{"id":14246,"date":"2022-02-07T01:00:23","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T05:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/?p=14246"},"modified":"2022-02-17T11:37:36","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T15:37:36","slug":"how-to-write-a-how-to-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/","title":{"rendered":"How to write a how-to story"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>7 steps for tipsheets<\/h2>\n<p>When the folks at Topolobampo, Chicago\u2019s cathedral to Mexican cuisine, wanted to sell more syrah, they didn\u2019t put signs on the tables saying \u201cBuy wine!\u201d Instead, they provided nifty little tabletop tipsheets on how to pair wine with Mexican food.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28866\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28866\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"28866\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\" data-orig-size=\"450,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"how-to-write-a-how-to-story\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Take this tip&lt;\/strong&gt; Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better. &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/hand-writing-helpful-tips-black-marker-127072601&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Image by Ivelin Radkov&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-300x200.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\" alt=\"How to write a how-to story\" title=\"How to write a how-to story\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28866 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png 450w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-300x200.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 450px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 450\/300;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"28866\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\" data-orig-size=\"450,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"how-to-write-a-how-to-story\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Take this tip&lt;\/strong&gt; Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better. &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/hand-writing-helpful-tips-black-marker-127072601&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Image by Ivelin Radkov&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-300x200.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\" alt=\"How to write a how-to story\" title=\"How to write a how-to story\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png 450w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28866\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Take this tip<\/strong> Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/hand-writing-helpful-tips-black-marker-127072601\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Image by Ivelin Radkov<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Take a tip from Topolobampo: Instead of always pushing your products, offer your customers news they can use to live their lives better. Tip sheets position your organization as the expert in the field and may drive more sales than purely promotional pieces.<\/p>\n<p>Here are seven ways to make the most of your next tip sheet:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Find a topic.<\/h3>\n<p> Explain how to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cut costs during the recession<\/li>\n<li>Save on taxes<\/li>\n<li>File for Social Security<\/li>\n<li>Grow a great lawn<\/li>\n<li>Reduce gas consumption<\/li>\n<li>Or do whatever it is your organization helps people do<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Stumped? Check out this <a title=\"Make money, save money, save time\" href=\"https:\/\/revvingupreadership.com\/2019\/11\/these-benefits-move-readers-to-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">list of benefits<\/a>. How can you help readers save money, save time, avoid effort and otherwise live their lives better?<\/p>\n<p>The key here is to provide real value. Tip sheets on &#8220;Five reasons to work with Ann Wylie&#8221; will never gain traction. &#8220;10 tips for choosing an XYZ vendor&#8221; won&#8217;t change anyone&#8217;s life either.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of offering self-serving tips, remember this content marketing formula: &#8220;Give, give, give, give, give, give, give, give, ask.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14249\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14249\" style=\"width: 478px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14249\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/deliver-real-value\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"478,487\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"deliver-real-value\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Deliver real value \u201cFive reasons to drink expensive wine with tacos\u201d won\u2019t gain much traction. Real tips trump self-serving content every day.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value-294x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14249 lazyload\" title=\"Deliver real value\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg\" alt=\"Deliver real value\" width=\"478\" height=\"487\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg 478w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value-294x300.jpg 294w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 478px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 478\/487;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14249\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/deliver-real-value\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"478,487\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"deliver-real-value\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Deliver real value \u201cFive reasons to drink expensive wine with tacos\u201d won\u2019t gain much traction. Real tips trump self-serving content every day.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value-294x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14249\" title=\"Deliver real value\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg\" alt=\"Deliver real value\" width=\"478\" height=\"487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value.jpg 478w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/deliver-real-value-294x300.jpg 294w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14249\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Deliver real value<\/strong> &#8220;Five reasons to drink expensive wine with tacos&#8221; won&#8217;t gain much traction. Real tips trump self-serving content every day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>2. Organize tips logically.<\/h3>\n<p>Choose the right structure:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Alphabetical structure<\/strong> is best for glossaries, for instance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chronological structure<\/strong> is the right choice for a series of steps. (As everyone who&#8217;s ever put together an Ikea bedside table well knows.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hierarchical structure<\/strong> works best for top 10 lists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Use the language of service stories.<\/h3>\n<p>How-to language \u2014 like <em>top, 10, you, most, best<\/em> and, of course, <em>how to<\/em> \u2014 has been a mainstay of service journalism for years. These days, this language tops the list of most-shared words and phrases on Facebook and Twitter, according to Zarrella&#8217;s research.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Put a number in the headline.<\/h3>\n<p>Numerals sell stories. That&#8217;s why coverlines on best-selling magazines are packed with numbers, from &#8220;Six Steps to Six-Pack Abs&#8221; to &#8220;101 Best Cheap Eats.&#8221; Blog post headlines and subject lines with numerals are more likely to get shared and opened, too.