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3 Act Drama of Storytelling in Sales Copy

[Adapted from How To Tell A Great Story (7^th Edition)]

One of the most crucial parts of storytelling is plotting. When you plot your tale, you’re constructing the story to appear in a logical narrative, with a balance of action and drama. It helps you to explain how to plan out the predicament and upsets that your readers face and how to offer them a solution to the problem. Once you’ve mastered the basics of plotting you’ll need to put your story into a coherent structure. The structure is what most writers refer to as ‘The 3 Act Drama’.

First, the basics…

In Act 1, you start at the beginning. In the first part of your tale you will have to do the following:

• Introduce the main character and establish who he or she is.

• Introduce the rivals and the conflict.

• Show what is at stake.

• Paint your backdrop by setting the time of your story.

• Introduce your theme.

In Act 2, you catch your breath. Some of the things to do at this point are to enhance the themes – narrate a little about it. Perhaps you can show the different views of a particular theme here or even the ‘thinking’ process; i.e. how one view can be interpreted by different people in different ways. 

In Act 3, you will have to quicken the pace a little. To keep your audience wanting more, you should make the ending one that demands immediate action. You need to make sure that the end of your story strikes the right balance between satisfaction for your reader and continuing enthusiasm.

Are you saying that all of this applies in the field of ‘creative writing’ and not the business world? Well, please permit me to surprise you …

Take a typical sales letter you would prepare for a product and see how this 3 Act Drama features in your sales letter:

[What is in black is usually the terms that marketing gurus use. What is in red is how the three act drama applies to the sales letter]

 Part 1 - Act 1

Headline and Sub-headline –

These are intended to immediately capture the interest of your reader - the hero in this three act drama.

Introduce the problem - relate to the reader and explain product –

This is the part where the hero's main conflict and all that is at stake to him are stated.

Who is the note from and establishing the author's credibility –

These are the ingredients of which the main characters in this drama are - you and your reader!

Part 2 - Act 2

Detail the benefits and features of the product –

Here, the hero catches his breath by trying to understand the product in a little more detail.  ... But not for too long.

Part 3 - Act 3

Close with a call to action, guarantee, sign off and add your P.S.

See how one of the first things the sales letter states after the benefits and features have been expanded upon is always a sentence like:

"You've just made it in time to take part in this offer ..."?

Is this not an example of quickening the pace of the three act drama?

Then there are the bonuses and the guarantee - these are always the part where the loose ends of the story are tied up.

For example, "Yes, you will have the ebook to tell a great story but if you get into trouble, we will always be there to help you! You will have unlimited email access for 30 days."

Then it is time for the close of the story - the hero is asked to make the decision.

'Download Now'

'Invest in your future Now' ...

Now do you understand why marketing gurus constantly say, "Only the long sales letter will work"? The reason is very simply because by setting out the long sales letter, you have told a complete and compelling story of your product.

‘How To Tell A Great Story’ is an ebook that caters for beginners to storytelling and in particular, how storytelling can be used in every day life. The author of this popular ebook is Aneeta Sundararaj. This ebook is now in its 7^th Edition and to find out more, visit http://www.howtotellagreatstory.com.