How to Determine a Story Angle
Successful PR campaigns boil down to telling great stories. Below is a guide on how to best develop engaging storylines. It is as simple as following the five Ws, and questions that influence any news story: who, what, where, when and why?
Who?
Everyone has a story. Unfortunately, not every individual’s story interests the media or public, so it’s critical to carefully select whom to feature and how to present their unique perspective to ensure the desired exposure.
In the case of media coverage, the quality of a guest or source often depends on a few key components: proximity to the story, industry influence or title, and why they can offer an important perspective.
A good case comparison is the CEO of a seed-funded electric battery company versus Elon Musk. Musk built a recognizable brand for himself in the hyper-competitive electric car field, and is considered a great “get” for media. Conversely, an unknown startup CEO will have more of a challenge securing interest given their lesser influence and lack of established brand.
In short, a story’s focus is more likely to draw interest if that person can demonstrate influence and present a compelling story.
What?
Today, perhaps more than ever, the public craves original stories, new information, sights not before seen. Retelling a story without providing new insights virtually guarantees that media contacts will quickly lose interest and move to the next in search of something fresh. That’s why it’s imperative to provide original content to any story, even if it’s been told before in hundreds of ways. This is particularly true when capturing the attention of niche audiences who have a built-in familiarity or expertise on any given subject. When crafting a story, new or not-so-new, always focus on including new information and/or perspectives to keep readers engaged from start to finish.
Additionally, “what?” should also relate directly to the news. What Is the news of this story? The answer to this question is your story’s centerpiece (and ultimately your pitch), and should be succinctly described to grab someone’s attention.
Where?
This one should be relatively obvious, yet certainly warrants attention. So many media outlets and social media venues are niche-based – politics, sports, fashion – and more sources revolve primarily around local, regional, and national content. If your story includes a location aspect, determine the local or national implications and craft it with the geographical audience in mind. Ideally, the location will add value to the public relations impact, as readers feel more connected to the story through geographical familiarity. This is especially true now as the U.S. has clear divisions based, in many ways, on where one lives.
If your story revolves around a Detroit-based organization, for example, you may want to consider engaging the local Detroit newspapers and broadcast outlets, as well as the local bureaus for national wires in the city.
When?
Timing is everything. When a newsworthy development occurs, the importance of getting it out immediately to the public (via the media) cannot be overstated. Establishing a strong, timely hook with media outlets is absolutely critical to an overall successful public relations strategy.
The old adage applies perfectly here: those who hesitate are lost. Hired a new, dynamic CEO? Get the story out ASAP! Breakthrough in product technology? Let the world know now! As noted previously, in today’s world, information has a very short shelf life, especially digitally. Yesterday’s news is virtually worthless.
Read any magazine cover story and this fact becomes overwhelmingly evident. Adele is on the cover of Vogue, likely because she recently released an album. The newest rookie on the ESPN Magazine cover? You can bet it’s because he was just a top draft pick. A timing element can always be found in most media coverage, particularly in-depth feature stories on a person or company.
Why?
Although this one seems self-evident, it’s actually among the more complex and difficult to perfect. If a story lacks relevance to a majority of the intended audience, it will fail to generate media interest, plain and simple. When crafting a story, the very first question to ask is: Why should a reporter and their audience care enough to publish, read or watch this story?
Although content space exists everywhere, the viable, far-reaching, legitimate outlets you covet require a legitimate reason to run your story. Top flite magazines and television shows will not give up their valuable space for a story that does not matter to their readers and/or viewers. Simply put, every PR story must assert why it matters in order to produce the desired results. Once you firmly establish this element, the rest of your story will likely fall into place and the odds of achieving your public relations goals increase significantly.
