The power of free text
“We want a holiday idea to go out in August!”, “We’d like to be considered as ownership contenders of Valentine’s Day!” “We want to send a home improvements idea out this Bank Holiday!” Sound familiar? News tends to be on a loop. There are always new angles to take but there isn’t always the opportunity to explore them. This is something that every PR professional will know.
Clients can sometimes be hell-bent on a specific angle and timings but it’s your job to make it new and interesting.
This is where the power of ‘free text’ comes in and steals the show for you and your client. A free text question, in case you're reading this feeling somewhat perplexed, is simply a question that doesn’t have any options. It’s a blank box that gives respondents the chance to tell their own story or give their own opinion rather than choose one we have given to them.
In the past we’ve asked respondents to tell us about the strangest interview questions they’ve faced – the result was a page lead in the Daily Mail and a whole host of further media coverage.
Asking the panel to give you their own personal experiences can be a daunting thought to those who haven’t tried it. When we suggest it to clients we often get asked if “the story will stand up if there isn’t a percentage?” The answer is ‘absolutely’.
While we base our stories on the results of research it’s not always essential to include the stats. You’re telling a story not writing a report.
We love stats. We'd be lost without them, so we’re not saying the free text questions are the best and only option – but they are there to make sure you’ve got something personal to add to your version of the tale. Something that nobody else will have.
Free text works for both serious and light stories. They can bring humour or they can add a more humbling point of view. You can really add a little extra ‘something’ with a free text answer. It could take up the majority of the copy or it can just give you an edge that backs up one of the stats you’ve already mentioned.
The truth is, if you’re willing to sift through hundreds of stories from respondents, you’re certain to be paid off with a few gems. You only really need three or four to really give you a good start.
Of course you’ll get several ‘don’t know’ answers and the odd questionable response but you just need to persist and look out for that one story that will give you your top line.
We’ve asked for embarrassing stories, disastrous car journeys, dangerous experiences and everything in between. Our panel never disappoints. And If worst comes to the worst and you don’t get anything you can use, at least you get to sit at your desk chuckling away at the situations people get themselves in.
