How to Add Humor and Drama to Email Copy

Many marketers struggle with how to incorporate storytelling into their emails. But we're in the business of storytelling. So, who better to learn from than stand-up comedians? Last night I went to see Chelsea Handler live on stage. It was so much more than a laughter fest — it was a masterclass in storytelling! Comedians are the ultimate solo marketers. They know how to… → Capture attention → Build a narrative → Deliver a message … All while keeping their audience engaged and entertained. Here are a few things you can swipe from Chelsea for your next email marketing campaign: 1. Authenticity wins. Chelsea's humor is unapologetically *her.* She knows her audience and is inappropriate, super spicy, and not afraid of who she’s going to offend. Your brand's voice should be just as authentic. People connect with realness, not a sales pitch. 2. Timing is everything. Long pauses? Check. Just as a comedian knows when to deliver the punchline, you need to know the right moment to deliver their message for maximum impact. 3. Engage emotionally. Watching Chelsea last night, I felt a whole range of emotions from amusement to awkwardness to empathy and surprise. Effective marketing taps into emotions — it’s how you create a memorable connection with your audience. Make them feel something. 4. Embrace being bold. Chelsea’s comedy feels fearless and un-self-conscious… she’s not afraid to let her true colors show. Dare to be different in your marketing messaging. Take a stand on issues important issues, and don’t shy away from being distinct. 5. Adapt and improvise. A stand-up set, much like a marketing campaign, needs to adapt to the room's energy. Listening and pivoting are key skills in both arenas. I think the most important thing you can swipe from Chelsea Handler’s comedy is that she successfully weaves her jokes into stories that transport you to a specific place and time… → To a beach house on Martha’s Vineyard → To a dinner table in New Jersey → On a cross-country road trip Through storytelling, she takes her audience on a journey… And that’s exactly what you should do in your emails. Whether it’s “How I Built This,” a client success story, or a behind-the-scenes look at how you serve your clients, always make your readers feel like they’re part of the narrative. I’m Lindsay Hope I post entrepreneurship stories and email marketing tips almost every day. If you found this helpful, give me a follow 😉

Speak Like Your Customer, Not a Dictionary Here’s the thing: if your marketing sounds like it was written by a PhD robot who majored in “complicated words 101,” congratulations…you’re guaranteed to confuse your customers. Your ideal customer isn’t thinking: ❎ “Ah yes, I require a synergistic optimization of my fiscal outputs.” No. They’re thinking: ✅ “Will this actually help me fix my problem without making me cry?” - Translation: speak like them. - Use words they actually use. - Words that make them nod, laugh, or say: “Finally, someone gets me.” Here’s how to do it: ☑️ Listen first - Jump into forums, WhatsApp groups, LinkedIn comments, or even your last 20 customer emails. - Notice the phrases they actually use. Are they saying “cheap and effective” or “premium, cost-efficient solution”? Mirror that. Dump the fancy words ❎ Instead of → "Utilize our platform to enhance operational efficiency” ✅ Try → “Use our app to get stuff done faster.” See the difference? ✔️ One makes you want to nap, the other makes you want to click. As a virtual Assistant, use relatable examples ❎ Instead of → “Our service streamlines administrative tasks,” ✅ Try → “We handle all the boring paperwork so you can actually enjoy your lunch break without crying into your sandwich.” Test the funny stuff Humor gets remembered. Sarcasm gets shared. But keep it relevant. If you’re selling accounting software, a post like: “Our software does what your intern swore they could do - accurately, on time, and without crying in the washrooms.” 🤣 ✔️ This will hit way harder than “Revolutionary accounting solutions.” Talk about results, not features ❎ Nobody cares that your blender has 12 speeds. ✅ They care that it can turn a frozen banana into a smoothie without starting a small kitchen fire. Practical strategy: ✔️ Pick the last 5 people who messaged you with interest. ✔️ Highlight the exact words they used to describe their problem. ✔️ Use those words in your next posts and content. Run an A/B test: fancy vs. casual language. ☑️ Track what people are responding to the most. You’ll be shocked what actually works. So, speak their language, sprinkle in a little personality, and watch your engagement and sales actually explode.

