Yup, you read that right.
TELL ME WHY I SHOULD CARE!
That is what I tell all my journalism students when it comes to telling stories. And what I am telling you right now.
When you are telling a story you need to make me feel something. You need to tell me why I should stop what I am doing and actually listen, watch or read what you have created. You need to get my attention and you do that by using emotion, feeling, the human story and human spirit. It may sound corny but it is true. Think about if for a moment. Really, think about it?
*****I will wait*****
OK, now that we are done thinking about it, let’s talk about it.
Some of the most successful ad campaigns, think the dog and horse commercial, for starters, …you know the one ….
or this one….
Both of these commercials hit you right in the heart and tug at your emotions and get you feeling. They tell a human story, they tell you why you should care by making you feel something. You feel love, happiness, sadness or compassion.
So, now take that and put that into your writing. If you are blogging (or even pitching to brands and media), write from the heart and for the heart. Am I saying that every single thing you write should be sappy, weepy and tear-jerking? NO. What I am saying is you should always look for the human element in your story, tell me why I should care and why it relates to my life. If you think this isn’t possible, all you need to do is think about it a little bit. Think about who your audience is and what they want to read and what matters to them in their lives right now. That is what traditional media does, whether it is television, radio, newspapers or magazines. It is all about targeting your audience and making them care about a particular story.
A story needs to resonate with people. A story needs to touch people. A story needs to matter to a reader, viewer or listener. You want people to care about the world but sometimes you need to tell them why they need to care or why the should care. There is so much going on in the world, in our every day lives, and so sometimes you, the content creator, needs to “drive the bus” so to speak and show people the road. You need to cut through the noise of the day and show people the heart of a story. The best way to get to the heart of any story is to write about it on a human, emotional level. And yes, this goes for just about anything you write, including reviews of products and movies, giveaways and blog campaigns and even pitches to brands and media. There is always a human element to a story. Sometimes you need to look a little harder than other times but it is always there.
If you tell me why I care for every single thing you write then I guarantee you will reach your audience. I guarantee you will CREATE, CONNECT and INSPIRE! And what more can you ask for?
