In today’s crowded media landscape, where every brand is fighting to be seen, standing out doesn’t come from flashier messaging or a more engaging AI video.
To cut through the noise, you need better storytelling.
Great stories don’t just inform: they connect, inspire, and endure. They can:
- Build emotional connections: Stories humanize brands, creating empathy and trust that facts alone can’t achieve.
- Foster loyalty: People remember how a brand makes them feel. A well-told story can turn customers into lifelong advocates.
- Simplify the complex: Through relatable characters and real-world examples, storytelling makes even the most technical or abstract information approachable.
- Shape reputation: Consistent, value-driven stories help define how a company, person, or cause is understood in the public eye.
Whether it’s a founder’s journey, a purpose-driven mission, or a brand campaign, storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools in a PR professional’s playbook.
In PR, we can often be bogged down by an endless array of client requests, deliverables, reporting, and a never-ending news cycle. We are told to pitch, pitch, pitch. To get that Wall Street Journal hit or that feature in the New York Times. We are pressured to gain visibility for our clients’ CEOs or to comment on the latest breaking news in a way that’s promotional for our clients, but not too promotional so it converts into coverage.
With so much flurry of activity and tactical execution, it can be hard to take a step back and see the forest through the trees. Or, rather, the entire narrative of the story you are trying to tell.
What Makes a Great Story
Not every message or media pitch qualifies as a story. The best PR storytelling blends authenticity with strategy, creating narratives that feel real, relevant, and repeatable. Some tips to keep in mind:
- Authenticity above all: Modern audiences can sense PR spin or dribble from a mile away. The most effective stories reflect real experiences and genuine purpose.
- Proof over platitudes: Don’t just say your brand is innovative, inclusive, or sustainable. Actually show it. Bring your claims to life through data, testimonials, and tangible results.
- Make it newsworthy: Great stories have tension, resolution, or timeliness. They connect brand values to cultural conversations.
- Adapt and amplify: A single story can take many forms (a founder video on LinkedIn, a feature pitch to media, a customer spotlight on social, etc.). Tailor the tone and platform, but keep the narrative thread consistent
Put Pen to Paper On The Next Great Story
To strengthen your storytelling muscle, try these two quick exercises to get your creative juices flowing. Invite a colleague to join you, a friend, or even try it at your desk when you have a few minutes to spare.
- Tell Your Story: Pick a story in your life. It can be your morning commute, what you ate for breakfast, or even what your funny Aunt Sharon said during last year’s Thanksgiving. Whatever the story is, take out your phone and time yourself as you tell the story.
- Aim for 60 seconds.
- Pause.
- What stood out to you the most in that rendition? What emotional or authentic hook was necessary and what was more background noise? In short: what was needed and what wasn’t? Stripping it back helps reveal what really matters. What’s the emotional core? What do you want people to remember?
- Focus on those emotional storytelling pillars and try again for 30 seconds.
- Then 15 seconds.
- Tell a Client’s Story: Pick a client you work with and identify the heart of their brand origin or mission. What challenge are they solving? What emotion drives their work? Framing that story against competitors can clarify differentiation and relevance.
- Try the above exercise again for 60 seconds.
- Pause and evaluate.
- Then 30 seconds.
- Then 15 seconds.
These exercises can help you see that the heart of the story isn’t always in the details, but the emotional hook and appeal.
The Takeaway: PR is Storytelling, Evolved
When you look at the most effective PR campaigns throughout history, the throughline is always narrative. Storytelling is how brands garner not just coverage, but connection with key audiences.
As communicators, our challenge isn’t finding stories (we have plenty!) It’s recognizing, shaping, and packaging up the stories that already exist.
Because when done right, storytelling doesn’t just sell; it sticks.
This blog was written by Kaitlynn Cooney, President, PR Club