May is around the corner, and I am already being asked by clients and contacts how the month of May can be a story hook.
Look no further. Here are a few ways May can be used as a story hook. Also, think about what the word actually means, as you can “flex” it.
Is it May the month? Is it may the flower? Or is it “may” as in the word in its meaning? How often in your business or organisation do you hear the word “may,” and can you use that as a hook for advice, tips, and sharing of expertise?
For example, I often hear the phrase “we may consider PR in the future.” Does that mean “we’ll never do PR,” does it mean “we really will consider this at some future point,” or does it mean “I’m just getting rid of you as I’m never going to be interested in that marketing tool?” Therefore, I could write a whole blog or LinkedIn post about the word “may” in my world. Could you do the same?
When thinking about the stories you could tell in May for your business, the first place you should always look is YOUR DIARY!
People tend to think outside of their own stories and their business because they think they have nothing to say; however, often a deep dive into your own diary will throw up a few surprises.
Ask yourself: Is there an anniversary in your business in May 2025? Have you or anyone in your team won an award this month? Are you speaking at any events or running an event yourself? Do you have a new team member or working with a new client? Are there any new changes in your business this month, a new office or product/offer? Are there any new pieces of legislation that affect your sector? Are we doing anything for charity or for the community?
Then think: is that a blog post, a social media post, a podcast subject, a guest post subject, or perhaps a press release to share with my local, business, or sector media? You might even think is that a good subject for this advertorial space I commit to each month? Or for your newsletter? Or a combination?
When you break stories and opportunities down based on your diary, it’s amazing what can pop up. Then, if you do the same with your senior management team, if you have a bigger company, the stories can keep appearing.
What About the Picture?
As my clients will know, I never stop saying: Where’s the good picture? Make sure you have high-quality (usually landscape) images, either of the product, team, or person, to go with your posts, and definitely for the media. Press are far more likely to pick up stories that have these images, so think ahead. Also, does the image make sense with the story? An image of a person is always best if relevant, rather than one of your office or your office signage.
Even today, after 17 years of working with businesses, I’m amazed at how even very large companies do not take photographs and visuals seriously. I’ve recently had the owner of a multi-million pound company come back four times with images which are far too small to use, don’t make any sense with the subject matter of the media release, and two were selfies. This business would not think twice about spending $500 on a photo shoot, but they think just taking a selfie will “cut the mustard.” Come on, friends. What does that say about your business and how seriously you take it?
Newsjacking in May
If you don’t have any stories around your business this May, it can be helpful to keep in touch with the local and national news. Is there something you know will be covered this month that you could talk about, too?
Are you inclined to be political? There’s going to be loads of politics going on? Remember, this can be divisive, but if it’s authentic, then do it.
Can you act quickly if a celebrity story arises that speaks to your expertise and allows you to offer advice?
Can you predict something that the media in your community might be talking about in May and offer yourself up as a commentator on that subject?
Just be sure you are not being inauthentic. Your take on this must make sense to a journalist or presenter on radio or TV. It cannot be a tenuous link, it must be clear.
For example, it makes sense that if the news breaks of a famous celebrity getting divorced, a divorce or relationship coach could discuss that with authority, even if they don’t know the specifics of that particular couple.
This is an opportunity for you to get an opinion and trending topics out there. Always stay in touch with the news, see what is relevant and how you can tap into that for your discussion points and blogs this month.
We call this “newsjacking.”
Some Other May Opportunities
To help you with some other ideas, if you are really struggling, you could go for:
May — last month of Spring — last chance to… or time to spring clean your…
Here comes summer — looking ahead to holidays, weather, etc. This is, of course, relevant to those of you in the US, where summer is in the same months as the UK, but you can still flex that to suit your own timeline.
Famous historical dates in May, dates in US history that you could talk about.
What films or famous TV shows are coming back or starting in May that you could use as a hook? I’ve just binge-watched the third season of Reacher, for example. I could use that to talk about many things, including justice, truth, loner, nomad, crime, being very tall, etc.
Are there any good books by famous authors going live this coming month?
What about piggybacking some awareness months that speak to your business’s culture or expertise? Examples could be Mental Health Awareness Month, National Military Appreciation Month, or National Clean Air Month. There are loads of these, so choose the ones that make sense for you, your team, your service, or your product.
OR there are some quirky dates in May that you could celebrate and bring some humour and lightness to your feeds this month.
- Star Wars Day (4th May)
- Eurovision Final (17th May): A real thing in Europe, but you might have similar “cult” or “iconic” events in the US. We are traditionally terrible at this event in the UK, even though Sam Ryder did very well a few years ago, coming second to the sympathy vote for Ukraine.
- Towel Day (25th May): Referencing Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
May brings up a wealth of opportunity for stories if you just dig a little deeper and get ahead, or you task one of your team to do this.
Which just leaves me to say, enjoy the month of May!
