Move Beyond The "How To"

Create Unforgettable Content

Are you writing forgettable content?

If I had written an article that explained step-by-step how to use email tags to earn income from every email, you’d have read it, and in a week, if questioned, you’d have forgotten most of it.

On the other hand, If I told you how I discovered this while sitting on a caribbean beach watching the sunrise and listening to Bob Marley’s Redemption Song as the waves crashed against the shore and the light breeze rustled the palm trees.

Then the chances are you’ll remember that, but maybe not how it’s done, which is a slight improvement.

If I added a video or a photograph, you may retain that as well. But we still have a problem: you aren’t remembering the important parts.

How do we fix this?

We weave stories so deeply into our content that our readers can’t but help remember the important parts.

At the heart of storytelling is the principle of “show, don’t tell.”

On the surface, it sounds simple. But its power lies in the details.

Instead of stating, “Wake up at 5 a.m. to be productive,” paint a vivid picture of the stillness of the early morning and how it helps you focus before the chaos of the day begins.

This approach taps into something far deeper: how our brains are wired for stories.

Why Stories Stick

Stories resonate with us on an emotional level.

Stories activate emotional centres in our brain, like the amygdala, which plays a significant role in memory.

This is why a well-told story stays with us much longer than a list of facts or instructions.

Telling can often come across as preachy. But showing through a story?

That’s an experience. You’re not just saying, “This food is delicious”—you’re letting your audience taste it through your words.

Crafting Vivid, Relatable Narratives

Let’s take the example of giving a presentation.

Instead of saying, “I was nervous,” picture this:

As I walked into the room, the chairs were lined up like soldiers in a firing squad. The podium stood center stage, bathed in a harsh spotlight. My legs shook like jelly on a trampoline.

This description transports the audience right into the moment, capturing not only the scene but the emotional weight of the experience.

Add photographs or audio if appropriate.

For example, if I talked about my weight loss journey, I could add a photo of my belt to illustrate how far I’ve come. That will emphasise that the process it used works far more than any list of stats or weights. (Yes, that really is my belt!)

Show what’s going on, what you can see, hear, taste, and smell. Take your reader on a journey with you.

If they close their eyes, they can be in the room with you or on the beach, writing that life-changing email.

Create less of the “How To” and more “This is how it was” content

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Social AI

When developers Zig You Zag!

There is an app called Social AI (Link Below). It’s like Twitter in that when you post, thousands of bots reply to you, except it’s designed like that.

Instead of people, you only get replies from the bots, and you can choose the type of replies you get.

It’s probably been designed to be a bit of fun, but that doesn’t stop us content creators from using it to our benefit.

You could use it to put yourself in the right frame of mind for writing, but phrase your questions correctly, and you can use it to get ideas!

Like this note, I posted a few minutes ago:

Hmm, I wonder where that idea came from…

I used it to have a conversation about storytelling in content, and it went quite deep and impressed me with the ideas it came up with.

Don’t just use AI as the creators want you to. Use it for your benefit.

Have a great week

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How To Take This Further

If this post resonates with you, then check out Engage Empower Enrich, available in Paperback, Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.

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Social AI - Get some joy in your social media life and get ideas for content.