I talked about the communications savvy from UPS earlier in the year. By applying storytelling techniques to a topic that typically falls under the dull category, UPS secured a feature in The Wall Street Journal entitled “UPS Thinks Outside the Box on Driving Training.” I am a sucker for puns. Lest you think this was a one-off success, check …more
We’ve talked about the star power of the anecdote in storytelling. Here’s yet another example. Sarah Needleman at The Wall Street Journal sent out the following query on HARO: I’m seeking small-business owners who struggle or used to struggle with reprimanding employees for poor performance or bad behavior. But I need more than just someone …more
Compelling storytelling in business often threads together anecdotes and numbers into a single tale. This dynamic comes across loud and clear in the USA Today article “Utility Turns Table Scraps into Electricity” by Julie Schmit The story focuses on the East Bay Municipal Utility District in the San Francisco Bay Area and its first-of-a-kind treatment …more
Like most business publications, the Journal has been covering the maneuvering related to the Supreme Court addressing the question on intellectual property: When can a business method be patented? As you would expect, stories have revolved around attorneys and CEOs informally pleading their cases that just so happen to align with their own interests. Not …more
The Wall Street Journal nails the story “Huge Pipeline Delivers Bonanza to Towns on Route.” What makes it compelling? Let’s start with timing. After slaving on this 1,679-mile wonder, the last leg is now being laid and welded. The end is literally in sight. With a helping hand from REX’s PR department, Journal writer Ann …more
The latest issue of BusinessWeek ran a piece called “The Leaner Baby Boomer Economy” In short, the story looks at how major brands like Starwood Hotels and Mercedes are responding to baby boomers cutting back on their discretionary spending. Like all compelling storytelling, the writer David Welch makes good use of anecdotes. For example, he …more
No, I’m not talking about Matt Kenseth winning the Daytona 500. Instead, consider what brings the vast majority of folks to the racetrack. It’s the possibility to witness a high-speed wreck. I’ve come to call the type of story that offers up the possibility of a wreck – defining “wreck” as an element of the story …more
The San Jose Mercury News ran the feel-good story “From Strawberries to Startup” on the front page above the fold. No doubt, the Merc’s editorial decision-makers – and for that matter publication bosses from around the country – figure the onslaught of negative news starts to numb the readership. Check out the Merc‘s front-page headlines …more
When we last addressed Mr. Jobs he was taking a pass on Macworld. More recently, unless you’ve spent the last week in the proverbial cave, you’ve seen the cavalcade of stories on Steve Jobs taking a leave of absence from Apple. The common denominator in the stories revolves around understanding his replacement, Tim Cook. It’s revealing …more
