Want to Reach Readers? Compel Connections, Call for Action and Complete the Story

Fast, reliable broadband makes a fundamental difference for rural communities, supporting the economy, education, health care and much more. In the home, these services also provide everything from entertainment to reliable communication.

Pioneer’s broadband-focused publications not only feature these successes but also share uplifting stories about the people who help rural communities thrive.

This March, the StoryConnect 2025 writing theme, Sail the Seven Cs, tackles how to strengthen feature and news writing. Seasoned crew members know to create content that is:

• Clear
• Concise
• Complete
• Correct
• Compelling
• Community-based
• …with a call to action!

Here are a few examples of Utility Pioneers smoothly sailing the seven Cs as they navigate toward higher reader engagement.

Compel Connections

Whose heart doesn’t melt a bit when seeing this cover showing a meeting between an Alpaca and a little one? And the story, written by Pioneer Assistant Editor Melanie Jones for Peoples Rural Telephone in Texas, only makes it more compelling. The Urban Alpacas farmer sends the friendly creatures everywhere from assisted living facilities to weddings, spreading furry joy.

By Melanie Jones | Peoples Rural Telephone

Similarly, I’ve seen several poignant stories, including Sentimental Surroundings by Assistant Editor Matt Ledger for West Carolina Telephone Cooperative’s magazine.

In an issue focused on wedding venues, Matt found a story about a grandfather diagnosed with terminal cancer determined to see his granddaughter’s wedding. The family rallied to build a wedding venue in five months, creating not only a lasting memory for the family but also an ongoing business uplifting the community.

By Matt Ledger | West Carolina Telephone Cooperative

Look for stories that both connect with your readers and compel them to read on. Make your content meaningful. If a story catches—and holds—your interest, that’s a good sign.

Call to action

The publications also showcase the services helping rural communities prosper, and there’s no better example than a recent issue of Connection from Kentucky’s Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative. Pioneer Assistant Editor Jen Calhoun personalized the new 2-Gig broadband and SpreeTV offerings with features followed by solid calls to action:

• Endless Stream: MRTC’s New SpreeTV app is a hit.
  Call to action: Stream on! Call MRTC and request the SpreeTV package that works for you. Find the app at your favorite app store. On your smart TV or device, log into the app with a username and password provided by MRTC. You can also visit mrtc.com to find the plan that works for you.
• 2-Gig Kinship: West Liberty family keeps the connections strong. Call to action: Do more, watch more and play more with Mountain’s fastest, most reliable internet package yet. To find out more, call [insert phone number here].

The stories and images show compelling real-world examples connecting a utility’s mission to the needs of individuals. Most importantly, Jen ended each feature with steps the reader can take to take advantage of the service, too.

Never end a story without giving the reader a chance to act on what they’ve learned.

By Jen Calhoun | Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative

Complete the Story

Cooperative magazine storytelling provides an opportunity to address issues relevant to everyone in rural America.

The efforts of small-town high school athletes to secure college scholarships was the focus of an article by Assistant Editors Drew Woolley and David Herder. Fast, reliable internet helps these students connect to college coaches and better highlight their successes—it was written from a rural perspective that’s too often overlooked. Several utilities shared the article in their local magazines, giving the story room to run and impact more rural athletes.

As a bonus, Photo Editor Mark Gilliland created an illustration to accompany the story. A sidebar offered tips for parents and athletes ready to take the next step. It was a complete package.

By Drew Woolley and David Herder | Used in Multiple Magazines

Bonus: Circle Back to Fun

While not directly one of StoryConnect’s Sail the Seven Cs, fun can be synonymous with compelling. And while there’s a mission and clear business-related goals for utilities who mail story-packed magazines to subscribers, sometimes you must have a little fun.

And what’s more compelling than this smile-inducing cover in the September/October Connection magazine from North Central Telephone in Tennessee?

By Jen Calhoun | NCTC

The story sparks smiles, rounded out by a sidebar with puppy love facts and a call to action for dog owners who want to enroll their pups in camp.

But it’s the cover shot picture—spa style and all—that catches and holds our attention. The power of pictures to connect with readers is another session we’ll explore at StoryConnect. Hope to see you there!