3 Tips to Create a Strong PR Narrative

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“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” 

 

These words from the visionary Steve Jobs are a testament to a power that he, above all, intimately understood: the power of a strong story to change minds, influence behaviour, and build one of the world’s most recognized brands. 

 

However, the best brand stories simply aren’t built in a day – rather, they require continuous commitment, strategic public relations, and most importantly, a solid and meaningful foundation. So, where to begin? 

 

At BlueSky, we’ve outlined our top three tips for creating a strong PR narrative:

 

Begin with the basics: the 5Ws. 

As you start to lay out and build your PR story, it can be helpful to go back to basics and identify the 5Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. These will form the building blocks of any PR story, and will also allow you to get a sense of what you fundamentally have to work with in terms of narrative. As an added bonus, any journalist interested in your story will be sure to dig deep on these details, so by identifying them early on, you’ll ensure you have solid answers already at hand.

 

Know your target market. 

Attempting to be all things to all people is a surefire way to dilute, rather than strengthen your PR story. Instead, take the time to really think about the audiences you want to reach, and the ones to whom you’re most likely to appeal. Once you can build a clear profile of your target audience, it then becomes easier to build a strong story that taps into them.

 

Think big picture. 

When creating your PR story, it can be helpful to zoom out and understand how your PR narrative fits into the world around you. Ask yourself: Which stories are in the news at the moment? Are there key issues currently dominating public discussion? From there, you can then go back to your 5Ws – which ones now ‘pop’ against the backdrop of their broader context? Identifying and emphasizing these in your PR story will help to create a timely, engaging narrative that gains traction amidst the current newscycle.

 

Looking for a public relations agency in Toronto? Check out some of the great work we’ve done with some of Canada’s most respected brands, or contact us to find out how we can help with yours!

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