Why we love publicity; how we tell your story and why you need to continually share your story!

by Andrea Walker | Apr 2, 2022 | Blog | 0 comments

Everyone has a story to tell. Stories are unique, as unique as the person telling them. When it comes to the story of your business or brand, it’s like a recipe: It should have a little of your own personal flavor in the mix as a part of the overall tale.

And that’s where things get interesting.

People are curious by nature. Have you ever wondered about your neighbors? Or even just a random person on the street? Think of the last time you did some people-watching. It’s fascinating, right?

Here at Walker Publicity, we love stories! Throughout history, there have always been stories – and storytellers. While we’ve gone from tales passed down through generations by word of mouth, to books and television, to cinema and social media, the truth is this: Powerful, moving stories are at the heart of who we are as humans.

Everyone has a unique story

Andrea Walker-Leidy has been telling stories for years, and she’s one of the best around. Here are some of her stories about storytelling.

What’s the most interesting story you’ve come across in your line of work?

AW: The stories that are the most interesting are when we are able to tell the ‘why’ behind someone’s work or business. A few years ago we were working with a nonprofit and found out that the political candidate who was also a former client was once a recipient of food and emergency funds from that particular nonprofit. They then went on to be a donor. Seeing stories within a community that truly show WHY someone is running for office, or choosing to give to a particular nonprofit really hit home for us… and they are why someone would want to listen, or share it on their the media!

That’s a great story! But on another note, what was the most challenging story?

AW: Sharing newsworthy stories about business is always a challenge. The news cannot be an ad. Public relations is not marketing. So, we work to find the real stories behind the products or the reasons that someone is doing something unique. I worked with a home care agency for some time and it’s a topic that is so hard for people to want to talk about, but also so essential. So, we talked about the importance of planning ahead to spend the best times with family. When the baby boomers were all still caring for their children and then their parents at the same time, we were able to share that story with local media and highlight some tips from the agency on how to juggle and seek help when the time comes.

It starts with a belief that everyone has something unique, interesting and worthy of sharing.

What are some of the behind-the-scenes actions you do to make a story worth publishing?

AW: We listen, a lot. I want to hear what is important to people, what they’re working on, who they are working with. Most often, a story comes from something the client may not even think is newsworthy. When you’re in the midst of doing your work, you don’t often think that others may not see it as ‘just a Tuesday in the office,’ even if it is for you!

Andrea, how do YOU identify if something is newsworthy?

AW: We are constantly monitoring news trends across the globe to see what is being talked about. Newsworthiness is really guided by what is happening in that season, in the news, and in a community. Any time a client can connect with that, share something new or be unique, we want to share about it. Nonprofit organizations have a special space in the news because so much of the work that they do is important, community-guided and newsworthy.

That’s so true! Lastly, if there isn’t an engaging enough story – how do you make it so?

AW: We can’t ‘make up’ news, but we can find ways to talk about what is interesting. It starts with a belief that everyone has something unique, interesting and worthy of sharing. Then, we work to find the right audience. Social media is a great place to discover someone’s audience. Or, we find a niche outlet that wants to talk about a specific industry. If you created a new feature for an auto or medical device, it may not be engaging to a mainstream audience. But, the audience reading auto publications or listening to medical podcasts might be just where we need to share the story!