Anecdotes

Everybody loves a good story — those chronological accounts that have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with some sort of impressive outcome. Step into any bar, dinner party, or everyday telephone conversation and that’s what you’ll hear. Writing for business, you’ve probably used stories in bios and case histories. But don’t be limited. Stories are great for all types of documents, from information sheets to faxed memos.

Say you’re writing sales and marketing materials — simply give the reader a chronological account of how your business’s service or product has helped a customer. When dealing with complaint letters, review the situation from the customer’s point of view. Then, in Everybody loves a good story — those chronological accounts that have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with some sort of impressive outcome. Step into any bar, dinner party, or everyday telephone conversation and that’s what you’ll hear. Writing for business, you’ve probably used stories in bios and case histories. But don’t be limited. Stories are great for all types of documents, from information sheets to faxed memos.

Say you’re writing sales and marketing materials — simply give the reader a chronological account of how your business’s service or product has helped a customer. When dealing with complaint letters, review the situation from the customer’s point of view. Then, in the following paragraphs, keep referring to the story. This will help you support your claims, create continuity within the document, and use interesting language and ideas. Just make sure your story has the following elements:
• Interesting events . Make sure the story is absorbing. With sales and marketing material, for example, make sure something is at stake, such as the customer’s financial gain, physical well-being, or emotional security.
• Specific information . To make your story as vivid as possible, include details such as names, dollar amounts, and ages when relevant.
• Typical scenario . Stick with scenes your reader can relate to. Discussing financial services? Mention the average client rather than an extremely wealthy one — unless you helped him or her get that way. Discussing your catering business? Mention weddings and bar mitzvahs that may be similar to those your reader would host.
Now, look at this example from one company’s annual report:

Tommy James has had asthma since the day he was born. While asthma is troublesome, Tommy’s case was even more serious — his brother, Sam, had died from asthma two years before.

During Tommy’s most recent bout, his mother contacted our Medical Hotline. In addition to telling her to drive Tommy to the emergency ward immediately, our medical emergency specialist explained that Tommy should remain calm and limit his use of the inhaler. Then, our specialist contacted the hospital to alert the doctors of Tommy’s arrival.

Typically, you’d refer to your anecdote in two ways:
1. At the beginning of your document to establish a scene; in the middle, to remind your readers and create a consistent structure; and at the end, so you can tie the whole piece together.
2. Each time you mention a new or especially important point, to support your statements and create continuity.

The Tommy James example continues:

We make sure our medical emergency specialists give only the best advice to people like Tommy’s mother by using only experienced nurses. They regularly attend college courses so they’re updated about the newest advances in everything from cancer treatments to asthma. In addition, they’re trained communicators who give callers information clearly and directly. This especially helps distressed callers, like Tommy’s mother, react in the most levelheaded, effective way.