Use the Seinfeld PR Approach to Tell Your Story

This is the third in a series of three articles based on content from recent presentations made to college students.

While preparing a speech for a group of college seniors, I focused on the importance of a lifelong thirst for knowledge and achieving positive, incremental change. The end result was a presentation with three key themes:

• Success, like beauty, should be in the eye of the beholder. You decide what you want to do, how you want to live and what you want to achieve.
• People will want you on their team if you are organized, efficient and get things done.
• Potential employers need to know what you are capable of and how you think. Use the Seinfeld PR Approach and tell your story.

The sitcom Seinfeld lasted nine seasons and was named the greatest program of all time by TV Guide. Yet it was described as “a show about nothing.”

While Seinfeld focused on the minutiae of everyday life, its popularity was driven by our ability to relate to and like the key characters. They seemed believable, real and hilarious. We knew someone like them or noticed that some of our own quirks were similar.

When we try to communicate our own message, why not focus on the real stuff that makes us unique? Instead, many people think they need to embellish things or avoid talking about what they see as “nothing.”

Don’t underestimate what you’ve done. What you see as nothing can be interesting to others. Tell your real story in a creative way.

Why is it relevant to members of your target markets? What will help them relate? Why should they care? Break it down to a basic, core theme—What’s in it for Them?

Once you’ve developed your real story, tell it again and again. Use memorable anecdotes, ask questions and listen.

Focus on Less and More: Less talking, more listening, more real stuff. And remember it’s not a story about nothing. It’s a story about you, what you’ve accomplished and what you bring to the table.