[FAQ]

I run a small online shop from Bristol in the UK, and I handle all our email marketing. I’m finding that our emails are a bit functional—you know, new product alerts, sales, that sort of thing. They work, but they lack a bit of soul.

I’ve been told that using storytelling is a great way to build a proper connection with customers, but I’m struggling to see how to apply it. How do you tell a story in an email that’s still concise and professional? I’m looking for some practical examples or frameworks to make our emails more memorable and less like a standard advert.

Any pointers would be brilliant. Cheers.

[Jeff Bullas]

A brilliant question. Storytelling is what elevates marketing from a simple transaction to a meaningful connection.

Brief Answer: To write a story-based email, you structure your text around a simple narrative arc—a character, a conflict, and a resolution—that makes your message more relatable and memorable. The key is to tell a concise story where your product, service, or message is the ultimate solution.

Your goal is to wrap your marketing message inside a narrative so that the reader absorbs the message emotionally, not just logically.

The easiest way to structure your email text as a story is to use a classic three-act format. First, start with a hook that introduces a relatable character and a situation. This character could be you, a past customer, or even the reader themselves. For example, “Every Monday morning, our founder, Jane, used to struggle with…”

Second, introduce the conflict. This is the problem the character faced or the challenge they needed to overcome. This part of the text builds tension and allows the reader to empathise with the struggle. Continuing the example, “…she would waste hours trying to organise her tasks, feeling constantly behind.”

Third, provide the resolution. This is where you introduce your product or service as the hero that solved the character’s problem. “That’s why she designed our planner, a simple tool to turn that Monday morning chaos into focused calm.” This narrative arc is far more engaging than simply stating, “Our planner helps you get organised.”

You can use this structure to tell different kinds of stories. Tell your founder’s origin story to build a human connection. Tell a customer’s success story, perhaps with an image of them, to provide powerful social proof. Or tell a behind-the-scenes story about how a product is made, linking to a short video. The call to action in your email should then be the logical next step after the story’s resolution.

Cheers,
Jeff

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