Engagement Magic: it Starts With a Story

In this episode, I explore the power of storytelling in newsletters and email marketing for creative entrepreneurs. She shares how incorporating personal stories can dramatically increase engagement, build connection with subscribers, and transform newsletters from dreaded tasks into effective business tools.

Want to learn how to write story based emails for yourself?  Bill Mueller has one of the best courses to learn how!  For more information, visit his website.  **

**Note: Some links in this episode are affiliate links which means that if you use the link and purchase the product or service, it won't cost you more, and I'll earn a little commission.  It's a great way to support the podcast!

00:00 Welcome to Season Five: Behind the Scenes of Creative Entrepreneurship

01:06 The Power of Stories in Newsletters

02:21 Engaging Your Audience with Personal Stories

06:16 The Art of Story Transition in Emails

12:01 Practical Tips for Adding Stories to Your Newsletters

14:16 Overcoming Common Objections to Storytelling

16:20 The Benefits of Storytelling in Business

17:22 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple steps to get going.

Transcript

0:48

Welcome to Measure Twice. Cut once we're in season five, and this whole season is an exploration into behind the scenes of not just quilting, but building a creative business that truly lights you up as someone who's navigated the exciting. Sometimes bumpy world of turning a passion into a profession. I'm excited to pull back the curtain and share my own experiences. Some episodes are just me diving deep into my personal journey. While other episodes will feature guests who are also navigating the world of creative entrepreneurship, we'll explore the nitty gritty of building a creative business. The lessons learned and the unexpected challenges that come with transforming your craft into a thriving enterprise. And don't worry, I'm not leaving storytelling behind. Instead, I'll be weaving stories into the conversations about what it takes to grow a business while staying true to your creative spirit. So whether you're dreaming of starting your own business, or you just love hearing about creative entrepreneurship, this season is for you. And it's kind of meta today because we're in fact talking about stories. Before we fully dive into today's topic, I want to share an illustration. Something that happened to me last week. I was sitting at my favorite coffee shop, also known as my second office, working on some emails. When I overheard a conversation at the next table, two women were chatting about their businesses and one of them said something that seriously made me almost spit out my latte. I hate sending my newsletter. She sighed. I feel like I'm just shouting into the noise. Nobody reads these things. Anyway, I had to bite my tongue not to turn around and say, actually that's not true. Because here's the thing. Newsletters don't have to be boring, forgotten pieces of content that land with a thud in someone's inbox. They can be magical little connections that your subscribers actually look forward to receiving. And that's exactly what we're talking about today. How to use stories in your newsletter to engage, connect, and yes, even delight your subscribers. And by the way, if you don't already receive my newsletter and you want to see stories in action, head to stitched by susan.com and sign up for that newsletter. But here we go. Let's talk stats for a minute because this is the, sorry, state of most newsletters, but it doesn't have to be this way. The average email open rate across all industries currently in 2025 is around 21%. That means for every 100 emails you send, only about 21 people are even opening them. Nevermind reading to the end. Pretty dismal, right? Here's where it gets interesting. Newsletters that incorporate personal stories and narrative elements, see open rates that are consistently higher, sometimes dramatically higher. For example, my newsletter Stitched by Susan, which always, well, not always, but often includes a personal story. In that email///***** has an open rate of over 50% Consistently and often over 60%.

