Is it me, or does every family have one of those suave, storytelling uncles? Let's give him a name, let's call him Uncle Rick. He's been around the block a few times, he's seen some things in his lifetime. The old Tomcat's got a story to tell, and any pair of ears will do.

For me, this "uncle" was my childhood best friend's father. Mr. "C" owned a sports bar/made his living by real estate and was fond of delivering the old drive-by butt whack. (Yes, there was a time when you could pull those kinds of stunts on kids without getting a call from DYFS.)

The Story was always delivered in a slightly humorous style, with lots of dramatic pauses and plenty of buildup. Maybe it was about the time he got caught driving Dad's car around town at age 14 with his schoolyard buddies hanging out the back seat. Or perhaps it was about some amazing feat that the dog performed when it thought no one was looking.

No matter what the topic, The Story usually went on for "pages..." something that I would have blurted in two sentences that no one would have heard anyway (little something about me - I'm a great copywriter, but my public storytelling ability leaves much to be desired!).

So, while this Magic Man told his story, he mesmerized and engulfed you with his mighty presence and his gaze burned down into the pit of your belly. And you played along, nodding enthusiastically, hanging on to every word.

To top it off, Uncle Rick was such a swell guy, that he even gave you a little part to play. He'd let YOU unveil the big reveal - guess the point of it all. 'Cause there was always an "a-ha" moment; a Purpose to the yarn, and he was going to hammer it home to the death, by God!

And it wasn't until later, after the mystique had worn off, and Uncle Rick was once again parked in his Barca Lounger, sipping Canadian Club and growling intermittently at the sports heroes on TV, that you realized something.

The old Storytelling Uncle with his wild storytelling ways, wasn't any better or any more interesting than anyone else in the world. But it sure seemed that way, because hoo-ahhh, that cat could tell a story that would make your toes curl.

And the moral of THIS little tale?

If you want to write persuasive copy that sells, you've got to BECOME that storytelling uncle.