The Story Frameworks Coaches Need to Sell Without Feeling Salesy
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times:
“Stories sell.”
And it’s true.
But when you sit down to write your next email or sales page… the only story that comes to mind is the one about how you spilt coffee on your laptop.
Here’s the thing most people forget about storytelling in marketing:
It’s not just about being relatable or entertaining.
It’s about guiding your reader toward a decision.
Because your story isn't about you — it's about them.
So today, I’m giving you three simple story frameworks that coaches and personal brands can use to write copy that feels real and leads to real results.
1. The “Before and After” Bridge
This is the classic transformation story — perfect for welcome emails, sales pages, and testimonials.
Structure:
Before: What life looked like before your service (paint the pain or problem)
Turning Point: The moment something changed (the discovery or insight)
After: What life looks like now (the benefit-rich outcome)
Example:
“Back when I first started coaching, I had no idea how to talk about what I did without sounding cringey. Every email felt awkward, like I was trying too hard. Then I discovered how to use stories — and suddenly, my emails started getting replies. Sales felt easy. Clients came in saying, ‘It’s like you were in my head.’”
Use this in:
Welcome sequences
Launch emails
Case studies
Need help writing your own transformation email?
Grab my plug-and-play Email Templates for Coaches & Personal Brands here.
2. The “Why I Do This” Origin Story
If your audience doesn’t know what drives you, they’ll assume it’s just the money.
This framework builds trust by showing what you stand for and why you care. It's perfect for brand storytelling, sales emails, and ‘About’ content.
Structure:
The problem you saw (that others ignored)
Why it mattered to you
The moment you knew you had to solve it
How you help now
Pro tip: Keep the focus on your audience’s transformation — you’re the guide, not the hero.
Want to see this in action? My post on Why Your Emails Aren’t Converting breaks it down with examples that resonate.
3. The “I Get You” Snapshot
Sometimes a full story is too much. This mini framework gives you a way to show empathy fast — great for social captions, subject lines, and short emails.
Structure:
Call out a relatable moment or feeling
Reflect what they’re thinking
Hint that a solution is coming
Example:
“You open your laptop to write an email and… nothing. You’ve got a coaching offer you know can help, but somehow, when it comes to typing it out? Total blank. Been there. And I’ve got a trick that’ll get you unstuck in less than 5 minutes…”
These quick stories stop the scroll and pull your reader into the rest of your message.
Want more like this? Check out Subject Line Secrets and 5 Simple Tweaks to Make Your Copy Instantly More Engaging for copy that clicks.
Take this and run with it
You don’t need a dramatic backstory or a bestselling memoir to write high-converting emails.
You just need a story that speaks to your audience’s current reality — and shows them what’s possible with your help.
Want help putting these frameworks into practice?
👉 Download the Email Templates for Coaches & Personal Brands — and never stare at a blinking cursor again.
Hey there, Rebecca here.
My mission is to write copy that feels unmistakably you—capturing your voice, sharing your stories, and engaging your audience in a way that drives real impact.
