What is story-first PR, and why does it work?
Updated: 16 hours ago
Most people I meet skip straight to "what should I pitch?"
It makes sense. You want to be in the press, so you start with the press. But nine times out of ten, the stronger question comes first: what do you want to be known for?
That's where your story starts. And it's the whole idea behind how I work.
The quick answer: story-first PR means leading with the story behind your business, such as why you started, what you've noticed or what you believe, instead of leading with your product or an announcement. Journalists are looking for a voice as well as a topic, and people remember a story long after they've forgotten a sales pitch. In short, talk about what you know before you talk about what you do.
Want help finding your angle? My free guide has 10 pitching angles, each with a prompt to make it yours. Send it to me →
What is story-first PR?
It's PR that starts with your story, not your sales message.
Traditional PR often starts with an announcement: a launch, a new hire, a press release. Story-first PR starts somewhere else. It asks what's interesting about you, your business and what you know, and leads with that.
The belief I come back to every time is this: talk about what you know, before you talk about what you do.
Your story isn't your whole life story, or a dramatic backstory polished to perfection. It's the thread that ties together what you do, why it matters and what makes your take different.
Sometimes it isn't even about the business. Nobody remembers who makes the best brownies. They remember the founder who used to be a firefighter.
That's the story a journalist wants to tell, and the one their readers remember.
Why does story-first PR work?
Because journalists aren't only looking for a topic. They're looking for a voice.
A product announcement tells people what you sell. A story tells them who you are and why it matters. That's what gets you picked, and it's what gets you remembered.
Beth Fuller is a good example. She's a former teacher, now a yoga teacher and therapist. On paper, that's a wellbeing business like plenty of others. But she had plenty to say about burnout and wellbeing, and once we untangled her story, journalists had something real to write about. She's since been featured in Stylist, Cosmopolitan and iNews, and journalists now ask for her by name.
A story-first approach also keeps you out of the advert trap. A pitch that's mostly about how good your product is reads like a sales email, and journalists treat it like one.
Your story doesn't need to be loud. It needs to be clear, credible and human.
How do you work out what you want to be known for?
Start with three questions.
Who are you helping, and why does it matter to you? The answer often holds the reason you started, which is usually a story in itself.
What makes your approach fresh or personal? It might be your background, a method you've developed or an opinion other people in your industry don't share.
What do you want people to think or do after hearing from you? This keeps your story pointed at your reader, not at you.
Write your answers down without editing them. Then look for the line that surprises you a bit, or the one you'd normally skip because it feels too obvious. That's often where the story is.
Once you know what you want to be known for, every pitch gets easier. You stop starting from scratch, because each idea connects back to the same thread.
What are the 5 P's of storytelling?
A simple checklist for shaping your story.
People: who's in it? Readers connect with real people, starting with you.
Place: where does it happen? Setting adds context, and local settings can open doors to local press.
Purpose: why does it matter? What's the bigger point for the reader?
Problem: what challenge drives it? A problem creates tension, and tension keeps people reading.
Plot: how does it unfold? The sequence of events from the problem to where you are now.
Here's how it looks on a real story. Josie runs Follie (people), and her shop (place) sold out of velvet ribbon when a TikTok trend took off (problem). The bigger point was why the Christmas garland was making a comeback (purpose). One short piece on BBC local radio set it travelling, then BBC News picked it up, then The Guardian (plot).
Try outlining your own story using the 5 P's. It's a quick way to spot what's missing.
How do you find the story in your business?
Listen for the bits you'd normally wave away.
When I run a Debrief, I'm the one scribbling down the throwaway line you said wasn't interesting. It's usually the headline.
Your story might be hiding in:
why you started, and what you were doing before
a habit you've noticed in your customers
a number you track that nobody else does
an opinion you hold that others in your industry don't
Most founders are too close to their own stories to see them. That's normal. It helps to talk it through with someone who'll ask the questions you wouldn't think to ask yourself.
My post on the 5 places your next pitch idea is hiding has more places to look.
How do you keep your story consistent?
Make it the thread that runs through everything.
Story-first PR isn't a one-off campaign. Once you know your story, it should show up everywhere people meet you: your website, your About page, your social posts, your emails and your pitches.
That consistency matters more than it used to. Journalists look you up before they reply. So do customers. And when people ask AI tools for a recommendation, those tools piece together what they know about you from what's been written by you and about you. A clear, consistent story makes you easier to describe, and easier to recommend.
Your story will grow as your business does. Keep adding new chapters: results, lessons, the things that went wrong and what you learned.
A strong story gets you in the door. A clear, human voice is what makes you memorable.
Questions people ask
What is story-first PR?
Story-first PR is an approach that leads with the story behind a business, such as the founder's background, an insight or a strong opinion, rather than with a product or an announcement. It gives journalists something to write about and makes the business easier to remember.
What are the 5 P's of storytelling?
The 5 P's are People, Place, Purpose, Problem and Plot. Together they cover who's involved, where it happens, why it matters, the challenge at the heart of it and how it unfolds. They're a useful checklist for shaping a brand or founder story.
How do I find my brand story?
Start with why you started, who you help and what makes your approach different. Look for details you'd normally dismiss as obvious, such as a habit you've noticed in customers or an opinion you hold. These are often the most interesting parts to a journalist.
Do I need a dramatic backstory to get press?
No. A good PR story doesn't need to be dramatic. It needs to be clear, credible and relevant to a journalist's readers. Everyday experience, practical expertise or a fresh opinion can all make strong stories.
Want help finding your story?
That's what the Debrief is for. You talk, I ask the questions, and within 7 working days you've got every story I found, sorted into themes and ready to use.
Or book a free 20-minute call and tell me a bit about your business.
PS. If you'd rather do your own PR, my PR guides and templates are a good place to start. For behind-the-scenes PR tips, follow me on Instagram.
Becky here, running on flat whites and a non-negotiable 3pm Diet Coke. I'm Becky Newmarch, a PR consultant for founders and brands in the UK. I find the stories hiding in your business and get them to the journalists who'll run them.
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