What is an Anecdote?
An anecdote is a short, amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
In business, anecdotes serve as a gateway to building emotional connections with your audience, something great content marketers do effortlessly.
Why Should You Care About Anecdotes?
People love stories.
They’re a great way to deliver value to your readers, especially when they’re rooted in your personal experiences, whether at work or in life.
Think of anecdotes as the cherry on the cake.
If you aim to establish thought leadership or build a community, knowing how to write great anecdotes can be a powerful tool.
For a deeper dive into how storytelling builds brand credibility, check out this guide to B2B SaaS content.
How to Write Anecdotes?
The other day, I came across a wonderful set of action pointers for writing anecdotes.
As you know, happiness for me is sharing everything interesting I learn. So, here I am, sharing it with you!
I got this template from a webinar by Adi Suja from Growthetics.
Here’s how it goes:
| Action Pointers | Example 1 | Example 2 |
| Tell me about a time when you…… | Had a major life change (moving to a new city, quitting job, starting new business) | Got rid of a bad habit (alcohol, etc.) |
| Short and Quick Summary | I started a new job and it was soul crushing | I kicked a banana addiction |
| Background Info & 2-3 Sentence Elaboration | I started a new job as a Skydiving Instructor, but quickly realized that I was afraid of heights and didn’t like doing this line of work. I quit after a few days and felt a lot better. | I had a bad habit of binge-eating bananas. I would eat seven dozen bananas in a day compulsively, then felt sick afterwards. I quit though and felt amazing afterwards. |
| What was the moment of highest drama? | When I had to write out my resignation letter after only 2 hours of employment. | When I decided to throw out over $2000 worth of bananas in my garage. |
| How did it make you feel? | I felt miserable. | I felt trapped. |
| How did it make others feel? | My boss was upset at first , but we’re still friends now. | My friends said that I was transformed into a new man after I kicked the addiction. |
| What did this make you realize? | I realized that you shouldn’t work a job that you don’t enjoy. | I realized that banana addiction is real and that life was a lot better after I stopped the addiction. |
| What was the lesson learned? | Don’t work a job that you hate. | Addiction will ruin you. |
As you might have guessed, the purpose of these stories is to make you laugh and learn a little along the way!
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My Personal Story (Learning Exercise)
Now, it’s my turn to write a story based on these pointers. Here’s my attempt:
Tell me about a time when you……
I saw my son reading the Harry Potter book during his online schooling.
Short and Quick Summary
I was shocked to see my son not paying attention in class. I decided to help him stay focused.
Background Info & 2-3 Sentence Elaboration
There are 80 students in my son’s class, all on a Zoom call. The teacher can’t monitor every student like in a traditional classroom.
I realized that classroom engagement shouldn’t depend on the fear of getting caught by the teacher.
What was the moment of highest drama?
I asked my son, “Champ, is it right to get distracted during the class?”
He replied, “Mamma, I know it’s not right, but I can’t help it!”
How did it make you feel?
I felt touched. I could relate as it’s the same as my own struggle to avoid distractions during work hours.
Three Ideas to Solve the Distraction Problem
- Check with fellow parents: Are they facing the same issue? Have they found a solution?
- Seek guidance from experts: Can they suggest strategies?
- Self-reflection: How do I handle distractions in my own life?
How did it make others feel?
A few other parents had the same issue.
Most suggested removing all distractions from the device: games, non-school books, kids’ messengers, etc.
I turned to my go-to expert, Mr. Ajay Tyagi, a child psychology specialist, for advice.
Here’s his advice:
As parents, we always declare very loudly about the study time.
Have you ever declared about …..
Fun time. Play time. Relax time. Favorite book reading time. Teasing sibling time.
Never na? Just try and see the magic.
The way we phrase these moments matters. Instead of saying, “Okay, you can play now,” try saying it with enthusiasm.
Children don’t pick up on the words alone. They sense the energy behind them.
How I Applied the Advice
On the weekend, I announced all playtime with great happiness and enthusiasm.
I gave my son more hugs than usual, and we spent time playing UNO and baking cookies together.
My son read Harry Potter for hours and enjoyed his favorite mobile games.
I didn’t ask him to study at all during the weekend. We all had a wonderful time.
On Sunday night, I gently reminded him not to get distracted in class Monday onwards.
Believe it or not. It worked wonders.
What was the lesson learned?
Now, I’ll always remember.
Kids do not pick words but the music played along with those words.
Now It’s Time to Test the Appeal of This Story
Test 1: Ask the teacher (Adi Suja from Growthetics) if I understood the lesson correctly.
Test 2: If you enjoyed this story, type a smiley in the comments below.
Test 3: I’ll share this story on my parenting blog and see how people react.
Then, I’ll update this post with their feedback.
What’s Your Take?
Would you like to try writing an anecdote using these pointers?
Would you share this post with your content writers to help them write better stories for your business?
At Concurate, we understand how powerful storytelling can be for your business. We help you craft content that not only engages but also drives real results.
Whether you’re looking to share impactful anecdotes, connect with your audience on a deeper level, or use storytelling to influence buyer decisions, we’ve got the expertise to make it happen.
If you’re ready to transform your content strategy into something that resonates and delivers, let’s connect over a quick call. Block our calendar today.
