On a whim, I performed in my very first Story Slam about a year ago. The way it works is that, if your name is called at random, you stand up on stage and tell a 5-minute story related to the given theme in front of an audience of 50 to 100 people. I was shaking in my flip flops the first time, but braved my way through the entire thing. And I wasn’t bad.
Over the past year, participating in the slams got me thinking — “This is a lot like what we do in PR.”
The most successful public relations professionals are also the best storytellers. It’s not enough to simply say “These two organizations merged,” “This product is great” or “You should join us at this event” because, well frankly, who cares? Our job is to make our publics care. And that’s why we tell stories.
PR people regularly take often-bland topics and make them relevant or interesting.
Here are three successful pitching tactics that I credit to my participation in Story Slams.
1. A Boring Opening Line Can Get You the Hook
You need to grab your audience’s attention immediately. If your opening line stinks, or worse, if they can’t even hear you, people will tune you out. The same goes for pitching. If your subject line and lede are boring, unclear, off-topic or tone-deaf, you’re done for. The reporter may not even open your email, which could have a pretty stellar pitch enclosed! It’s also important to consider the tone of your subject line and pitch. For example, don’t open with a comedic line if the story is serious. I often have to balance being kitschy and professional, since my clients’ subject matter is rather serious.
Here are a few favorite subject lines my co-workers and I have come up with, all of which earned compliments from the reporters on the receiving end:
- Sifting Through the Underwear Drawer of Community Lenders—pitching the evaluation process for an unregulated industry
- You Look Hot in Those Pants—pitching the liability an employer could face if an employee sexually harasses another via a company-owned device
- Where the **** is M&A in the Middle Market?—pitching the root causes of inactivity of mergers and acquisitions
2. No One In the History of Storytelling Has Ever Said “I Wish That Story Was Longer”
A colleague and I were at a Slam last week and the emcee made me laugh when he said, “No audience in the history of storytelling has ever said ‘Gee, I wish that story was longer.’” How true! We often have tons of information to pack into a very short pitch, so it’s hard to decipher what will be most appealing to the reporter—and to balance that with the must-includes from the client. My pitches usually start out with the kitchen sink, but I take the time to cull the less vital pieces in order to allow the reporter to understand the story I’m telling.
3. So…What Exactly Are You Saying?
When concluding a story, it’s important to tie together the whole shebang. You don’t want your audience to be withholding applause because they have no idea that you’ve finished your tale. When pitching, be clear on your action item with the reporter. If it’s important that they talk to your client’s CEO, let them know exactly how that would help their understanding of the story. Other than no response at all, the worst is getting an email from a reporter with just the word “Thanks.” You’re likely receiving that response because you did not clearly state the action item—your entire purpose for sending the pitch.
In case you’re interested, here is the very first Story Slam I did almost a year ago. What other storytelling tactics have you found helpful in your pitching?