Choosing the right communications channel to tell your story

You have a story to tell, values and passions to share, and great ambassadors to promote. So you decide to implement a storytelling strategy to open a dialogue with your customers and build your brand image.

Once you’ve identified your objectives, it’s time to choose from an endless range of potential communication channels: events, blogs, podcasts, newsletters, booths, advertising, videos, and so on. 

However, there is no need to opt for all these channels if your organization’s resources and capacity don’t reflect the energy and consistency required to maintain them all!  

In this article, discover our tips for choosing the right communication channels to tell your story effectively and authentically based on your intentions.

Identify your target audience and their habits 

Depending on your objectives, your target audience may vary. Try to think about your different personas. Which ones are most likely to respond positively to this communication, and what is the best way to reach them and share your message? What are their media consumption habits? What are their values? These are some of the reference points that will guide your decisions. 

Let’s take the example of a cultural centre. Its mission is to promote local arts and culture and its communication objective is to increase participation in its activities, particularly among three distinct client groups: school-age children, young adults, and seniors. 

The gap between these different audiences is likely to require some thought about which communication channel to choose. A 17-year-old student does not consume cultural products in the same way or on the same platforms as a 70-year-old retiree!

Clarify your editorial policy 

Once you have identified your objectives and target audiences, the next step is to decide what you want to say and how you want to tell your story. The same story can be presented in different ways and contain multiple messages that you may not want to include in a single communication. Remember that content, form and tone can have a big impact on the choice of communication channels.

For example, the cultural centre’s public summer festival could be aimed at both teenagers and seniors. However, the storytelling strategies for these two segments would be completely different. Using influencers and immersive videos on TikTok could help promote an evening multimedia sensory event to the first group, while publishing an article in the local newspaper about the specific artists offering daytime workshops at the festival could be a way to reach the second group.

Despite the differences in these different audience groups and ways of communicating with them, an editorial policy can provide a framework to ensure consistency, avoid missteps and help promote the festival to all its audiences. 

A few ideas

Everyone loves getting to know the people who work behind the scenes at the organizations they support. Be sure to showcase your team members in a way that highlights their skills and expertise. 

Going back to our example of the cultural centre, video interviews in which team members talk about their favourite cultural events could be posted. They could also write blog posts highlighting new local music releases and playlists. 

Your community is undoubtedly full of hidden gems, people who share your values and have their own stories to tell.  

Having ambassadors share your story is a great way to humanize your brand, open a dialogue and, of course, put your storytelling strategy into action. 

The cultural centre could find cultural ambassadors in the community whose role would be to promote the benefits of its cultural products through various initiatives. 

Here are some possible communication channels: 

Would you like to speak out on current issues in your field and educate your community about topics that are important to you? 

This is a great way to showcase your expertise and demonstrate your positive impact on society, while raising awareness on important issues.

For example, the cultural centre could launch a podcast interviewing citizens and community partners on relevant social and civic issues such as: 

• Environmental stewardship in the theatre world     
• Issues related to “Canadian culture”
• The “digitalization” of arts and culture

Conferences could also be organized to hear from various stakeholders. A documentary on the topic of local culture could even produced, following local artists and advocacy organizations in their day-to-day lives!

Communication channels open the door to an almost infinite world of creative possibilities. We can’t say it enough: your story is what sets you apart. It deserves to be told as authentically as possible, regardless of the communications channel used!

Other related articles: 

Storytelling for social media

The newsletter: friend or foe? 

A blog to attract more of your ideal clients