As we share StoryCrafting, our model of storytelling in public relations, with clients, colleagues and the marketplace, we’re getting great response. We’re also getting two questions that are very important:
- How do you define good PR storytelling?
- Can you provide examples of good PR storytelling?
The answers are yes and yes.
Beginning this month, we will add three regular features here on the WordWrite StoryCrafting blog that will explore our key tenets of excellent storytelling in public relations: having an authentic story, employing fluent storytellers to share the authentic story, and the important process of “reading the audience” to make sure the story and storyteller resonates with the audience and engages them proactively.
Each month, we’ll be highlighting these principles of StoryCrafting by celebrating the authentic stories, fluent storytellers and great examples of audience engagement that define excellent public relations storytelling.
One week, we’ll select the Authentic Story of the Month and explain why that particular public relations story is the best example of our principle.
During a second week, we’ll select the Fluent Storyteller of the Month and explain what that person or organization did to demonstrate their storytelling fluency.
In a third blog each month, we’ll share the best example of reading an audience to assure that the authentic story and the fluent storyteller sharing the story are painting a picture, setting a tone and creating an experience that really resonates with the audience.
Initially, we’ll be selecting the stories, storytellers and audience examples to illustrate the thinking that led us to spend more than two years developing StoryCrafting. We want your feedback and thoughts, so our comments will be wide open for your contributions to the discussion.
After we have the new blog categories launched, we hope to expand the discussion so that you can make your own recommendations for authentic stories, fluent storytellers and audience engagement. Perhaps we’ll even turn it into a regular poll so we can all vote on the best examples.
Speaking of polls, one common thread of comments we get as we share StoryCrafting centers on poor examples of stories, storytellers and audience engagement. After all, we live in a real and sometimes surprising world, and whether it’s Tiger Woods or BP or Goldman Sachs, or any other example that comes to mind, it seems there are plenty of examples of poor storytelling in public relations.
We’ll have some fun with that, I’m sure. But first, let’s define the guidelines for storytelling success. We look forward to sharing our thoughts with you — and we look forward to your participation!
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Paul Furiga is president and CEO of WordWrite Communications.
