Why Storytelling is Important in Public Relations
Storytelling is the backbone of consumer public relations. From beauty and fashion public relations to lifestyle and travel, stories pull people into a brand's narrative. Weaving an authentic story helps the public better understand a brand's overall aesthetic and ethos.beauty and Fashion public relations are perfect for telling stories which pull readers and consumers into the brand. Stories explain why a brand was created, a designer's inspiration, and how customers can relate to future purchases. When learning about a new product, readers and future customers don't always make purchases right away, but they do often remember the feeling new brands in their minds. Stories, told correctly, leave behind feelings and emotion. Creating a brand's story is useful to customers who already love a brand and also to those just discovering.
A brand's story doesn't have to be overly complicated. And don't worry if you weren't raised in an exotic locale or haven't traveled to every corner of the globe; your story matters. Every brand's story matters - it's the nucleus that makes up your public relations portfolio. Some of the most authentic brand stories are those that are honest and authentic; not the fanciest. A good public relations agency will help weave your brand's story and it should be the backbone of much of your PR. This story needs to be on your website 'about' section and it's center stage in PR pitches to editors, websites, and influencers. Take time when crafting your brand's story; play with thoughts, words, and sentences until your final draft is concise, crisp, and engaging. Remember, engaging and authentic doesn't mean the glitziest lifestyle.
At Edith Press, we have a few thoughts when it comes to crafting a genuine brand story. First, be honest. Don't make up something ostentatious that doesn't jive with who you are and why you created a brand. The most simplistic of inspirations are often the best. You don't have to be holidaying on the Amalfi coast dining in quaint restaurants and staring into an emerald sea to be inspired and that's what lead you to create a line of cotton summer dresses. Even though Instagram wants you to believe, everyone leads a glossy life and on a whirlwind of vacations, that's not the case in the real world. Sometimes a designer feels stuck in creating a brand story. We will go with the cotton summer dresses above as an example. Perhaps a great-aunt you adored from childhood wore amazing cotton dresses in the summer, and you distinctly remember how pretty she looked in a cotton dress cutting flowers in the garden. The dress left an imprint and later inspired you to create an edited line in unique prints. Or perhaps you visited a vast fabric store with a friend, and in a corner on the third floor, discovered a stash of vintage cotton fabrics. For the next two weeks those fabrics are all you could think about. With a lot of hope and a dash of anxiety you purchase the lot of fabrics. Then in your story you can also mention how the vintage prints on the fabric were of another era and there is nothing on the market like them. And then go on to describe how you wanted to bring back a simple silhouette that no longer exists, because so much available now is overly fitted and often too tight.
These examples should help jump start the process in crafting your brand's story. Edith Press believes every brand has a good story to tell and it doesn't need to be complicated. Also, don't use generic terms when writing your brand's story. Two overly used phrases used by designers: 1.) I have a passion for fashion. 2.) I noticed a void in the market and set out to fill it. For the love of everything under the sun do not use these phrases in fleshing out your story; they are generic and lack any depth of creativity. Keep your story as short as possible. We now live in a time where attention spans are at an all-time low; no one has time to read blocks of text. Now go forth and create your brand's story- it's one of the most important aspects of your public relations outreach.