Susan: 3:56

Why such a difference? Because stories grab attention in a way that straight information just doesn't. Think about your own inbox for a minute. When you see yet another email titled 10 Tips for Better Marketing, or This Month's Updates, or What's On Sale, do you feel that little spark of excitement? I'm guessing not, but when you see something like the day I almost set my craft room on fire, or what my 4-year-old taught me about business, you're a little intrigued, right? Your inbox is crowded, it's competitive, and storytelling is your secret weapon to stand out with your emails. So what is it about stories that makes them so powerful? Let's break it down. First, stories engage our brains in a unique way. When we read bullet points or facts, we activate the language processing parts of our brain. But when we read a story, something magical happens. Our brains light up as if we're experiencing the events ourselves. Scientists call this neural coupling a fancy way to say, your subscriber's brain is synchronizing with yours. They're not just reading they're feeling an experience. So think about that for a second. In a world where we're all fighting for attention, stories give you the ability to actually sync your brain with your readers. That's powerful stuff. Secondly, stories teach in a way that's both effective and memorable. We've been learning through stories since we sat around campfires in caves, and there's a reason for that. Information wrapped in a narrative. A story is simply easier to remember. If I tell you that authenticity in business builds customer loyalty, you might nod and agree, but if I tell you about the time I sent out a letter with a huge mistake in it, owned up to it immediately with humor and honesty, and received dozens of supportive emails in return, yep, that happened. Well, it teaches the same lesson, but you're much more likely to remember it. And finally, stories create connection. This is perhaps their most powerful aspect. When you share a story, especially one that reveals something authentic about yourself or your business journey, you're inviting the reader into your world. You're saying, Hey, I'm a real person over here. I have good days and bad days. I make mistakes. I learn lessons. In fact, I am just like you. In a digital world that can feel increasingly impersonal, that human connection is gold. It transforms your relationship from business and customer to human, and human, and humans like to buy from and support and remain loyal to. Other humans they feel connected to. Now I know what you might be thinking. This all sounds good, but I'm not just sending emails for fun. I've got a business to run over here. I'm trying to engage people. I need to teach things. I need to promote products. I need to share tips and information. Absolutely. That's where the art of story transition comes in. Let me share a couple of examples of how this can work beautifully. Now, make sure you're sitting in a comfy chair and perhaps have a, have a beverage in your hand because what I'm going to read to you is actually one of my recent newsletters because it illustrates the point so well. And remember, stories make it memorable. So this will help you remember the value of the story and to see the transition at work. Here we go. New Year's Eve, we had a lovely little party at our house. Well, let's be accurate. In our garage, truly, Mr. Producer and our daughter put pipe and drape, which is basically very tall curtains on a system of pipes around the perimeter of the garage. The car lift was transformed into a games room, all curtained in and James Bond was on the big screen and projector, and of course, we had to dress up too, which was totally fun. Here's the mocktail station, and I shared a picture of that. Here's the games room, and I shared a picture of that and the nibbles, and I showed a picture of a gorgeous charcuterie board. Oh my goodness. Yummy. My sister-in-law Faith is a master at charcuterie displays. It was pretty interesting though, how some of us dove straight into the sweets. Others leaned heavily into the savories and still others just hung out at the mocktail table. But there was absolutely something for everyone's taste and inclination, which reminds me, isn't quilting like that something for everyone? Occasionally we can get a little caught up in this is how you do it, or This is the way my mom did it, so it must be right. Or even this is the only way. No, just me and a little smiley face laughing. I think it's a fine idea to treat quilting styles and even techniques like a diverse and interesting charcuterie board.

8:55

All kinds of variety, all kinds of tastes. Try a little, you might like it. Have you tried any of these quilting techniques and styles that are trending right now in quilting? Number one, sustainability. Reuse your orphan blocks and leftover scraps shopping in your stash. Number two, applique, especially those cute little sweatshirts. Number three, tech tools using apps for calculating quilt math or organizing your quilt room to save you time and help you avoid mistakes. Number four, watercolor choosing and blending fabrics to look like your quilt was painted. And number five, modern quilting. Designing from objects playing with scale and minimalist designs.

Susan: 9:36

Trying a new technique or quilting practice can help you spark new ideas, feel more creative, and build up your confidence in your skills. If you'd like to give any of these trends a try, my friend Tabitha is putting together a free two day virtual summit, and all of these topics are covered.

9:53

I am gonna be speaking as well, and I'll be talking about how to choose a quilting design for your project. And the cool thing is that as a speaker, I'm able to give you a free ticket to join us. Get your free ticket to quilted exclamation point here. I am in sunny Florida as I write, and we're embarking on our cruise quilting on the Equinox from Port Canaveral first thing tomorrow.

