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Writing Stories Your Audience Will Love

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A picture of office supplies on a white table.

Do you recall the last great story you read, watched or viewed? Don’t give us that crap about how you don’t read because you don’t have time. Every time you scroll Facebook or Instagram you’re reading, whether it’s a post, video or an article you click on. A story doesn’t have to be a 1,000 word essay. Hell, it doesn’t even have to be words. It is something that captures your attention and evokes emotion (at least that’s how we define it).

Pick the Right Medium

The right medium depends on your audience. You can choose from a whole bunch of content types, like:

  • Infographics
  • Videos
  • Social posts
  • Blogs
  • Articles
  • TikTok videos (you’ll have to ask Kim about this one)
  • Music (Shakira and J-Lo certainly told a story during the Superbowl Halftime Show. Most people missed it because of the—gasp!—stripper pole, but the story was there, nonetheless.)

Once you find the right medium, you’ll be able to talk to your audience where they are. That’s how you start to get their attention. Still, there’s a whole lot more to the process.

Think of Them

When it comes to developing, writing or composing a story, you need to connect with your audience and factor in how they receive information. You also need to figure out the type of info that resonates with them.
Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What is the point I need to convey?
  2. What action do I want them to take?
  3. What will resonate with them?
  4. How do I grab their attention?

This is the exercise we go through daily when writing blogs, press releases, pitches, videos, posts, etc. We wish more people would utilize these questions before speaking. Imagine how much quicker meetings would go if we cut out all the filler.

See It in Action

Now for an example. Keep in mind the majority of news that comes out of companies is not earth-shattering or really that enticing. Our job as communication professionals is to find the “angle” or relevancy to the audience. It’s why it’s kind of important to define who your audience is. If you don’t know, contact us.
What we started with: Michigan Biennial Women’s Leadership Report
What we rolled with:

  • Barriers facing women entering the c-suite
  • Why more women should be running publicly traded companies
  • Men as allies: how can they help?

Results:

Another example: Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors
What we started with: A twin sister was burned in fire at a young age.
What we rolled with:

  • Identical twin sister is reminded everyday of what life should’ve been
  • Overcoming adversity as a burn survivor
  • Sister pursues career in medicine after her sister’s burn trauma

Results:

Knowing how to connect with audiences is what we do and telling stories is our jam. Connect with us, and we’ll get those results you’ve been craving.

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If you ever need proof that personal brand matters...Kim got to see the @nasaartemis II launch in person as a direct result of her Big Deal Energy™.

You need to work hard, show up authentically, and provide value. That was her message to a room full of students and young professionals at @western_michigan_pmi`s theProject Collegiate Competition.

The Big Deal Energy™ Workshop is on June 23. Register at the link in bio.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18045223601588457
If you ever need proof that personal brand matters...Kim got to see the @nasaartemis II launch in person as a direct result of her Big Deal Energy™. You need to work hard, show up authentically, and provide value. That was her message to a room full of students and young professionals at @western_michigan_pmi's theProject Collegiate Competition. The Big Deal Energy™ Workshop is on June 23. Register at the link in bio.

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The good news is, you can flip the script, but it will take some serious work and a personal brand, or as Kim Bode refers to it: Big Deal Energy™.

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Link in bio to learn more.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18012680507839574
Employers think Gen Z is lazy, entitled, and will quit the second things get hard. That perception is keeping you out of the room before you ever get a chance to prove otherwise. The good news is, you can flip the script, but it will take some serious work and a personal brand, or as Kim Bode refers to it: Big Deal Energy™. Kim is speaking at theProject™ Collegiate Event, hosted by the Project Management Institute Western Michigan Chapter on April 14. She'll cover how to build a personal brand that actually sounds like you (not ChatGPT) and how you can show your value through social, content and networking. Link in bio to learn more.

No one talks about how lonely it is to own a business. The tough decisions land on you, the business doesn`t pause when you need a break, and nobody - not your employees or your spouse - really gets it.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18115092436709128
No one talks about how lonely it is to own a business. The tough decisions land on you, the business doesn't pause when you need a break, and nobody - not your employees or your spouse - really gets it. If you know a business owner, tell them they're doing a good job. It matters more than you know.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18078804740143427
The growth stage is the hardest part of building a business. Kim was recently quoted in @corpmagazine on what she sees running the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship: women who have built something, survived the hardest part, and are still doing everything themselves. The natural tendency to be humble and attached to their work creates unique business challenges for women; they put up walls because they can't be vulnerable. Meanwhile, when a woman CEO needs growth capital, she compiles three years of tax returns before a bank will schedule a meeting, while her male competitor closes the same deal over drinks. When women have access to the right resources, they grow and invest back. Full article at the link in bio.