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Glad to be with you all and I hope you’ll pause to copy-n-paste this note in your digital calendar for six months from now…

“Don’t forget the flood victims in North Carolina. By now, all the media and most people will have.”

Thank you. Today’s Feature shows that there’s always a better story. This will help you never run out of stories in your marketing or ideas for content. And we have the following sections waiting on ya too…

• The Knowledge Base  

• Self Help (summary warning)

• Facts & Stats (blocked)

• Get Hacking (glitchy losses)

Now for the Feature Story.

Storytelling for Brands

At the end of this Feature, I’ll drop four links to some top books on storytelling.

You may not even need them after I put on a clinic with one clear example, then pile on that example with ways to do a “never-ending story.”

The NFL

The NFL is one of the top brands in the land. Not my thing anymore, but I once was an NFL addict — mainlining games, pregame shows, and postgame analysis for entire Sundays. 

When I was watching, one of the best underdog stories in sports history came when a former grocery store stocker made the Rams’ practice squad, then led the team to a Super Bowl win.

Kirk Warner’s story shoulda ended the debate for GOAT underdog story.

But a better story came just one season later from a guy named Tom. 

A 6th-round draft pick with the pale torso of an accountant would go on to rip away what woulda been Warner’s second Super Bowl Title and his title of GOAT underdog.

Tom Brady went on to become the best Quarterback in history and the most prolific winner regardless of position. See. There’s always a better story.

Storytelling for Brands Has No End

The story with Brady went beyond his football abilities. 

• He marries a supermodel (not easy)

• Produces offspring with said supermodel (even harder)

• Gets embroiled in a cheating controversy (Deflategate)

• Becomes the posterboy for longevity and clean living

• Debates over if Pats’ success is due to Brady or Belichick

• Houses a psycho receiver (AB) who turns on Brady

• Retires, unretires in like a week

• Divorce news rocks the world

• Signs biggest sports commentator contract in history

Those are just off the top of my head. A thousand different stories sprouted from the underdog who became the top dog. How many words have been written about Brady? Two billion?

And a better story could still come with Brady since he could become POTUS one day (no joke). 

Even if the next story isn’t necessarily better with Brady, another one is always on the way. They write themselves.

Make no mistake. Kirk Warner’s story rolled on, too.

Warner is still a perfect example of storytelling for brands.

There’s no football fan that hasn’t heard his story. Even five-year-olds know #13’s story, having been told by their dads and uncles about those Super Bowls back in the early 2000s.

And yeah, part of the lore is the tale of Brady’s team allegedly cheating to get the win over Warner’s Rams in 2002. 

Warner’s magical season made for endless content as he, too, was granted a seat in a highly paid commentator booth.

They even made a movie about the former grocery stocker who became a two-time MVP and played in three Super Bowls!

Never-ending Side-Storytelling for Brands

Don’t forget all the side-stories that sprouted as a result of these two quarterback underdogs who found success.

• Adam Vinatieri becomes the best clutch kicker ever

• Two equipment guys get (in)famous due to Deflate Gate

• Lovable Rams coach Dick Vermeil becomes known for crying at the podium 

• Patriots coach Bill Belichick becomes the greatest NFL coach and legendary for giving the press nothing to work with

• Brady answers a kid’s question and gives tearful tribute to his hero

There’s always another story to tell, if you look for it. 

Even stories that aren’t better may still resonate stronger with certain segments of your audience. For example, Gronk is the polar opposite of Brady but has tons of fans who love everything he does.

And now, those books, if you want more help with brand storytelling…

1. The Hero with a Thousand Faces

2. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft 

3. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting 

4. The Storytelling Animal

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Self-Help

I like AI summaries, but be warned, summaries do not compare to reading the full text. Neither does scanning.

This applies to books, articles, instructions, job descriptions, resumes, etc.

Want proof? 

Not reading the fine print is costly, and there will always be people who take advantage of those who don’t.

Having the patience to read something in its entirety is now a superpower. 

Facts & Stats

Bonus: Aggressive ad-blocking software on the rise globally with a reported _______ million users. Answer⏬ at end of email.

Get Hacking

A specific strategy to implement today

Your website got tiny glitches?

No big deal?

What if they happen on checkout pages or before the checkout page loads?

Stop the glitches to easily increase sales you’re already close to getting.

Related: 42% of consumers say they’ll leave a site if their payment is declined→ many declines are errors. Make sure your payment processor isn’t glitchy (aka costly).

Inbox Hacking is read by lean, mean marketers at Gartner and Procter & Gamble. Please share this newsletter.

Shane McLendon, Copy Kingpin 

Bonus answer from Facts & Stats section:  700 million users.

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