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Friday Deep Dives (How to Write Introductions that Keep Your Readers on the Page)

02 Dec

Welcome to the 6th issue of Friday Deep Dives, a monthly newsletter by Dozie Anyaegbunam, where an industry expert or I go all in one question on content marketing from you all. I'm glad you're here. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you need your own: Subscribe here.

Hallos,

It’s December. And that means Christmas (Or Xmas as some call it).

It also means gifts, decorations, and family time. And also some well-deserved rest for those who can take some time off.

And if you can’t, I am sending love and light your way.

In today’s deep dive, I have Erica Schneider, Head of Content at Grizzle.io, who will share her best introduction frameworks. Erica’s wife also just gave birth to twins. So send in your congratulations.

How to write great introductions

Hey everyone, Erica here.

Good introductions draw the reader in. They make them want to read more to learn more.

There are several ways you can do that. And as always, the right way depends on:

  • Context

  • Your goals

  • Your audience

  • Your audience’s intent

  • The customer journey stage

The worst thing you can do is state the obvious. It's boring. Uncompelling. And doesn't speak to intent.

 Boring — “Topping app store charts is hard.”

Intriguing — “Two years after [company name] topped app store charts and raised a million in capital; they shut down.”

Here are a couple of frameworks to take your intro from 😴 to 🔥

The storytelling framework

A storytelling framework doesn't always work. But if the context, intent, and goals call for it, it can be 🔥

Here’s you go:

When [brand] launched their product in [year], they [action] based on [reason]. 

The result? [Outcome].

After realizing [situation], they [how they pivoted] OR [doubled down].

[Transition].

This tip doesn't work in every situation. But it can be great for thought leadership. It tells the reader you understand the state of the thing you’re about to dive into, which builds trust. And sparks curiosity to see what advice you’ll give.

But use your best judgment.

To the point

You don't always need a long introduction. Especially if you don't need to squeeze in keywords, sometimes, you can get to the point. No waffle. Brian Dean does this all the time.

Image

SCQA

Situation

Challenge

Question

Answer

(Put them in any order you want). But this is a great way to set the stage, poke the pain, & hint that your solution will help.

I do just that in my content writing guide.

  • SERPs don’t help.

  • Annoyed? Me too.

  • Let’s change that.

Image

HTAS

Hook

Thesis

Antithesis

Synthesis

The HTAS is similar to the SCQA. But with an emphasis on making an argument (thesis) and backing up your idea (synthesis).

CXL does this well.

  • Buyers are slow.

  • When they’re ready, you must be top of mind.

  • Not there? Get there or lose.

  • Here’s how.

Image

Some introduction tips

  1. Don’t start introductions with the following sentences (they are bland, generic, and not targeted at your audience):

    1. X is hard

    2. Not many people X

    3. You’ve likely used X

    4. Did you know that X?

    5. Everybody experiences X

    6. You probably already know X

    7. You might have already seen X

    8. The first question you need to think about is X

  2. Do start introductions with (these are interesting, specific, and unique):

    1. X is why Y was able to RESULT

    2. BRAND is known for RESULT bc ACTION

    3. It's rare to find NOUN that makes you VERB

    4. In YEAR, BRAND reported DATA and had the highest RESULT compared to INDUSTRY LEADERS

  3. Keep it short (3-4 paragraphs).

  4. Be specific and speak to the intent of your piece.

  5. Use data if it helps (but don’t rely on it).

  6. Finally, include a transition.

And that’s it, folks.

If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments or by replying to the email. If you have a question you would like me to explain in-depth, send it in. And even if I don’t have the answer, I’ll find someone who can answer it properly.

Thanks for reading this far. I am grateful!

Be good out there. If you can't be good, be careful.

Dozie

P.S.: If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing it on LinkedIn or with a friend! I would be grateful.