Make Your Story Matter

Your story matters! Every notion and idea has a rightful place. Finding the perfect place for your message where it receives the attention it deserves is easier said than done. Activists, businessmen and enthusiasts can get the impression that no one cares about their cause. They may want others to understand social injustices, the best business value or the importance of climate change. Those with a story to tell must infiltrate clutter to have their voices heard.

When there is a story to tell, we must always remember the primary reasons why we communicate. We communicate to inform, educate and entertain. This is the foundation for key messages. In our modern world of communications, the methods now are very dynamic. We must make our stories relate to the people we communicate to. The information we consume must resonate with your audience. How does the story you tell, impact the life of your audience?

It seems unfair that we must transpose our stories to fit the context of what others desire. A story should have intrinsic value based on the raw facts presented. In a world of varied opinions and easy access to information, we can still find those who are ignorant. We cannot take for granted, that your target audience will immediately grasp what you are trying to convey. To get their undivided attention, you must tell a story that resides within their way of thinking or sub-consciousness.

WHAT IS THE DOMINANT NEWS HEADLINE?

COVID-19 has dominated all local, regional and international headlines. It’s a topic that everyone cannot evade. We may refrain from Social Media to avoid the influx of new developments, but it is difficult to navigate away from the topic when having a conversation. COVID-19 is a disruptive force. Everyone has to adapt to survive.

We are proud to work with some clients that commit to their Corporate Social Responsibility. Our client ‘Souped Up’ adapted and quickly acted before food vendors were closed. The small business had a desire to bring comfort to the entire country. The owner decided to deliver free soups to any person who was in self-imposed quarantine. They immediately asked us to release a post to their Facebook and Instagram pages.

The post also provided support with an additional hotline number to call and place pre-orders to individuals who may have been potentially exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The idea of free soups brought a lot of doubt to the consumer; however when consumers came to understand that the initiative was 100% genuine, the results were overwhelming. The post received over 70,000 views on Facebook

and the page amassed over 600 likes in a very short space of time. The post was not boosted, but rather, gained its success organically. How did this occur?

‘Souped Up’ not only adapted but acted quickly. Their action was in alignment with the leading headlines in the press. They came up with an effective solution that is now widespread locally by introducing no-contact delivery. The post was further supported by a no-cost venture, illustrating that the team at ‘Souped Up’ had a comprehensive understanding of the gravity of the COVID-19 situation.

Aligning your story with the leading headline is a tactic that can be used to grab the attention to your brand, business, service or product. It requires constant evaluation of news headlines, and a regular habit of reading the daily newspapers. To assess what is the major concern of the citizens, read opinion articles, columns and letters to the editors.

IS THERE A SPECIAL OCCASION?

You must evaluate your calendar. Assess the public holidays, commemorative days and social media holidays. You can do this on a yearly, monthly or even weekly routine. Which day aligns with your brand, product or service? More importantly what occasion aligns with your audience? For example, if you own a flower shop, the obvious target may be Valentine’s Day or Mothers’ Day. However, when you consider your competition, it may be wise to choose a different day and make it your own. There are many Social Media commemorative days that can align with your brand. These include

April 18th- Customer Appreciation Day

July 6th- International Kissing Day

August 1st- Girlfriend Day

If you decide to go a traditional route, you may want to think about how your products align with what your brand or business is known for. This year we recently started working with ‘Bobby’s Supermarket’. The Supermarket offers cost-effective prices for both retail and wholesale purchases. For Father’s Day they ran a particular promotion on Johnnie Walker Double Black. They reduced the price of this premium whiskey and offered it as a possible gift for fathers. We were challenged to make the Social Media post for Father’s Day as relatable as possible. We must remember that when we communicate, we must keep it as simple as possible.

Just by a simple bow tie on the product reflects reliability to the purchaser. We personify the product as the best item to purchase for your father on his special day. We often include a lot of text in our images on Social Media; however, sometimes the simplest graphic can have a dynamic impact. If you are seeking to commemorate a special day, ensure that you think out of the box and let your creative juices flow to yield the best outcome for your client or personal brand.

ARE THERE ANY BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS?

We cannot stress how important it is to monitor the news media. We are often told by our parents how important it is to read the newspapers or watch the news. We never knew that the importance of keeping abreast of current affairs would play such a critical role in the use of digital media. Traditional media outlets still set the narrative for the population. Memes would not be memes if we did not have previous knowledge of what was active in the country.

Big announcements must be noted with care. An announcement of great magnitude can detract from your message. It can overpower what you are trying to say. If that announcement detracts from your message, you miss an opportunity to let your audience care about what you have to say. The biggest announcement made in Trinidad and Tobago recently was the announcement of the General Elections which will take place on Monday 10th August 2020.

We noticed a very creative approach to this announcement by the Trinidad and Tobago Weather Centre (TTWC). The TTWC is a respected source of information for weather news in the country. When the date for General Elections was announced, the organization made sure not to be left behind. TTWC had important content to share, but they needed to grab the attention of the national audience.

The TTWC wrote the caption of their post by stating that T&T’s General Election was announced on August 10th 2020. They tied this date back to the purpose of their organization. They made a comment about the height of the hurricane season, revealing that according to climatology we can expect the formation of the first hurricane by this date. They even expressed hope for good weather on Election Day.

This is a fantastic example of leveraging big announcements to make your story matter. The TTWC meshed current affairs with their purpose providing timely updates on weather conditions in Trinidad and Tobago. This was achieved by constantly monitoring news media outlets and adapting your core messages to what matters most to the people you communicate with.

To make your story matter, you have to think creatively and outside of the box. While it is okay to hard-sell your products and services, there is an opportunity if you appeal to what matters most to your audience.

Our Connective Pros team offers several business solutions in Public Relations, Marketing, Media and Communications. When we provide tools to you, we want you to understand the most effective methods on how to use them. We want you to receive the best mileage from every product or service that you purchase from us. If you are still unsure you can always contact us via connectivepros@gmail.com and we will happy to provide you with additional details on all our services.

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