Sending out my first batch of emails to about 100 users, any tips?

The purpose of my email is to kick start off a referral program (the user gets a free trial if they refer a few people). I have been reading up about "brand story telling" , I was considering using a story format to frame the email, and to use customer centric language while highlighting benefits for them. Do you think this is a solid plan? Do you have any tips?