The Art of Storytelling

Public Relations (PR) has traditionally managed the release and spread of newsworthy information for an organization. The basic tools of PR include press releases and staged events, such as press conferences. These tools were used to pitch stories to the media. Marketing, which once relied on sales brochures, collateral materials, and website copy to sell products and service, now uses “content marketing” to tell a story with the distinct purpose of generating leads. A third option has emerged which uses storytelling to capture an audience’s attention and showcase an organization’s values, but not in a sales-driven way. 

James Ylisela, co-founder of Ragan Consulting Group, coined the term “brand journalism” to refer to this growing practice. Using his many years as an award-winning investigative reporter, he tailored traditional news gathering tactics to the corporate communications environment. Here, Mr. Ylisela shares tips for applying brand journalism to engage customers and employees alike.