Every story has legs

When I think about legs, I don’t think about inseams or wine quality. I think about what makes a story compelling, how a person or thing or event can engage my audience, what gives a subject enough life to last at least a few days in the hearts and minds of copy consumers — and that’s a long time in this age of information overload.

Keeping a reader’s attention and making an impression can’t happen if your story has no legs. But oftentimes, the hardest part is recognizing the angle or detail that gives it those legs. OK, enough anatomy talk.

Part of my strategy when approaching any subject is seeking out what sets it apart to make it interesting. It can be something quirky (a farmer who modified a clothes dryer to ready hundreds of pounds of organic lettuce for sale at local markets), colorful (a restaurateur who turned a rundown biker bar into a thriving dining spot) or exclusive (a behind-the-scenes tour of a marble company showing how craftsmen perfect countertops).

Despite what you may think about your product or service, your story has legs that will attract a range of audiences. Here’s an example. Your company makes paintbrushes. Think about where the paintbrushes are sold, who’s buying the brushes, what they’re painting, how that painted item is being used to enhance a community or neighborhood. Think about all of the different parts that make up one brush, how the brushes are manufactured, who are the people behind the scenes — are you finding legs in those stories?

As a businessperson, take a step back and try to see what an outsider would find interesting in your product or service. When you find it, you can treat yourself to that nice glass of wine.