I grew up surrounded by stories. Bookshelves lined the walls of my childhood home with everything from magical worlds to memoirs, from mysteries to mythology. Even my name comes from a famous series, a testament to my parents’ love of books and commitment to raise my siblings and me in a world of words.
Reading is a habit I’ve maintained into adulthood. I’m always looking for something new to read. While I prefer fantasy and science fiction, I’m ready to devour biographies, romance novels, or historical fiction at a moment’s notice.
And my love of reading has only benefited my career in public relations. By immersing myself in stories, I’ve learned how to better craft compelling narratives that engage, educate, and encourage audiences.
Public relations professionals are storytellers. We help draw out the narratives in our client’s products and services, giving shine and structure to elevate them in the public eye and reach the right audiences. Knowing how to craft a captivating story is key in our profession.
Surround Yourself with Stories
The best way to pinpoint a good story is to surround yourself with them. The more I read, the more I can identify beautiful language, poetic plots, and compelling characters. The more I work in the world of PR, the more I see creative campaigns, perfectly targeted pitches, and deftly handled crises.
Seek to learn from PR successes, even if they aren’t your own. What did they do right? Why did their unique angle work well? How can those strategies be implemented for your own clients? Identifying good stories that are being promoted in the world right now can inspire future work.
Surrounding yourself with stories also means learning the story of your client. To tell the best narrative for them, you must know your client well. How did they start? What are the company’s values? Have they ever experienced a crisis? What makes their story stand out in their industry?
The history of your client plays an important role in their current public perception. If you’re going to continue to shape their narrative, you must know what happened in the previous chapters.
It’s also crucial to know what stories are happening right now. Stay abreast of media trends and current events. Know what is happening in the world so you can leap at the right opportunity to showcase your client’s story.
Recommend the Right Genre
Everyone’s tastes are different. Some people prefer thrillers or science fiction, while others prefer nonfiction or horror. When recommending a book to a friend, I try to consider what they like to read.
The same goes for pitching. It’s your job to recommend the right story to journalists. What beat are they on? What kind of outlet do they work for? Who is their audience, and what are they interested in?
Good stories connect with their readers. While a pitch isn’t the fully fleshed out plot, it’s the heart of your story. Your pitch must connect with the media you’re pitching to before it can reach a wider audience.
Beyond targeting outreach, personalizing your pitches and building relationships with reporters go a long way. A book recommended to me by a stranger may sit on my shelf unread for months. But a close friend or family member’s recommendation will bump a book to the top of my To Read list. Building a repertoire with members of the media means ensuring the stories they receive from you are consistently high-quality, targeted to their specific audience, and can be trusted.
With the right recommendation, you can help friends and journalists alike put a new favorite on their shelf – or in their paper.
Take it One Chapter at a Time
Stories don’t happen all at once, and that’s the beauty in them. They unfold, chapter after chapter. While planning and plotting is crucial, the pages of reality continue to turn. It is your responsibility as a public relations professional to ensure your client’s narrative continues to unfold at critical moments for the right audience to see. You must be patient and persistent as you share your client’s story.
Shaping the substance of your client’s story also requires structure. Plotting out the beginning, middle, and end can help you see the big picture. What was the conflict that was overcome? How can you show the way your client stepped up to face a challenge and was successful? Invest time in developing a narrative that can naturally progress as it’s being shown to audiences and the media.
How Does the Story End?
Everything I’ve read has enhanced my knowledge of what a good narrative is – and how to best craft and share one. The world is full of stories ripe for the reading, and it’s up to you to make sure your client’s story is shared.
Take some time to brush up on your narrative skills and bundle up with a blanket, some hot chocolate, and a good book. You never know what kind of stories and inspiration you’ll encounter.
