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How to write a story-based sales email, trailblazing women in business & copy resource of the week
Kimberly Houston
March 24, 2024
Hey, hi, howdy, and welcome to Issue #13 of The Subhead, a bi-weekly newsletter about copywriting, marketing & media, and a look at some of the women who make it great.
Here’s what’s on deck in today’s edition:
✨ This week in freelancing
✨ How to write a story-based sales email
✨ Trailblazing women in business: Bea Arthur (no, not that Bea Arthur)
✨ Writing Resource of the Week: Writing Well Handbook
✨ Just for Fun
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This week in freelancing …
Normally this is where I’d write a few lines about current freelance projects I’m working on, but not much client work got done this week, to be honest.
I lost my dearest friend Ronda, my bestie of over 35 years, on March 14. She had breast cancer and hadn’t been doing all that well the last few months, so it wasn’t wholly unexpected.
But it’s still devastating. I can’t imagine my life without her, and I’ve spent this last week in a deep fog of sadness.
I write this to say, tell ‘em you love ‘em while they’re still around. I’m eternally grateful for my last coffee date with Ronda a few weeks ago, and our most recent text exchange, both of which ended with us saying to each other, “I love you, girlfriend.” 💔
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How to write a story-based sales email
And in honor of Ronda, I’m going to share this blog post from February of 2020, where Ronda actually makes an appearance.
The post itself is about a copywriting contest I entered a few years ago, where the challenge was to write a story-based email that sells.
I placed in the top five in the contest, which still shocks me, because if memory serves, about 70 other copywriters entered the contest, and there were some top-notch heavy-hitters among them.
The emails were judged by Kevin Rogers, founder of Copy Chief and expert direct response copywriter who has helped clients earn $100M in sales, and fellow Copy Chief member Chris Orzechowski, email copywriter & consultant extraordinaire who helps e-commerce companies earn big paydays with email.
FYI, this post is looong. So only click over if you’ve got some time, and if you care to learn about story-based sales emails (which can be very effective).
The email I wrote for the contest, which you’ll see in the blog post, is also long and a bit overwrought, now that I look back on it. Tortured. In serious need of editing and whittling down. UGH.
But hey, if you want to read the email in question – and see the feedback I got from the experts, both the good and the “bad” – check it out. And have fun at my expense.
And you may just learn a thing or two about writing sales emails.
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Trailblazing Women in Business: Bea Arthur (no, not that Bea Arthur)
Depending on your age, or how nerdy you are about mid-1980s / early 1990s TV sitcoms, the name Bea Arthur might conjure up someone entirely different from the subject of today’s mini-profile.
No, I’m not writing about actress Bea Arthur, who played the character of Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls (along with many other iconic roles), but Bea Arthur, Founder & CEO of The Difference, innovative provider of affordable, on-demand therapy for “in the moment issues.”
The Difference connects users anywhere in the world with a live, licensed therapist by phone, app, or smart speaker. The goal is to make therapy accessible and affordable for all.
Arthur, a Columbia University-trained psychotherapist, is the first African-American woman to be accepted into the Y Combinator startup accelerator program, and was named “Entrepreneur to Bet On” by Newsweek Magazine.
What piqued my interest in Arthur was this podcast episode I stumbled upon, where she shares her story of going from therapist to founder, and the struggles she faced – and overcame – on her path to entrepreneurship.
This episode is very candid. I was mildly shocked at some of what Arthur shared. But I can be a bit of a prude, so I guess that’s why. 😊
If you’d rather read than listen to a podcast (or watch the related video), Arthur shares other details about her journey of finding success as an entrepreneur, along with some of the brutal obstacles she faced, here:
Learn more about Bea Arthur via her LinkedIn profile, and check out her company, The Difference.
Sources:
-All linked within, above.
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Copy Resource of the Week: Writing Well Handbook
Ok, so not exactly a copywriting resource this week, but instead, more of an overall writing resource.
I’m glad I’d already been writing for years, both as my primary passion, and for most of the jobs I’ve had, long before I ever started writing online.
Because if you do anything online, you know how much writing is involved. From web copy to emails, and landing pages to social content, plus blog articles, and so much more – it’s a lot.
I know for some people writing anything feels like a chore, which is why I wanted to share this week’s resource:
The Writing Well Handbook, by Julian Shapiro
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Just for Fun
I had never heard of former librarian and author Jean Armour Polly, but after reading this article, I’m a huge fan. The last line of this short piece gets me right in the feels.
And finally, I give you this hilarious 5-minute SNL video from 2018, in which 3 interns pitch captions for Barbie’s Instagram account. I have watched this thing probably eleventy-dozen times since it originally aired, and it’s bringing me joy again this week, when I sorely need it.
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Ok, that’s all for this week, my friend.
Be well. Stay curious. See you again in two weeks, on April 7.
Warmly,
Kimberly