copywriting Archives - List Lab 500: Email Marketing How-to

Jim Hamilton’s Storyselling Method

Jim Hamilton’s “Email Storyselling” method is a powerful, four-step framework designed to convert subscribers into buyers—especially effective even with smaller email lists:

The 4-Step Email Storyselling Formula

Story
Begin with a personal, emotional story that hooks your reader—whether it’s a struggle, breakthrough, or simple anecdote. (econolearn.com)
Lesson
Draw out the key insight or takeaway from your story—what you learned that the reader can benefit from.
Pivot
Transition from lesson to how it relates to your product, service, or offer, highlighting the value and relevance.
Call to Action (CTA)
End with a clear, compelling action—invite them to buy, book, click, or reply.

Why It Works

Quick & repeatable: The method empowers writers to draft persuasive emails in ~15 minutes.
Small-list friendly: Great for driving $5K–10K+/month, even from just 1–2K subscribers by maximizing engagement and conversion.
Builds trust: Humans connect with stories—this framework fosters emotional engagement and positions you as a relatable authority.

How to Use It in Your Campaigns

Step	What to Do
Story	Share a real-life moment tied to your niche or problem area
Lesson	Reveal the insight—what that experience taught you
Pivot	Tie the insight to your solution or offer
CTA	Clearly ask them to take action—download, reply, buy

Next Steps

Apply the formula immediately in your next email.
Test variations in subject lines, stories, CTAs to optimize open and click rates.

Sample Email (Using Hamilton’s Storyselling Style)

Subject: How failing at my “perfect” launch led to $10K in less-than-perfect sales

Hey [First Name],

I’ve gotta admit—I used to plan every email like a military operation. Timelines, bulletproof messaging, the works.

But despite all that prep, my last product launch flopped. The tech glitched during the webinar, only half the emails went out, and sales trickled in at a snail’s pace.

I was panicking—my reputations and revenue both took a hit.

Yet the next time I launched, I ditched the 100-page checklist for something simpler: I told a real, honest story. No fluff. Just what really happened behind the scenes.

And here’s the kicker: that raw, relatable story—and the humble ask I tucked inside—brought in over $10,000 in sales, faster than any launch before. That’s what Email Storyselling can do.

Here’s the 4-step twist I followed:

Story: Shared what really happened—failure upfront.
Lesson: Revealed what I learned (stop overthinking, start storytelling).
Connect: Made it relatable—everyone who’s launched something vulnerable has felt that panic.
Ask: Offered the solution—my new, simplified launch training, with an invite to learn more if it resonates.

So… what’s the story behind your last “almost perfect” effort? I’d love to help you turn the messy real-life version into something people buy into.

Chat soon?

Best,
[Your Name]

5 Proven Affiliate Angles

by John | Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing | 0 comments

When it comes to writing high-converting copy, few tools are more powerful than a strong sales angle. An angle is the lens through which your message is framed—it’s the hook, the emotional trigger, or the unique twist that grabs attention and makes your message stick.

Whether you’re crafting an email, ad, landing page, or video script, the right angle can mean the difference between getting ignored or getting clicks, signups, and sales.

That’s where angle templates come in. Instead of staring at a blank screen wondering how to start, you can plug your offer into proven frameworks that spark curiosity, urgency, or desire. These templates don’t just save time—they help you consistently generate fresh, creative ideas that resonate with your audience. Think of them as shortcuts to the psychology behind persuasive messaging.

With the right angle, even a simple product can feel urgent, exciting, or indispensable.

1. The Story Angle

Subject: I almost gave up… then this happened
Body:
Hey [First Name],

A year ago, I was dead broke.
I’d tried launching, promoting, blogging — nothing stuck.
Then I stumbled across [Affiliate Product]…
And it changed everything.

This isn’t hype. This is what finally clicked for me.
👉 [Your affiliate link]

Maybe it’ll help you too.

— [Your Name]

2. The Problem-Solution Angle

Subject: Still stuck with [Problem]? Try this.
Body:
Quick question:

Are you still struggling with [insert pain point]?
You’re not alone. Most people are.

That’s why I wanted to share something that helped me big time:

[Affiliate Product]

It solves [specific issue] without the headache.
Simple, affordable, and actually works.

Give it a shot — you’ll thank me later.

3. The Behind-the-Scenes Angle

Subject: Here’s exactly how I [achieved result]
Body:
Not sure if you’ve heard of [Affiliate Product],
but it’s been a massive part of my workflow lately.

Here’s what I do:

[Step]
[Step]
Profit, basically. 😅

I break it all down here:

[Your affiliate link]

If you’ve been wondering how to [achieve goal], this is it.

4. The “What I’d Do If…” Angle

Subject: If I had to start over with $0…
Body:
If I lost everything today — no list, no tools, no income —
I’d start with this: [Affiliate Product]

It’s low-cost, ridiculously easy to use, and gets results fast.
Perfect if you’re building from scratch or scaling up.

[Link to the product]

Sometimes simplicity wins. This is one of those times.

5. The Comparison Angle

Subject: Why I ditched [Popular Tool] for this
Body:
Everyone’s hyped on [Popular Product], but here’s the truth:
It’s overpriced, bloated, and doesn’t do what I need.

I made the switch to [Affiliate Product], and I haven’t looked back.
Cheaper, faster, easier — and my results speak for themselves.

Check it out here: [Your affiliate link]

Just sharing in case you’re ready to upgrade.

More Sales Angles

There’s no fixed number of sales angles—but there are dozens of proven ones, and most fall into a handful of core psychological or strategic categories.