In PR, Story Still Trumps Technology
An article in this past Saturday’s Washington Post talked about the promising field of e-book publishing. Naturally, it started with an inspiring success story about a romance writer who, in spite of her previous hits, had been dropped by her publisher. So the author Nyree Belleville figured out how she could self-publish and the rest is history.
Book publishing is changing faster than ever and whatever the next best thing is, well, its shelf life doesn’t seem to last long. But here’s something that is lasting. One word. One we’re taught about early on in our lives. Story. That’s right, a narrative that takes us away from our lives, allowing us into a different world whether it’s saying goodnight to the moon, an alien wanting desperately to call home, or an interpretation of something that’s really happened. The point is this: story still trumps technology, even one’s prose, which is always a good reminder that in our business, publicity, you’ve got to be able to tell a good story. If you’re a business owner doing your own pr, you may think this story-telling stuff is for the birds and on Twitter, you’d probably be right. But seriously, the universal appeal of a story is alive and well. Here’s the closing of that article and you’ll see what I’m talking about:
“It’s an odd little moment in the breakout days of one of the hottest digital writers in America: During her presentation, there was almost no talk about digital publishing. The discussion was just about stories and why readers like some characters and don’t like others, the dynamics between men and women, and what they find moving and worthwhile in literature. It was almost like 1995.”
It’s an interesting commentary, especially as we collect invitations to the latest social networking workshop. Regardless of your Facebook/Twitter presence, you’ve absolutely got to be able to tell your firm’s story—how it got started, mistakes/missteps the company might have made in its early days, obstacles you’ve faced and overcome, how you’ve learned from one particular customer, etc.
Too often, publicists and anyone charged with conducting PR are afraid to tell a story as if storytelling will minimize the message. Told well, a story can tell readers/viewers/listeners everything they need to know about your product/client. Fortunately, we can tell stories with still pictures and videos, too, which, for the most part, enhance a story. So before you jump into the social networking frenzy remember that first and foremost you have a story to tell. It has a beginning, middle, and end. Could you tell that story now?
Let me know on Twitter @LeslieLevine.
