Setting your economic development organization apart: 4 keys to drafting a compelling story
In public relations, crafting stories that demand attention from reporters and audiences alike can be challenging. Our modern media landscape allows us constant access to information, making it easy for stories to get lost and be turned away by the press. This begs the question: as an economic development organization looking to build its reputation through the press, what are some useful tactics to craft a story that will distinguish your place and help you earn coverage in the overwhelming news landscape? We’ve identified four key elements that make a compelling story for delivering the key messages of your organization through earned media coverage.
1 Conflicts and Challenges
In the simplest form, news is born out of conflicts and challenges – hurricanes, crime spikes, political debates are some examples. These stories are fun to follow, generate debate, and garner a higher level of attention than stories that more “vanilla” or promotional in nature. Especially in the economic development space, organizations can be resistant to lean into conflict because of the potential political implications or the sensitive nature of many issues. However, using conflict as part of your organizational or company narrative doesn’t mean taking a hard and fast stance on hot-button issues. Rather, the notion that conflict surrounds the story can be enough to draw media attention. For example, highlighting a turnaround scenario can do the trick, sharing the challenged history that has resulted in today’s success story. Or, you can show tension by explaining how your place or organization is running counter to a national or international negative trend. In Topeka, the city countered the nation’s narrative around receiving an influx of residents by expressing a welcoming of these new residents, and garnered stories like this one in The Wall Street Journal – The American City with a Message for Migrants: We Want You.
2. A Human Element
A story best resonates with audiences and reporters when it incorporates some element of human interest. Media audiences love to understand the stories of real people, so as economic development organizations it is helpful to identify people or their unique stories that personify some of your most important priority messages. For example, the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) sought to raise awareness for its new sensory space, built for weary travelers in need of extra support. The sensory room was inspired by an employee with a 4-year-old child on the spectrum, which attracted attention from numerous media outlets. The PIT airport’s “quiet room” was not only enticing because it was the largest and first-of-its-kind, but especially because of the personified “human element” showing how the sensory room firsthand benefited a child.
3. Uniqueness
To attract attention from reporters in our competitive media landscape, your story must have an element that sets it apart from the rest.
For example, in 2023 the Kansas City International Airport (MCI) underwent a $1.5 billion transformation. While a new airport in Missouri isn’t necessarily a national headline story, the Violet PR team was able to identify some specific nuances to show that this particular airport renovation was in fact nationally newsworthy. The new MCI terminal prioritized accessibility and inclusivity through its Flight Experience Simulator, which allowed extra-wary travelers of all ages and abilities to practice boarding and flying on a real aircraft. Additionally, the terminal was more environmentally sustainable than its predecessor and incorporated art and lifestyle amenities that highlighted the unique Kansas City culture. By leveraging these particular aspects of the terminal, our team turned an airport renovation into an enticing story for numerous top-tier media outlets.
4. Relevance
Perhaps one of the most important elements to consider with a potential newsworthy story is relevance. The importance of relevance is two-fold. First, when pitching reporters, ensure that the contents of your piece are aligned with the type of pieces they write. Reporters have specific niches and beats, and it’s easy for your pitch to lose traction if you don’t target the most well-suited individuals.
Second, your story pitch should be relevant to the current news cycle. Building your pitch using newsjacking and trendspotting is one way to be sure that the content is relevant, and your story will have a direct tie into some of the hot news topics. Reporters need to be enticed to dig into your story with a meaningful answer to the question “why now.”
For example, while many communities were talking about their COVID response, Savannah Fast Company, Forbes, and Fox Business.
The Violet PR Way
At Violet PR, it’s our job to understand and utilize these fundamental storytelling tactics to help our clients secure editorial news coverage. Is your organization or company looking for support in these efforts to reach new audiences through the national and international press? Reach out to us at hello@violetpr.com, and we can help you make these stories sing to the tune the news media wants to hear.