Lori Rasmussen

Storytelling is the basis of our shared humanity. It’s the way people have connected with others since the dawn of our species, be it through cave drawings or a rapt audience of our ancestral tribes gathered round the fire. In fact, we tell versions of some of those same stories today. Though the way we tell stories may have changed, the basic human need to share them has not. And those who have the ability to capture the audience often enjoy greater status among the group. From pastors to politicians to professional journalists, the ability to spin the most captivating tales drives action among audience members – for better or worse.

And so that’s why Melanie Deziel’s presentation on her Storyfuel brand resonated so deeply with me during the spring 2019 Communications@Syracuse immersion. While the session presented attending students with lots of useful, relevant information on timely topics, Ms. Deziel’s Content Matrix provided a wealth of practical, actionable knowledge that will enable us to better do our jobs as communications professionals.

As a former journalist now working in the PR space, I think I do a fair job telling compelling stories; making people, events and ideas relevant to the target audience. When I worked as a state Capitol reporter in Oklahoma, the stories were almost handed to me – every piece of legislation that is passed has the power to impact human lives, and those stories are not usually hard to find. However, I’ll admit that generating story ideas in my public relations career is something I’ve struggled with. It’s been particularly challenging when lots of great content is needed quickly.

“Storyfuel equips marketers and publishers with the skills and strategies they need to tell better brand stories.”

Melanie Deziel

The exercise she took us through related to Syracuse Women’s Basketball was especially helpful in illustrating the usefulness of her tool. It clearly demonstrated how almost any topic can be distilled to her enumerated focus areas and matched with a media format that is the best platform from which the story will come to life. Our group’s die roll landed us on a how-to video, and we were easily able to think of several corresponding ideas that would make for excellent, engaging content.

As a professional charged with conveying a brand’s story, the Content Matrix is exactly the resource I’ve been looking for. As Ms. Deziel showed us, the stories are already there, it’s simply a matter of linking focus and format to find them and tell them well.

And why is this storytelling strategy so important?

According to Celinne DeCosta of Forbes, “When done well, storytelling can do wonders for a business: such as turn a brand into a legacy, create a robust marketing strategy, generate profit and win the loyalty and affection of audiences…” Communications professionals like myself should pay close attention to those words. Like storytellers across time, space and generations, the ability to do it well creates instant value for the businesses and brands we represent. For example, in my professional life, I work for an aerospace company. I don’t have the knowledge or skillset to design or build airplanes, but what I can do for my employer is use my unique skills to position the company for future growth by ensuring a global audience understands our mission and purpose. The Content Matrix will help me do this.

As I’ve learned during every single class in Comm@Syracuse, the amazing thing about the digital present is the opportunities storytellers are provided to share content far and wide, connecting us with the right audience in the right space at the right time to drive desired actions. Like the ancient campfires where our ancestors wove their tales, the Storyfuel Content Matrix ignites the power to change the world. As Ms. DeCosta framed it in her Forbes article, “The most successful companies in the world have profound stories behind them (often deeply tied to their founders) that instill a sense of bigger purpose and meaning into what they do.”

After spring immersion and my first in-person visit to the beautiful Syracuse campus and Newhouse School, I feel deeply grateful to this program for providing me with knowledge and resources such as Ms. Deziel’s Content Matrix that will enable me to share purpose and meaning related to everything I’m passionate about, both personally and professionally. It’s exciting knowledge to go forward with.