Six Big Questions to Guide Your Addictive Story
My 11-year-old daughter, Lola, ran into our kitchen the other day, fervently recounting a scary story she just heard on YouTube promoting the Addictive Stories app. While I was bothered she was targeted with the creepy tale, the idea was intriguing — especially as a PR and marketing professional.
It got me thinking, what makes a story addictive? Why do I keep reading a novel, listening to a podcast or remain captivated by a news story? Addictive stories — stories filled with suspense, description, fascinating characters, surprises in the plot — keep audiences riveted until the end.
Everyone loves a good story. We return again and again to the authors, apps, podcasts, e-newsletters, Instagram feeds, and other sources of stories that emotionally engage and move us. With an unprecedented number of outlets and apps and other mediums sharing stories today, competition for attention is fierce.
Given this, businesses must be more intentional and think harder and smarter about how they tell their stories in order to keep audiences engaged and coming back to their brands for more. They must think hard about all the ways they can tell real, vulnerable and fascinating stories that transparently share their struggles and triumphs — bringing audiences along for the unfolding.
For an inventory of the most essential parts of a well thought-out, engaging and true story, I go back to my Journalism 101 classes, where all aspiring journalists learn the 6 key questions that guide their reporting and writing.
They begin with:
Who?
Who are you? Who are the most interesting parts of your organization and your story? Who are your founders? Employees? What are their stories? What drives them? What are their passions? What makes them interesting and unique?
What?
What is it that you do or offer to your audiences and the world? What are the unique ways you are doing it? What are you doing to create positive change for people, systems, the environment, businesses, etc.?
When?
At what time are you most relevant to your audiences and their lives? When should they engage with you, or pay attention to what you have to say? What time was your story born?
Where?
Where did your story begin? Where can people hear your story? Where can they find you? Where can they engage with you? Where along their personal shopping or decision-making journey might it make sense for them to engage with you or your brand? Where can they find your products or services?
Why?
Why is your story relevant today? Why should someone pay attention to you? Why is what you bring to the world important?
How?
How is your organization doing what you do? How is it different? How can your audiences best engage with you — online, at a store, or in person? How are you making others' lives simpler, richer, easier, better?
The more you can get to the crux of these questions and revisit them frequently to refine your story, the more successful and relevant your story will be.
Like an excellent author, bring discipline to your story by regularly editing and building thoughtfully and creatively upon its foundation.
I recommend you set aside time to reflect on these questions every six months and adjust your messaging and brand communication assets to reflect the answers. Consider asking your customers and other key stakeholders for their, input, too.
Step back and ask yourself: does your brand currently have an addictive story with a fascinating plot that keeps your audiences intrigued? Do you think about that story as the foundation of how you communicate with your audiences? Do you have a point-person in your organization who is keeping this story and its never-ending development top-of-mind? What are you doing to share that story, keeping those listening captivated until the end?
I'm here to elevate the stories of purpose- and heart-driven organizations, helping them strategically write and share their stories. Let me know how I can help you.