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Millions of brands fight to own the narrative every day, but not all of them succeed. Their mistake? They put themselves at the center of the story instead of their audience.
In the Philippines, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make the same storytelling flaw. Your customers want to be the hero, and your role is to guide, support, and inspire them.
When you take this approach in storytelling, you can turn casual buyers into loyal advocates. Here’s how you can produce stories that grab attention and retain connections.
The #1 Brand Storytelling Mistake: Making It All About You
When businesses talk only about their achievements, products, or milestones without connecting to their audience’s needs or values, they unintentionally push people away.
For example:
● Too much self-promotion: “We’ve been in business for 20 years!” Good to know, but why should customers care?
● Overly technical jargon: “Our proprietary solution uses next-gen algorithms to optimize workflow…” Sounds smart, but confusing.
● No emotional hook: “Buy now before the promo ends.” Where’s the connection?
Effective brand storytelling is about making your customer the protagonist while positioning your brand as the dependable guide who helps them reach victory.
Why This Mistake Hurts Your Business
When your story is too focused on yourself, your audience quickly tunes out. People will just scroll past you if your content doesn’t speak to their needs. You also lose the emotional connection that comes from shared values and empathy, leaving your message sounding more like a hard sell than a genuine story.
In our current ad-ridden digital landscape, nothing drives people away faster than sounding too salesy. In fact, Edelman’s Trust Barometer found that 81% of consumers need to trust a brand before making a purchase. Building that trust requires not only self-promotion, but also relevance, empathy, and authenticity.
What Good PR Storytelling Looks Like
Good PR storytelling in the Philippines banks on relationships and community ties. These traits are important in crafting your narrative:
- Audience-focused: Stories begin with the customer’s perspective.
- Authentic and relatable: Draw from real experiences, not just marketing copy.
- Value-driven: Share how your brand improves lives, not just products.
- Culturally aware: Tap into Filipino values like bayanihan (community spirit) or pakikisama (harmony).
For example, instead of “We launched a new eco-friendly packaging,” a PR agency in the Philippines can frame it as:
“A small bakery in Quezon City helped reduce 500 kg of plastic waste in their barangay. Here’s how your own business can do it too.”
This shifts the story from self-promotion to impact and community value.
How a PR Agency Can Help You Fix This Mistake
A seasoned PR agency that understands both traditional and digital media can help transform your storytelling by:
1. Identifying Your Core Narrative
PR professionals know how to extract the most relatable parts of your brand’s journey. They’ll help you frame stories around your mission, customer successes, and cultural touchpoints that resonate in the local market.
2. Finding the Right Platforms
A good story falls flat if no one hears it. PR agencies use their media connections in print, TV, radio, and online to amplify your story to the right audiences. Your content can shine in a lifestyle magazine in Manila or a community Facebook group in Cebu.
3. Ensuring Consistent Messaging
In integrated marketing communications (IMC), consistency builds credibility. PR agencies align your press releases, social media posts, interviews, and blog articles so your audience hears the same values and voice everywhere.
4. Using Data to Shape Stories
With media monitoring and sentiment analysis, PR pros can track which stories resonate and adjust messaging accordingly. This avoids wasted effort on narratives that don’t land.
5. Turning Everyday Moments into PR Wins
A small act can become a full-fledged brand story if packaged well. Experienced PR agencies know how to spot and amplify these moments.
Why Good PR Is Essential for Success
In the Philippines, word-of-mouth still drives much of purchasing behavior, which makes public relations about publicity and credibility. Good PR ensures you’re telling the right stories to the right people, building trust and loyalty instead of pushing empty sales, and positioning your brand as authentic, relevant, and socially aware.
Without that expertise, even well-meaning efforts can fall flat or, worse, harm your reputation
