President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress last week highlighted one of the universal truths of both public relations and politics – stories are powerful. The president included nearly a dozen people he invited to be in the audience including 13-year old cancer survivor DJ Daniel, who the President named an honorary Secret Service Agent on the spot, and a teenager named Elliston Berry from Texas who was the victim of a computer generated deepfake. Democrat members of Congress, who can bring people to the address, did the same. Many invited longtime federal workers the Trump Administration recently fired, who were then interviewed after the speech by local media.
A human face does more than create viral moments. Their stories often lead to lasting legislation. The recently enacted Laken Riley Act , which requires unauthorized immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes to be detained, got its name from the Georgia nursing student who was killed by an undocumented immigrant. AMBER Alerts were named after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman of Arlington Texas who died after being kidnapped while riding her bicycle. By the end of last year AMBER Alerts led to more than 1,200 kidnapped children being found quickly, 72% within three hours of the alert being issued.
There are several reasons why personal stories that add a human face to issues work so well for organizations.
They are easier to remember.
A study by the London School of Business found that while people only remembered about 5-10% of statistics they heard in a speech, they retained 65-70% of information about the same topic shared through a story.
They engage empathy.
People-focused stories allow the audience to picture themselves in a similar situation and how they would feel if the same event happened to them. All parents fear the possibility of something awful happening to their child. All workers worry about the impact of suddenly losing their job. Stories that evoke emotion make an issue real, understandable, and personal in a way that dry, overly technical, or jargon-y copy doesn’t.
They inspire action.
Emotion is a great motivation for people to do something. It drives people to seek empowerment through direct involvement whether it is donating, volunteering, or writing to a public official. A powerful personal story is also more likely to be shared with others through word of mouth or social media, which further amplifies the organization’s message.
They create third party credibility.
While it is good for leaders to talk about what their organization does and how it helps, having a person who isn’t an employee speak about the impact of its work on their life lends extra credibility. It also gives those receiving support the opportunity to thank the organization and encourage others who face similar challenges to seek the help they need.
Organizations shouldn’t wait for a development in the news cycle or a reporter request to start gathering these stories. Be proactive but take care to choose carefully. Look for someone who had a problem, acted by getting involved with the organization, and found a tangible solution as a result.
Once a suitable story is identified, it is the person’s decision whether to share it or not. Make sure they are comfortable sharing it with a larger audience and allow them to set boundaries for what they will talk about and what is off limits. Remember that people under the age of 18 can’t make that call alone. They need to get permission from a parent or guardian before talking to the media. When crafting copy about their story to share with the media, be respectful and not judgmental and include details that make the story interesting and easy to understand. Also, bear in mind that it can be emotionally exhausting to share a personal story, so if a person who has spoken to several media outlets wants to stop doing interviews, respect that choice.
Teak Media + Communication excels at sharing the work of nonprofits and socially responsible companies. We have years of experience helping groups put a human face on the issues they address. Learn more tips for fearless nonprofit communications here.