<\/p>\n<p>But be careful: It&#8217;s not enough just to slap a 10 onto the headline. Odd numbers tend to outperform even numbers; specific numbers (99) are better than round ones (100); and 101 of anything is too many, unless you&#8217;re offering chocolate chip cookies or cute kitten videos.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14250\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14250\" style=\"width: 478px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14250\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/make-numbers-count\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"478,469\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"make-numbers-count\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Make numbers count Numerals in headlines promise quantifiable value.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count-300x294.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14250 lazyload\" title=\"Make numbers count\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg\" alt=\"Make numbers count\" width=\"478\" height=\"469\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg 478w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count-300x294.jpg 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 478px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 478\/469;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14250\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/make-numbers-count\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"478,469\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"make-numbers-count\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Make numbers count Numerals in headlines promise quantifiable value.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count-300x294.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14250\" title=\"Make numbers count\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg\" alt=\"Make numbers count\" width=\"478\" height=\"469\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count.jpg 478w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/make-numbers-count-300x294.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14250\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Make numbers count<\/strong> Numerals in headlines promise quantifiable value.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>5. Write in the imperative voice.<\/h3>\n<p>Speak directly to &#8220;you&#8221; using the second person, and start each item with a verb, like <em>find, organize, use, put<\/em> or <em>write<\/em>. That will also help you make your list of tips parallel, which your third-grade English teacher and I will appreciate.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Format your tips.<\/h3>\n<p>Numbered lists, bullets and bold-faced lead-ins lift your tips off the page and screen and make it easier for people to read your tips.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Deliver &#8220;go and do&#8221; information.<\/h3>\n<p>Links, phone numbers, times, dates, addresses and maps not only boost value. <a title=\"Link for retweets\" href=\"http:\/\/revvingupreadership.com\/2012\/09\/link-for-retweets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Links increase your message&#8217;s chances of going viral<\/a>. And <a title=\"Add a map\" href=\"http:\/\/revvingupreadership.com\/2010\/06\/add-a-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">maps and addresses improve the chances that readers will act<\/a> on your information.<\/p>\n<h3>Deliver news you can use.<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;News you can use to live your life better&#8221; is the currency of most successful content marketing and PR writers.<\/p>\n<p><em>Investor&#8217;s Business Daily&#8217;s<\/em> motto is, &#8220;Don&#8217;t read it. Use it.&#8221; Shouldn\u2019t that be your motto too?<\/p>\n<div id='MC-GC-CTC' class='widgets_on_page wop_tiny1  wop_small1  wop_medium1  wop_large1  wop_wide1'>\n\t\t\t<ul><li id=\"custom_html-50\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><a title=\"Get Clicked, Liked & Shared, Ann Wylie's content-writing workshop\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/corporate-communication-training-programs\/content-writing-training\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/content-writing-training.png\" alt=\"Get Clicked, Liked & Shared, Ann Wylie's content-writing workshop\" title=\"Get Clicked, Liked & Shared, Ann Wylie's content-writing workshop\" width=\"auto\" height=\"auto\" border=\"1\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 250px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 250\/250;float:left; text-align:left; margin: 0 auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 10px; background-color: #000000; font-size: 18x; line-height: 22px; padding: 0px; color: #FFFFFF; max-width:100%; max-height:100%;\" class=\"img-max lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/content-writing-training.png\" alt=\"Get Clicked, Liked & Shared, Ann Wylie's content-writing workshop\" title=\"Get Clicked, Liked & Shared, Ann Wylie's content-writing workshop\" width=\"auto\" height=\"auto\" border=\"1\" style=\"float:left; text-align:left; margin: 0 auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 10px; background-color: #000000; font-size: 18x; line-height: 22px; padding: 0px; color: #FFFFFF; max-width:100%; max-height:100%;\" class=\"img-max\"><\/noscript><\/a><h3>How long should your content be?<\/h3>\r\n<p>How long should your blog post be? Your mobile headline? Online paragraphs?  Sentences and words?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Learn to write readable content-marketing pieces that don't overwhelm readers \u2014 even on their smartphones \u2014 at <a title=\"Get Clicked, Liked & Shared, Ann Wylie's content-writing workshop\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/corporate-communication-training-programs\/content-writing-training\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Get Clicked, Liked &amp; Shared<\/strong><\/a>, our content-writing workshop.<\/p>\r\n\t\r\n<p>You\u2019ll learn the most effective length for content-marketing pieces, online paragraphs, sentences and words. Then you\u2019ll analyze your message with a free online writing tool and get tips and tools for meeting those targets.<\/p>\r\n\t\r\n<p>Plus: Entice visitors to read more of your story by hitting one key on your keyboard more often. And learn to avoid using one \u201cunretweetable\u201d punctuation mark.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"btn btn--depth\" style=\"text-align: center;  margin: 10px 0 20px; width:100%;\"><a id=\"btnTT\" style=\"\" title=\"BOOK NOW\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/corporate-communication-training-programs\/content-writing-training\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-width=\"91\">BOOK NOW<\/a>\r\n<!-- [if mso]>\r\n<p style=\"line-height:0;margin:0;\"><v:roundrect xmlns:v=\"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/corporate-communication-training-programs\/content-writing-training\/\" style=\"width:153px\" arcsize=\"8%\" strokecolor=\"#D96237\" filled=\"t\"><v:fill type=\"gradient\" angle=\"180\" color=\"#f16522\" color2=\"#f16522\"><\/v:fill><v:textbox style=\"mso-fit-shape-to-text:t\" inset=\"0px,11px,0px,11px\"><center style=\"font-size:16px;line-height:24px;color:#FFFFFF;font-family:sans-serif;font-weight:bold;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;mso-text-raise:4px\">BOOK NOW<\/center><\/v:textbox><\/v:roundrect><\/p>\r\n<![endif]--><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><!-- widgets_on_page -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>7 steps for tipsheets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":28866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[161],"tags":[286,288,233,249,92],"class_list":{"0":"post-14246","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-types-of-artilces","8":"tag-listicles","9":"tag-service-story","10":"tag-story-structure","11":"tag-tipsheets","12":"tag-writing-process","13":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.4 (Yoast SEO v23.