So here's a weird thing about email marketing... I've been studying what actually works for 25 years, and almost everyone's doing it wrong. Here's why: We all learned how to write in school. You know the drill: • Proper grammar • Professional tone • Perfect punctuation • "Dear sir/madam..." And it's killing your results. Think about how YOU use email in real life: You write to friends. You share stories. You make jokes. You probably even trick your friends into clicking on totally inappropriate pictures. THAT'S how real humans use email. But the second we write "business" emails... We turn into robots: "Dear Valued Customer, I trust this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out regarding an exciting opportunity where I bore you to death as you read this very email ..." DELETE. Nobody reads that stuff. Here's what actually works: 1. Write Like You're At Happy Hour - Imagine you're telling a friend about something cool - Use normal words (not "marketing speak") - Keep it casual - Tell stories - Be real 2. Break Every Writing Rule - Start sentences with "And" or "But" - Use ... when you feel like it - Write short sentences - Add personality - Sound like a human 3. Stop Trying To Sound Important Instead of: "I'm pleased to announce our innovative solution..." Try: "Check this out..." Instead of: "As per our previous correspondence..." Try: "Like I mentioned..." Instead of: "We're offering a unique value proposition..." Try: "Here's the cool part..." 4. Use Natural Transitions Instead of: "Furthermore..." Try: "Oh, and get this..." Instead of: "In conclusion..." Try: "Bottom line..." Instead of: "Please be advised..." Try: "Quick heads up..." 5. The Most Important Rule If it sounds like "businessy" (totally a real word) ... Delete it and start over. Your prospects get hundreds of boring "professional" emails every day. They don't need another one. They need real conversations from real humans about real solutions to their problems. 😎 Want to see something cool? I did a live training recently where I showed how to take boring "professional" copy and turn it into EXCELLENT copy - in seconds. Used AI to do it too. This was all "without a net" ...so to speak. I just took people from the audience and made their stuff better. It's really simple to do (I show you exactly how in the class) and you can have it free if you want it. I put the recording up at https://oJoy.ai/221 You don't need to sign up for anything in order to see it. It's just a video on a page. P.S. Yes, I wrote this post exactly how I tell you to write emails. And you read the whole thing, didn't you? 😉

Your professionalism is killing your cold email response rates. “Optimize” “Drive conversion rates” When you’re professional, you sound like a sales robot. Everyone uses professional words, so you don’t stand out. The way out? Use language that comes from the mouth of your customers instead of your marketing or department. Like this killer casual-sounding cold email: “Josh - Looks like you’re training for your first 144.6 Ironman, which suggests: You’re training 20+ hours/week. Inhaling Snickers bars. Eating dinner at 4 pm so you can get up at 4 am. We call this divorce by triathlon :-) Ironman athletes are using our 10-hour/week training program to start confident and finish without the last 6 miles feeling like a Frankenstein walk. Open to learning more? Either way, rock that run.” If you can make people feel something - humor, angst, passion, desire - you’re golden. Yes, it’s a feeling. Good cold email copy isn’t written, it’s found.

🎯 How to Get Strangers to Actually Listen to You (Without Sounding Like a Robot) 🎯 We’ve all been there: reaching out to someone new, only to be met with radio silence. Here’s the reality: strangers don’t owe you their attention. You’ve got to earn it. But how? By being professional, funny, and just human enough to stand out. 🎤 Step 1: Nail the professional-yet-hilarious opener. Forget “Hope this finds you well.” Instead, be relevant and engaging: • “I know your inbox is probably busier than Times Square, so I’ll keep this short.” • “I came across [something about them] and thought: That’s someone worth reaching out to.” • “Don’t worry—this isn’t a ‘circle back’ email. I wouldn’t do that to you.” It’s professional, but it makes them smile—and smiling people are way more likely to respond. 😂 Step 2: Use humor to break the tension. Even the most buttoned-up professionals love a good chuckle. • “This email isn’t about your car’s extended warranty—unless you want it to be.” • “I’d bet 50 LinkedIn DMs this week weren’t worth your time. Let’s make this the one that is.” • “If this subject line didn’t make you roll your eyes, we’re off to a good start.” 🔥 Step 3: Show them what’s in it for them. Strangers don’t care about you—they care about how you can help. Lead with value: • “I saw your work on [specific project] and had an idea you might find useful.” • “What if I could help [insert their goal] faster than you think?” • “I’ve got a quick thought that could boost your [specific metric]. Open to hearing it?” Timeless Quote Alert: “Strangers are just future collaborators who haven’t heard your pitch yet.” – Definitely Not Shakespeare 💡 Pro Tip: Compliment their work, add value, and keep it brief. Nobody ignores someone who’s both insightful and respectful of their time. What’s your go-to move for winning over strangers? Share it below—I’m always looking for new ways to make strangers smile! 😄

Most cold emails sound like they were written by AI. Here's how I make mine sound human: The difference between an email that gets deleted and one that gets a reply often comes down to one thing: Personality!! Most agencies send emails that sound like this: "We are pleased to inform you about our comprehensive lead generation solutions that can optimize your sales funnel." Come on, bro… Here's what I send instead: "We can help you add Enterprise Value to your business by building custom software into the back end of your operations." Much better! You want to let your authentic self come through in the copy. In one of our campaigns, I literally wrote: "You won't have to rely on lead generation agencies ever again" because that's exactly how I talk in real life. I've noticed that when you inject humor and personality, prospects respond like humans instead of gatekeepers. People appreciate authenticity over corporate speak. So next time you’re writing your cold email script, write like you're explaining your offer to a friend at a coffee shop. Oh, and use contractions. Say "you'll" instead of "you will." Say "we're" instead of "we are." Include conversational phrases that show personality without being unprofessional. You want your prospects to feel like they're talking to a real person instead of a marketing department.