here’s my take:
Story is a form of dramatic demonstration. It’s the best mechanism for taking the reader on a journey—into your world—understanding your perspective.
Once the reader sees things through your lens…
It makes things believable.
Storytelling is the second best proof you can make…
…besides handing out samples on the aisle of Costco.
Gary Bencivenga, widely known as the world’s greatest living copywriter, famously said, “Proof is the foundation of all effective selling.”
Think about it:
If you’re selling a physical product online, it takes a lot of trust.
There’s no way for your prospects to ‘experience’ your product. They can’t hold your product in their hand. They can’t smell the mouth-watering aroma. They can’t indulge in a delicious small sample. In fact…
They can’t even see the actual packaging—only an image you provided.
Unless…
You help them.
SHOW them the experience through your words—with concrete details and sensory descriptions—to paint a vivid image like a scene in a movie.
To give you an example:
“Stop for a second and imagine:
It’s 6:30 am. Sunlight breaks through the kitchen window, showering the room with a golden mist. The world is still asleep…
And the kitchen is silent.
*creak*
You swing the cabinet door, reaching for a smooth Teabox package.
*zip*
You tear open the package, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. The rich, heady scent—the fresh smell of tea leaves still on the trees just a few weeks ago.
You scoop a little into a pot of gently boiling water.
*burble*
You waited for a few seconds, enjoying the comforting bubbling rhythm.
Then, the first sip.
“Ah…”
Warm spices. Bold tea. Creamy milk. Refreshing flavor. Minty finish. Everything you’re looking for in a Spiced Cardamom Chai.”
(^^this is a sample email I wrote for Teabox^^)
The idea: When people can imagine what it’s like “using your products,” they sell themselves
Cheering for you,
– WYH
PS – The one caveat about email storytelling is…
Not all stories are equal.
If you tell a random story… and make an awkward transition into a hard pitch… it will feel cheesy at best.
This is what separates AI from email storytellers.
AI can give you unlimited story hooks… but only a real storyteller knows which story to use.
(and if you want to find a professional email storyteller, I know a guy)