TOC #101: You Don't Wanna Talk About This, But Oh Well
(Nov 29, 2022) 9 Story Ideas For Your Next Email Newsletter
You just got emails up the ass, didn’t you?
(Lol, duh. I'm just playing. I know you did.)
Soo0o0o, I’m guessing the last thing you wanna talk about today is… email?
WELL THAT’S TOO DANG BAD!!!
(“I’m tired, grandpa!”)
(Someone please tell me what that’s from because I honestly have no idea. It’s somewhere in the depths of my brain, I’m sure, but it’s not coming to me rn. Anywayz.)
Ohhh YEAH, we’re talkin’ email today.
Because, in all the hustle and bustle of celebrating my 100th newsletter and relaunching my website copywriting course, we didn’t get the chance to talk about it.
And, based on the (wicked freaking nice!) responses to this survey I sent out last week, you wanna hear about all things email marketing from me.
But here’s the problem: THERE’S SO MUCH TO SAY.
“Umm, Sara… you *do* know that you’re the originator of the term Long Story Long, don’t you? And that people literally expect you to have a lot to say…? Like, all the time?”
Yes. Thank you for that.
To tackle the entirety of email marketing in one newsletter, though? Simply not possible.
I would need to create an entire freaking course about it to tell you everything I’d want you to know in order for you to be successful.
Wait a second…
That’s not a bad idea. 😏
9 Story Ideas For Your Next Email Newsletter
If you clicked on that sly little “I’m launching an email marketing course” link above, you’d know I’m teaching a LIVE email marketing / email copywriting program in January to help you become an absolute inbox conversion machine, but…
There’s no reason you have to wait til 2023 to get started. Here are 9 story-based newsletter ideas you can start sending your list as soon as TODAY:
STORY: An embarrassing event from high school, how it made you feel then, and how trivial it feels now
Related topics: before/after of working with you, client transformations, business advice, positive perspectives/mindsets, growing up
STORY: An unfavorable interaction with a Karen
Related topics: red flag clients, getting ghosted, dealing with anger, how other peoples’ actions aren’t a reflection of you, don’t be like Karens & do X instead
STORY: How you met your first-ever significant other
Related topics: ideal clients, knowing if a service provider is a good fit, knowing when something feels right, getting new clients/customers
STORY: A confession about something weird you do that you know people will be able to relate to
Related topics: content marketing, finding your target audience, impact of knowing you’re not alone, how to relate to your audience, About pages, community
STORY: Your favorite memory from 2022
Related topics: round-up of favorite events from the year, yearly accomplishments, bucket list, productivity, goals, new year planning, CTA to work with you
STORY: Something that gives you the ick
Related topics: repelling the wrong people, benefits of your services/offerings, the intricacies of peoples’ different personalities, enneagram, Myers Briggs, human design, friendship, relationships
STORY: A time you got yelled at for something and it was uncomfortable, awkward, or unwarranted
Related topics: dealing with feedback, dealing with difficult customers or clients, navigating unfavorable situations as a freelancer, conflict, communication, word choice
STORY: Use your current favorite tiktok sound as inspo
Related topics: legit anything!
STORY: A time you were gonna wicked scared of or nervous something but it turned out to be fine (and maybe even fun or beneficial)
Related topics: business investments, hiring a coach/mentor, trusting your gut, personal development, self help, benefits of services or offerings, decision making, inspiration to “go for it”
Okay, now that you’ve officially got allll these email newsletter ideas, here’s your homework for keeping the momentum going:
Whenever anything interesting, funny, weird, annoying, sad, puzzling, boring, uncomfortable, or awkward happens to you, write it down in your Notes app.
Ask yourself how it could relate to your business, your clients, your field, etc.
Write down 3 related topics.
You’ll be surprised just how EASY it is to come up with topics to write about.
Between the ride to the airport and my not-quite-comfy spot in seat 16F en route to Phoenix for the second time this month, I thought of 14 of them.
Here, I’ll show you the first 4:
(1) Feeling anxious stuck in traffic on the way to the airport, nervous I wouldn’t make it in time → how you feel before a launch when you don’t appropriately prep and plan, CTA to work with me on my launch copy + strategy package OR read my blog post about what I did wrong on my first course launch (a blog that does not currently exist, even though I’ve been meaning to write it since April) OR join the waitlist for Sales Series
(2) The fact that I booked my flight back to Phoenix, while still in Phoenix, after having the time of my life on a night out at cowboy bar Buffalo Chip → the luxury of being a freelance copywriter, CTA to inquire about mentorship so you can be financially free too
(3) The sexual tension between you and a medium ugly boy your age alone at the airport → how to make all types of leads fall for you via your homepage (already written & coming next week in TOC 102!), CTA to read my homepage copywriting blogs
(4) Eating my Terry’s chocolate orange on the plane (in candy bar form, not the literal orange-shaped one, I’m not an animal) feeling uncomfortable cuz most people don’t like this candy → how you won’t be too much/too weird for the right people
See?! Anything can be content if you keep an open mind. 😏
By popular demand… the BTL Book Club is BACK, baby!
Back in May of 2021, I launched the BTL Book Club, and then… nothing really came of it. We chose a really intense book for the first-ever discussion, and then it was summer, and then… like I said, nothing.
BUT! Per the request of a lot of you asking me to bring it back, and thanks to my desire to always be doing the most, and my goal to read more biz books in 2023, I'M BRINGING THE BOOK CLUB BACK.
Here's what you need to know:
It's $0.
It's a Facebook group.
We'll read one biz book a month, and have one call to talk about it.
There will be 12 books read, total.
It kicks off in January 2023.
You get to vote on which books we read.
It's the most low-commitment, low-effort group you'll ever join.
& I'm excited to bring it back and connect with you! The goal? Grow our biz brains, crush our 2023 reading goals, and maybe make a friend or two. Let's do it.
It feels good to be back to regularly scheduled programming! I haven't written a regular ass TOC in a hot minute. I love it. And I love you. Have the best week, chat soon!
Hi, I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. Thanks for reading this edition of the Tuesday Table of Contents! If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
Check out my services. I write website copy, sales pages, email sequences, blog posts, and brand messaging guides for entrepreneurs of all kinds! Maybe you’re my next favorite client. ;)
Read my blog. It’s home to everything from copywriting tips, to marketing education, to freelance advice, to portfolio-worthy projects… if you like this newsletter, you’ll love the blog. Here’s a quick roundup of my most popular posts.
Sign up for my web copy course. Actually, it’s not *only* about website copywriting—I also teach modules on copywriting basics, developing your target audience, search engine optimization, blogging, and email marketing.
Enlist me as your mentor. I have an entire in-depth blog post about my one-on-one consulting process for new and aspiring copywriters, if you’re interested in having a big-sis-style mentor to help you grow your freelance copywriting business & get results.
To get in touch with me directly, send me a DM or email sara@betweenthelinescopy.com. Have a great day!