You might be tempted to believe that your everyday life isn’t all that interesting, but that isn’t true. In fact, many people find business owners inherently interesting. It’s rare to own a business. What do you do to make it work? What is a day in your life like?
Giving your newsletter a “slice of life” appeal isn’t just good for business. It’s good for adding a human touch and giving your readers a reason to pause their fast-paced lifestyles to laugh, cry, or learn. And that just happens to be good for business and your ROI, too.
Here’s our team’s collective wisdom on leveraging your everyday stories to express your authenticity and work ethic, which reflects amazingly on your business in 2022.
It impresses us when a storyteller proves that they’ve shared similar feelings and experiences to us.
What Makes Your Stories Interesting And Authentic?
Is the blank page staring at you? Or maybe your interview with your Newsletter Pro writer is in 10 minutes, but the only significant topic that’s coming to your head is the sandwich you ate for lunch. All other ideas don’t seem interesting to you, or they don’t seem like they’d come off authentically. What do you rely on?
The truth is that while people love hearing the exaggerated adventures of someone’s quirky lifestyle, readers also love when they recognize that they’re not alone. It impresses us when a storyteller proves that they’ve shared similar feelings and experiences to us. After sharing your kitchen failure that occurred last Thanksgiving, you might be surprised by how people respond to that. Not only do they relate, but they also feel connected to you and, by extension, your company.
For example, we recently had a client that shared a story about how he had to leave in the middle of a Valentine’s Day dinner with his wife for a work emergency. It was a super relatable story about juggling priorities and being forced to make tough choices, but it also proved how much he cares about his clients — and he even threw in a few jokes! Readers loved it.
If you really can’t think of anything to share, you still might be overestimating how “big” your story needs to be. What kinds of stories do you tell your spouse, kids, or friends after a day at work? A story that you feel compelled to share is probably worth sharing. If you want to feel more prepared in the future, you might want to take notes on a notepad or phone for any noteworthy topics or stories you think of throughout your day.
Worst case? Talk about that sandwich you ate for lunch and why sandwiches are awesome. If you’re a history buff or a foodie, you might even throw in a few unexpected facts about sandwiches. Sometimes, the most spontaneous topics can be the most entertaining and eye-catching!
How Do I Share Important Industry Information While Still Sharing Stories?
We’ve talked a bit about “slice of life” newsletters, but you might feel more inclined to utilize your newsletter to create more educational or informative content. That’s totally fine! In fact, personal stories and educational content are a lot more compatible than you might think.
Think of a moment that changed your perception or understanding of your field or consider a recent case or customer interaction that can help illustrate why specific industry knowledge is important. Those stories are a lot more valuable than you think. A person might not realize how important it is to change the air filters in their home until someone shares a story of how replacing their 5-year-old filters almost completely alleviated their allergies and improved their health.
If you work with a Newsletter Pro writer, your creativity isn’t limited to just yourself either! Ask for ideas on ways to connect seasonal holidays to industry related topics. If you’re worried about clients missing their opportunity to partake in a new service, and the edition is for March, there might be a way to tie it into spring-cleaning. Why do you partake in spring-cleaning? Why does this new service provide a similar feeling? This creates a more personal connection with your industry topic than the reader might’ve had otherwise.
You Aren’t Alone — Let Newsletter Pro Help!
If you have specific storytelling goals within your newsletter, our writers are always happy to help. Whether you want to tweak your tone, adjust your campaign goals, or create a multipart series for a specific topic, we’re your advocate on the page to ensure your storytelling dreams become a reality.
