Media Training: How to Tell a More Interesting Story

PRESIDENT BUSH TELLS A STORY

On March 18, 2005, President Bush stood before a group of Florida voters to tout his social security plan. He did something quite ordinary during his speech. He acknowledged a person in the audience and told her story.

President Bush told the crowd he had recently spoken with a local resident named Anna Brooks, a widowed grandmother, who would benefit from the type of social security personal account he was proposing.

We've all become accustomed to politicians pointing to people in the crowd and telling their stories, but why do they do it?

WHAT THE PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS

Pay close attention to a key phrase used in the Anna Brooks anecdote ? "social security personal account." What do you picture when you hear that phrase?

Odds are, probably not much. It's an abstract concept that's tough to visualize and get passionate about.

What President Bush understands ? as do most working politicians ? is that abstract concepts have to be brought to life through real people. The story he told about Anna Brooks was about a woman suffering to make ends meet because her husband died at a young age. If only there were social security personal accounts, Mr. Bush argued, her financial suffering could be alleviated.

As he told that story, people in the audience nodded their heads in agreement. Yes, they all seemed to think, Ms. Brooks' burden should be lifted, and, well, if personal accounts would help, they seemed like a terrific idea.

Imagine instead if the President made a more academic case filled with statistics and data. Do you think he would have elicited the same emotional reaction from the crowd? Would they have nodded their heads with the same enthusiasm?

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

Journalists are storytellers by trade and need drama to bring a story to life. Abstract concepts ? be they social security personal accounts, medical liability reform or climate change ? need to be brought to life through an anecdote.

Instead of just talking about the scientific effects of climate change on our biosphere, talk about the South Pacific fisherman who can no longer feed his family because the fish catch has declined due to global warming.

Instead of talking about medical liability reform, talk about the pregnant woman who has to cross state lines to meet with an obstetrician since her local doctors have all stopped delivering children due to high malpractice premiums.

And instead of talking about social security personal accounts, talk about a Florida widow who would benefit from them.

By doing so, the public not only understands what you're saying, but begins to empathize with a specific person. That empathy means they care ? and the more you make people care about your issue, the more they are willing to agree with your point of view.

AN ADDED BENEFIT

By offering anecdotes to journalists while being interviewed, you can help turn your Page 16 blurb into a front page feature article.

Abstract stories about process ? if covered at all ? are usually relegated to small blurbs on the inside pages. But by taking an abstract story and bringing it to life through real people, journalists can find those people, interview them and get a better sense of how they are personally impacted by your issue.

Suddenly, the reporter has a way of telling your story in a way that his or her audience is more likely to care about. Instead of telling a story about social security personal accounts in the abstract, the reporter can tell a story about social security personal accounts in which a specific person is genuinely affected. And that, paired with a photograph of the woman with her grandkids ? is front page material.

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

For more information and to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training e-tips, visit http://www.phillipsmediarelations.com

Alexis limo rentals ..
In The News:

A Google DeepMind team has developed an artificial intelligence system that can play video games like a human and take native language commands from players.
Four of the largest school boards in Ontario, Canada have launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, claiming that they have impacted students' thinking and behavior.
Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.
Deepfakes have become commonplace, and the technology is only getting better, but there are certain elements that might give away the fact that an image is AI-generated.

Make the Media Your Friend

The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help... Read More

3 Essential Elements For Turning Your PR Pitch Into Publicity Exposure

1) Establish Rapport, then get the editor/producer excited.There's not a... Read More

Making Your Own News

Getting a press release published in a newspaper or magazines... Read More

How To Get Radio-Active PR For Your Non-Profit Cause-Part One

"We are in the communications business, the business of conveying... Read More

All Youve Got To Lose Is Everything

Everything, that is, if you ignore those folks whose behaviors... Read More

Why PR Can be Effective Medicine

When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public... Read More

The Right Hook

Have you fantasized about spreading word of your business on... Read More

Ignore PR at Your Peril!

If you do, it means:you don't value tracking the perceptions... Read More

Publicity Tips from the Pros

If you want to know the best way to approach... Read More

Do You Really Need PR?

The right kind of PR, that is, the kind that... Read More

Publicity - How to Write a Headline That Will Garner Free Publicity

Taking your ad and turning it into paragraph-style prose is... Read More

13 Publicity Ideas for Retailers

If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More

Media Training: When Reporters Lie

I recently worked with a group dealing with an unusual... Read More

Financial Planners Publicity and Marketing - Live By The Calendar

The media live by the calendar. Your story pitch might... Read More

PRs Big Bang Theory

Lots of theories out there about public relations.Everything from "publicity's... Read More

Getting Traffic Through Publicity

If your reading this, you must be online and most... Read More

Public Relations ? Defining Your Organization from the Inside Out

What do your customers say about your company?Would you let... Read More

Foolproof Publicity for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

They'd hate to admit it, but the media is pretty... Read More

Internet Etiquette for Business Success

You're trying to recruit a downline into your program, you've... Read More

Financial Planners, Make Sure Reporters Comprehend Your Topic

Don't assume that a reporter understands financial planning. If anything,... Read More

Writing a Press Release: The Medias Dirty Secret

There's a dirty little secret about press releases that the... Read More

What Does the Public Relations Client REALLY Want, and Why?

It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More

Slow Day? Create News

Sometimes there seems to be no client news worthy of... Read More

Grandma Says...

Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three... Read More

Do You Have an Exclusive Market Segment?

You do if you're a business, non-profit or association manager... Read More

car service from Midway Alsip ..