Everyone has a unique story. You have a unique story. But getting your personal brand story from inside your head to potential readers can be a daunting task, especially if writing isn’t your thing.
I know it’s easy for me to say, “Write a story that connects with your ideal person,” but where do you begin? Do you start from the day you were born and continue through your awkward middle school years?
Please don’t.
To help you “undaunt” your writing, I’m sharing the same seven tips I teach my PR students to craft a compelling story.
As you move through these story writing tips, you’ll notice that they progress naturally from grabbing readers’ attention to making a connection to providing a satisfying conclusion. With some tweaking and practice, you’ll soon have a unique story that lays the foundation for transforming your brand and impacting your ideal people.
Related post: Know, Like and Trust: Why it starts with your personal brand story
1 | MAKE YOUR STORY COMPELLING WITH A “HOOK.”
A hook is a headline, subject line, first story-line or short paragraph that catches your ideal clients’ or customers’ attention and makes them stop to read. Does your hook capture their attention right away? Is it entertaining, fascinating or shocking? Is it informational, motivational or inspirational?
2 | KNOW THE PURPOSE OF YOUR STORY.
By the third paragraph, you need to point out how your story connects to your ideal people. In journalism, this paragraph is called the “nut graph” because, like a nut, it contains the “kernel,” or essential theme, of the story. At the Philadelphia Inquirer, reporters and editors called it the “You may have wondered why we invited you to this party?” section. The bottom line is, in this paragraph, you need to answer the question your readers will surely be asking themselves, “Why should I care?”
3 | USE VIVID DESCRIPTIONS AND STRONG WORDS.
Avoid using passive voice or sounding wishy-washy. Avoid using too many statistics. You want to engage your readers, not bore them and make them run for the doors. Make your writing conversational. No need for highfalutin words or tortured sentences. Just write like you’re having a conversation with a client or customer. Paint a striking picture in the minds of your readers to draw them deeper into the story.
4 | DON’T BRAG; CONNECT INSTEAD.
While your accomplishments may be impressive and set you apart from competitors, don’t bore your readers with them. When writing your story, relate to your people by sharing with them all the times you messed up. Everyone messes up so that’s a common thread among all of us. How you came out of your mess is what will impress them.
5 | EMOTIONALLY CONNECT (THERE’S THAT WORD AGAIN).
Decide which emotion you want to tap into during your story and provide information to your reader that will elicit that emotion. People will remember you better if you add emotion to your story. Think of all those times you cried at those sappy romance movies.
6 | END ON A HIGH NOTE.
This isn’t an English essay, so avoid “in conclusion” or “in summary.” You don’t need a resolution or to wrap up everything with a pretty bow. Your story is ongoing. Instead, leave your reader with a satisfied ending but wanting more.
7 | GIVE YOUR READERS WHAT MATTERS.
Edit the unnecessary details to avoid putting them into a boredom trance. You’re not fabricating anything, you’re simply picking and choosing wisely which circumstances to share and which to keep locked up.
Now that you’ve nailed your story, it’s time to share it beyond your “About me” page. Your goal should be to choose distribution channels that will get your story in front of as many of your ideal people as possible. Share on your social media and blog, in your emails, on your YouTube channel or podcast, webinars or live events.
And I want to read your story, too! If you implement any of these tips, DM me on Instagram to let me know how it worked. I’d love to hear from you!