Susan: 10:15

we packed 11 suitcases of supplies and goodies for our group, so it's bound to be a good time and we know for sure we'll be eating super. Well. Have a great weekend, Susan. So do you see all that happened there? Within that email, I started with a fun personal story about our garage party and the charcuterie board, which created a visual people could relate to. Then I made a connection between that diverse food spread and the many approaches to quilting. This created the perfect bridge to introduce. Techniques and then promote an upcoming event. The promotion didn't feel forced or salesy because it flowed naturally from the story. It was all connected by this theme of trying new things and something for everyone. That's the magic of a good story transition. Here's another example. I was at the farmer's market last weekend and I found myself drawn to one particular booth selling handmade soaps. It wasn't the most elaborate display. In fact, many others had fancier setups. But this soap maker had done something clever. Next to each variety of soap was a small, handwritten card, not explaining the ingredients or the benefits, though that information was available there too. But telling a tiny story behind each soap's creation. Sea glass inspired by my grandmother's collection of blue sea glass from the beaches of Maine morning garden. Created on the first spring day when I could finally get back into my garden after a long winter. I found myself reading every single card completely drawn in, and yes, I bought three soaps when I'd only plan to buy one. On my walk home though, I was thinking this over and I realized this soap maker had tapped into something powerful. She wasn't just selling soap, she was selling tiny moments of connection, little windows into experiences that might resonate with her customers. In short, she was telling tiny stories, and this is something any of us can do with our products or our services. Behind each item, there's a spark of inspiration, a problem you were trying to solve, a person you were thinking of. Sharing these small stories doesn't just differentiate our products and services. It gives our customers, our people, an emotional reason to choose us over others. Take a moment this week to look at your descriptions, look at your emails, look at the things you're writing. Are they just listing and cataloging features, or are they telling the stories that make your creations unique? I have a few practical tips for adding stories to your email and particularly to your newsletter. And now that we understand why stories work and how they transition, these are the practical ways that we can incorporate them. Number one. Start with a story bank. Keep a simple note on your phone where you jot down small moments, observations, or experiences that might make good story openings in an email. Look for moments that surprised you. Taught you something, made you laugh, or connected to your business in some way. And if you want to go further, actually create a spreadsheet with these story banks. So idea and then connected to something you can have to say about it transitioning to something in your business. Number two, keep it relevant. Your stories should have some connection, even if it's a creative stretch to the rest of your email or newsletter content. The=transition needs to feel natural and not forced. And again, you can note this in your spreadsheet or your note on your phone, right beside the story you're telling. Number three, be authentic, but appropriate. Good stories include some vulnerability or realness, but remember, this is still a business communication, so share the kinds of stories you tell a friendly acquaintance, but not necessarily your therapist, right? Number four, keep it brief. Your opening story doesn't need to be a novel. Aim for a few short paragraphs, just enough to create a scene and draw readers in. And honestly, what I like to do is read my story aloud. That helps me understand what it's feeling like to the person that's going to be receiving it too long, too short enough details. Does it create the picture, et cetera. Number five. Use conversational language. Write like you talk, and again, read your story aloud to see if it sounds natural. Number six, include sensory details. What did you see or hear or smell or feel? These details help your reader step into the experience with you. And number seven, end with a question or bridge. Create a smooth transition from your story to the teaching or information or tip that follows. Now, I know there are some common objections that might be popping up in your mind right now. I'm not a good storyteller. Lots of people say that, but here's a secret. Most of us think this about ourselves. Storytelling is a skill that improves with practice. Start small and you'll get better with each newsletter. And there are ways to learn how to tell better stories, and I'll tell you about one of those in just a moment. Another objection. My business isn't interesting enough for stories. Or I'm not. Interesting enough, every business, every person, no matter how technical or specialized, is run by humans having human experiences. There are stories everywhere if you know to look for them or another objection, I don't wanna get too personal, but you control the boundaries when you're telling the stories. They can be simple observations or small moments. They don't all have to be deeply personal Revelations. Or I don't have time for this. Once you get in the habit of noticing potential stories, it actually becomes quite efficient. I often find that starting with a story makes my email or my newsletter faster to write because it creates a natural flow and gives me a springboard rather than starting from a blank page. I mentioned a way that you can learn to tell better stories, and this would be through courses that my friend Bill Mueller offers. I tripped over Bill's newsletter. I don't even know how. I just knew that I measured his success by the fact that I opened every one of his emails and read them, and they. All contains storytellers. He's a master, and Bill has written a number of courses on this process on not only telling the story, but on collecting ideas, et cetera, et cetera. So I'm going to link to some of those courses, and some of them are extremely affordable, like$24. I'm gonna link to those in the description of the episode. Check those out if you want some concrete learning and handholding as you learn to tell stories. When you consistently include stories in your emails and newsletters, here's what tends to happen. Open rates increase. People start to recognize your name and know they'll get something engaging. Your reply rates go up because stories invite conversation and response. Your unsubscribe rates go down, even if a particular topic isn't relevant to someone, they stay for the connection. And this is what I experienced with Bill Mueller. His topics were not always what I was working on currently, but I just loved reading the stories and the connection. So then the natural result of all of these is that your sales from any newsletter promotions improve because you're building trust and relationship, and that is so key. And perhaps most importantly, your email or your newsletter transforms from an obligation into a pleasure. When you know you're truly connecting with your audience, writing to them becomes something you look forward to rather than an onerous task to check off your list. So let's go back to that woman I overheard in the coffee shop for a moment. If I could have turned around and given her advice, and I could have, but I didn't. But I'd have said this, your newsletter isn't shouting into the noise. It is whispering a story to a friend. It's inviting someone into your world for a few minutes. It's creating a moment of connection in a busy day. And when you approach it that way, when you lead with story and let your teaching flow naturally from there, something magical happens. Your readers don't just open your emails, they look forward to them. They feel like they know you, they trust you. And in business trust is everything. So for this week, I challenge you look at your next newsletter, email, draft. Is there a story you could start with A tiny moment, an observation, a challenge you faced? Try it and see what happens to your engagement, and I'd love to hear how it goes. Drop me an email at support@stitchbysusan.com. And let me know. And if you loved hearing about stories in this podcast episode, please do scroll to the bottom and leave a review for me. Leave a comment and share this episode with any of your friends you think would enjoy it too. So until next time, my friends, may your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.