PR Fundi Masterclass, in conjunction with the Africa Public Relations Association, organised a free virtual masterclass under the theme ‘storytelling for organisational impact: Turning organisational wins into PR narratives’ on Thursday, 24th April 2025.
Participants learned how to identify, assess, and structure stories for impact. The Masterclass panelists were Lakinbofa Goodluck, the public relations manager at MTN Nigeria, and Gladys Asare-Danquah, Communication Specialist at Burgundy Africa.
Key lessons from the masterclass
Brand storytelling: Your brand story must answer the “So what?” Question. It needs to be engaging and relevant to your audience. A compelling narrative is crucial.
Public Relations (PR) professionals must be highly engaged, readily accessible, and not confined to the office. They should engage with stakeholders daily. Industry visits are crucial for discovering and developing brand stories. Proactive engagement is key. Every action tells a story: Every spreadsheet, project, and interaction holds a potential story. Find the human element!
Story structure & strategy: A clear structure is essential for effective storytelling. Social media platforms should be integrated into your overall strategy. The PR person is the primary driver in identifying compelling stories. Thorough research is paramount.
Always obtain consent before sharing personal stories or using individuals’ images. Ethical considerations are paramount. Always obtain consent before sharing personal stories or using individuals’ images.
Respect privacy and maintain ethical standards. Before featuring an employee’s success story, obtain their written consent and ensure they’re comfortable with the level of detail shared.
Involve all departments in the storytelling process for broader dissemination and ownership of the narrative. Communicators aren’t solely effective in storytelling for impact; a collaborative approach is more effective.
Use data visualization to make complex information more accessible and relatable. Direct testimonials add credibility and emotional impact.
Beware of cancel culture. Scan your environment for cultural and religious sensitivities; listen actively and be socially conscious. Authenticity and creativity are essential.
Audience understanding. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Not every event warrants a story. Choose wisely and tailor your message to resonate with your audience.
Audience analysis is key to sharing the right stories with the right people for impact. Understand your audience to share the right stories with the right people. Tailor your message for maximum impact.
Story integration and communication: Use clear, concise language and visuals to integrate stories into brand speeches, including the CEO’s address. Every action, every spreadsheet, holds a potential story. Humans are at the heart of every narrative. Always obtain consent before sharing any story involving individuals.
The Public Relations professional as chief story detective: The PR person isn’t just a communicator; they’re the organisation’s official story finder! Think of them as detectives, always on the lookout for compelling narratives. Instead of just announcing a new product launch, the PR person can present the inspiring story of the engineer who invented it, highlighting their passion and dedication.
Research is your secret weapon when storytelling. Effective storytelling requires thorough research. Don’t just rely on surface-level information; dig deep to uncover the human element.
Before writing a story, interview clients for personal experiences and testimonials. Don’t just state the facts; show the impact.
Involve the sales team when crafting a story about a successful client project. They have valuable insights and can help distribute the story within their networks. The power of direct testimonials: Let your customers and employees tell their stories!
Direct testimonials add authenticity and emotional impact. Instead of generically stating your product is ‘easy to use’, feature a customer testimonial explaining how it simplified their life.
What will resonate with them? Not every event is a story opportunity. Before sharing a story about a company achievement, consider whether it will truly resonate with your target audience or if it might seem self-congratulatory.
Storytelling across platforms integrates stories into brand speeches, presentations, and marketing materials. Make storytelling a core part of your communication strategy.
Incorporate a customer success story into your CEO’s annual address, showcasing the impact of your product or service. There are also other platforms you can use to package the story for even a longer shelf life, as opposed to running it in a newspaper print.
PR Fundi master class programme runs over 100 PR practice topics designed to give participants mastery over PR tasks. The PR fundi public master classes are monthly. PR Fundi also runs customised sessions for particular organisational staff needs. The master class is an answer to the ever-changing PR practice landscape.
PR is a 24/7 job. This requires PR people to be creatively prepared for the situation room time because the world expects PR people to be overnight experts. People constantly need mastery skills on a case-by-case basis. Having template approaches to PR in this digital age is disastrous. PR fundi master classes evoke critical thinking. We use different expert perspectives on PR issues to prepare participants for all-around work challenges. After each training, participants will be able to creatively prepare for any situation. Each PR fundi master class has an aspect of PR theory applicability, PR thought leadership, and realistic PR case studies.
