Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storytelling

It was good of you to share the link to Gary’s post.

I’ll begin by sharing one of my favorite mixed metaphors:

“Man, some marketers don’t know which side of the coin their bread is buttered on.”

There is so much bad writing in our business. Gary provided some solid advice on how metaphors engage readers.

As a reader (potential buyer), I’m looking for an experience, something to engage me. I’m impressed by plucky use of language.

As you noted in your post, true gems are rare. Much of the writing that arrives in my inbox seems to be hail from the same tired playbook.

There are exceptions, of course.

That’s what I buy — the exceptions.

Warm regards,

Patrick Pretty

Lynn, thats what I’ve been learning, it’s not really the proper writing skills, it’s personal and interesting. I just want to get the interesting down, so I am not just another e-mail.

Just need to flop around a few times till it works…:)

Then, go back and make a few corrections. Fix the spelling and punctuation. Change any glaring mistakes, but don’t change the heart and soul of what you’ve said.

Too often, people think writing needs to be hard. It just needs to be from the soul.

I wish Gary has a blog (at least I don’t know of one that he writes). It would be fun to see his style when it is not a carefully constructed copy piece. Plus, I’d love to hear his take on some of the conversations that happen online.

“But, I can’t blame him. He sends just a few emails a year in his retirement. The only drawback is putting these ideas in to practice, I for one am not a writer so I feel like I am at a dis-advantage. Not impossible mind you, just have to worker harder..:)”

I hear ya. Writing skill is a must-have for marketers but few of us reach the level of someone like Gary. I’ve found that blogging is a great way to exercise the writing muscle. It provides the freedom and platform to write a lot.

Thanks for dropping by and adding your comment.

Doug

I know for myself, the only marketers newsletters or e-mail that get talked about are the ones that are proving good content/value and I think that most of that is just interesting/hypnotic(I hate to keep using that word, but it’s to the point) writing. And sadly there seem to be few of them. But they really are creating viral content. The advantages can be enormous with a higher level of trust, liking, authority, and even more important to many, very high conversion rates. I also believe this creates a higher level of influence. Least my opinion.

Naturally there is more to it than just interesting writing, but it seems to be such a large part of it.

The only drawback is putting these ideas in to practice, I for one am not a writer so I feel like I am at a dis-advantage. Not impossible mind you, just have to worker harder..:)

I love Gary’s bullet and as I said, it re-enforces much of what I’ve been learning also. It’s really too bad Gary wasn’t selling something in his writing, to get a better understanding of the idea’s in real world working examples. Not that I don’t truly appreciate his giving.

Now THAT is a powerful image

I’m lucky; as a life cocach, I know my clients well. I generally base my metaphors upon my clients’ background; I know them well enough to relate to them. I don’t talk about mountain back roads to clients in New York city; I don’t talk about gridlock to clients in small town Oklahoma.

But what if you don’t work one on one? Use something everyone knows; a jigsaw puzzle, a hatching bird, a butterfly, an exchange on a turnpike, a traffic jam, a blade of grass.

Imagine your ideal client; what would that person relate to? The more you can put yourself in your clients’ place, the stronger your metaphor.

Summing up: Don’t work at metaphor; play with it. Metaphors work best when they are fun and not contrived. And make sure they’re something your audience will relate to!