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to write a how-to story<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to write a how-to story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Wylie Communications, Inc.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WylieCommunications\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ann.wylie.33\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-02-07T05:00:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-02-17T15:37:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-fb.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ann Wylie\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to write a how-to story\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-twitter.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AnnWylie\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AnnWylie\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ann Wylie\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ann Wylie\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/85f5e705a38c31f4a0c59c982a66ce5e\"},\"headline\":\"How to write a how-to story\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-02-07T05:00:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-02-17T15:37:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\"},\"wordCount\":639,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\",\"keywords\":[\"listicles\",\"service story\",\"Story structure\",\"tipsheets\",\"Writing process\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Types of articles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\",\"name\":\"How to write a how-to story\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-02-07T05:00:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-02-17T15:37:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png\",\"width\":450,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"Take this tip Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better. Image by Ivelin Radkov\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Writing and editing\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/category\/writing-and-editing\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Types of articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/category\/writing-and-editing\/types-of-artilces\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"How to write a how-to story\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/\",\"name\":\"Wylie Communications, Inc.\",\"description\":\"Writing workshops, communication consulting and writing services\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Wylie Communications Inc.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/wylie_new_logo-300.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/wylie_new_logo-300.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"Wylie Communications Inc.\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WylieCommunications\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/AnnWylie\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wyliecomm\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/wylie-communications-inc-\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/wyliecomminc\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/85f5e705a38c31f4a0c59c982a66ce5e\",\"name\":\"Ann Wylie\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/160508f95c61ef464936ccf823a20963?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/160508f95c61ef464936ccf823a20963?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ann Wylie\"},\"description\":\"Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. She works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ann.wylie.33\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/AnnWylie\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to write a how-to story","description":"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to write a how-to story","og_description":"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/","og_site_name":"Wylie Communications, Inc.","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WylieCommunications","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ann.wylie.33","article_published_time":"2022-02-07T05:00:23+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-02-17T15:37:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-fb.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Ann Wylie","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How to write a how-to story","twitter_description":"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story-twitter.png","twitter_creator":"@AnnWylie","twitter_site":"@AnnWylie","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ann Wylie","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/"},"author":{"name":"Ann Wylie","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/85f5e705a38c31f4a0c59c982a66ce5e"},"headline":"How to write a how-to story","datePublished":"2022-02-07T05:00:23+00:00","dateModified":"2022-02-17T15:37:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/"},"wordCount":639,"commentCount":2,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png","keywords":["listicles","service story","Story structure","tipsheets","Writing process"],"articleSection":["Types of articles"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/","url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/","name":"How to write a how-to story","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png","datePublished":"2022-02-07T05:00:23+00:00","dateModified":"2022-02-17T15:37:36+00:00","description":"Take this tip: Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png","width":450,"height":300,"caption":"Take this tip Instead of just pushing your products, offer your customers tip sheets, or news they can use to live their lives better. Image by Ivelin Radkov"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2022\/02\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Writing and editing","item":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/category\/writing-and-editing\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Types of articles","item":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/category\/writing-and-editing\/types-of-artilces\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"How to write a how-to story"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/","name":"Wylie Communications, Inc.","description":"Writing workshops, communication consulting and writing services","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#organization","name":"Wylie Communications Inc.","url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/wylie_new_logo-300.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/wylie_new_logo-300.png","width":300,"height":300,"caption":"Wylie Communications Inc."},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WylieCommunications","https:\/\/x.com\/AnnWylie","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wyliecomm\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/wylie-communications-inc-","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/wyliecomminc\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/85f5e705a38c31f4a0c59c982a66ce5e","name":"Ann Wylie","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/160508f95c61ef464936ccf823a20963?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/160508f95c61ef464936ccf823a20963?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ann Wylie"},"description":"Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. She works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ann.wylie.33","https:\/\/x.com\/AnnWylie"]}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/how-to-write-a-how-to-story.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4rlSw-3HM","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14246"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14246\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}