Why Storytelling Is Key To Increasing Your Business Visibility

Today’s post is from the fabulous Nicola Rowley of NJRPR, giving insight into why PR and storytelling is so key to your business.  This ties in so much with my ethos of storytelling, whereby your business is about telling stories… It doesn’t matter what your business is, part of your marketing effort is to tell a story, to draw your clients in, to want to spend their money with you and this can be achieved through your copy, your imagery and as Nicola shows, your PR.  So here she is…

 

 

When you think of the brands you know, like and trust – have you considered why?

Think about Apple, Virgin Atlantic and Dyson for instance, they all have two things in common. The first is that their founder or co-founder is or has been at the heart of the brand and you feel that in some way, you know or like them.

The other, is that they have cultivated a story. Every story is unique but it’s something that connects you as a potential customer to their brand values and beliefs. And these two things side by side help to build the all-important know, like and trust factor, which is key for you to become a paying customer.

Now have a think about your business. Have you defined your brand values and beliefs? Are you placing yourself at the centre of your business, so your potential clients can connect with you? And most importantly of all, have you defined your story?

 

 

So often, female entrepreneurs begin by saying their driving force is that they want to make a difference. I get it, I’m a business owner myself and I want to help you stand out for all the right reasons too. But this isn’t my Why or the reason I get out of bed in the morning at 5am to write an e-book for someone, or help them enter business awards.

Every one of us has a personal, much deeper reason why we do what we do. And sometimes this absolutely should stay private, but knowing the reason is key, because it will provide you with a great starting point to think about your story.

Because let’s face it, your story is everything.

In today’s world where Journalists and Editors are inundated with hundreds of press releases and pitches a day, what is going to make you stand out? You!

Having a carefully crafted story, refined by someone who gets what it takes to start their own business, who understands the angles that Editors look for (as a former Journalist themselves), and who knows what inherently works and what doesn’t.

 

 

The cold hard truth is that no Journalist is going to write about your business as it is. It’s just not news. But if you can link what you do, or an area of expertise that you have to a date or an event in the news calendar, you are more likely to be featured. Knowing also how to expertly weave your key messaging into everything is also really important. There’s absolutely no point in securing media coverage, if you can’t get this across.

And this is why your story matters so much.

A professional pair of eyes has already taken the time to sit down with you, ask you questions, and get under the skin of what your business means to you. And usually, right near the end of the session, you will reveal a nugget of information in a throwaway comment. And without even realising it, you have just revealed the starting point of your story.

It’s something that people need to hear about – and when it’s crafted, it somehow just sits so much better. And that’s how you manage to get more awareness, more opportunities and you become known as the expert in your field. All of a sudden you start to realise why your story is the most powerful thing of all, and why you should take the time to craft it and use it alongside a powerful set of visual storytelling images provided by a professional photographer.

 

There you have it, how are you going to craft your story?

Until next time,

Amanda x

 

The Author:

Nicola J Rowley is a former Journalist and Award-winning PR expert and runs NJRPR – a Communications Agency that specialises in getting clients noticed through strategic storytelling. And don’t forget to join her free Facebook group The Communications Community

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