By Nyah Scott

Successful news stories are those that accomplish the presentation of objective facts or data in a gripping, attention-grabbing way, but what happens when the draw of the headline isn’t enough to keep audiences engaged? The key to publicity and disseminating information about you or your business’ news is attention-retention. Fortunately, the answer to unlocking the asset of attention-retention is a communication strategy that is basically in our DNA. Storytelling or narrative is one of the most effective ways to follow and remember information. Because humans are “cognitive misers” (i.e., we want to complete tasks with as little energy required), we are more willing to engage information that is easier to process. Storytelling makes a lot of otherwise uninspiring information, statistics, and updates more palatable and newsworthy…if done right.

“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.”

– Seth Godin (Author and Former Dot Com Business Executive)

What Seth Godin summates in this quote perfectly encapsulates one of the basic parts of PR and news coverage. Personability and accessibility is best conveyed through humanistic aspects in your press release writing.

First, while upholding journalistic conventions, know your audience and what level of language they are receptive to; integrating jargon in your news story is okay if your intended audience understands the vocabulary. Second, make sure the information you are sharing is carefully curated. What you relay to the public is within your control, so make sure your story’s focus is not too broad and accompanied with meaningful details. Third, ensure that a connection is made between you and your audience by making your story relevant to their lives; tie your story into a bigger picture, whether it be current events (e.g. the passing of a new law, the effects of the pandemic, supporting small businesses) or historical precedent. Show consumers and potential clientele that you have a story worth reading that will supplement their lives in some way via information on a new topic or directing them towards a helpful product or service.

That “magic.” What’s your newsworthiness?

Being effective at publicity means acknowledging that not all news is newsworthy. While it may sound self-contradictory, the reality is not all your business updates will be picked up by national or international reporters seeking to get the juiciest scoop. The story of your recently hired employee may pale in comparison to the story of a local business raising thousands of dollars to donate to charity. Fortunately, these updates, ventures, and accomplishments (including new hires) can be tailored in a way to make them newsworthy. This is where storytelling “magic” comes into play. For the new hire example, frame the story with the update of the new employee joining the team, but flesh it out to include why this is a newsworthy milestone. Maybe the new hire is a born-and-raised local looking to give back to the community that raised them. Maybe they are highly accomplished in their field, elevating the status of your business and providing more professional input for your clientele. With the right PR experts at your disposal, each milestone and update can be made newsworthy via the power of narrative.

 Remember this…

Storytelling in publicity can be the difference between your business’ news being consistently picked up by far-reaching publications and being lost in the inboxes of publication editors. That “magic” is well within your reach.

The Goddard Company’s publicity services include media list curation, press release writing, (local, national, and international) and news distribution in addition to extensive online reputation management services.