There is no doubt that the journalistic landscape of today is growing and changing at mock speed. However, some things never change, even with the technology boom. A journalist can excel at a great many skills, but what separates the “good” from the “great” is storytelling.
I began my post-college career in marketing, a field I never even considered while in school. I was hired to be the primary content writer for web and print collateral for an outdoor retailer. I quickly learned that I could apply the skills I learned in college to create better-than-average content. Writing is more than good grammar. A successful writer in any realm must be a good communicator.
Storytelling Across the Spectrum
Whether you’re selling a pair of hiking boots to your audience or sharing the stories of Syrian migrant children, your communication tools are the same. Your content is conveying a story. Clearly, the story behind hiking boots will not be as “deep” as a humanitarian crisis, but this doesn’t mean you can’t find a story to tell. There is ALWAYS a story, and the benefit of having a professional writer/storyteller on your team is he/she will be adept at mining out the story, framing it and connecting your products to your audience.
Every story needs a beginning, middle, end and a conflict resolution. In the case of the hiking boots, this story could be told in a long-form blog as a first-person narrative, or it can be told in a few words on a billboard with complementary imagery. It isn’t hard to imagine how a long-form blog could use a proper story arc, but how can a billboard tell a complete story?
Example
A hiking boot billboard could read: “Explore canyons, not bunions.” The imagery would show a person wearing the boots during a canyoneering adventure. How does this convey a story?
- It acknowledges a conflict: Hiking boot wearers may get bunions from ill-fitting boots.
- It offers a solution: Our hiking boots are better than the average boot, and will allow you to enjoy what you really love, without the pain caused from a bad boot.
- It has a beginning, middle and end: Much of this is left to the imagination of the audience, but can be clearly understood.
- Beginning: The hiker wants to go on a hike.
- Middle: The hiker presumably purchased the superior boot.
- End: The hiker reaped the rewards of the boot by enjoying a pain-free experience.
Find Your Story
There isn’t a product too inconsequential, a destination too minor or a person too unknown for a story to be told. Find your angle, create your story arc and get your message out. If you’d like more tips or ideas about storytelling, please get in touch with me. I am happy to help.
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