Most businesses share updates all the time. A new contract, a product launch, a partnership, a milestone.
What they often struggle with is turning those updates into PR stories people actually care about. Stories that explain why something matters beyond the business itself, and why it matters now.
That gap between “we did something” and “this is relevant” is where most PR efforts fall flat. Not because the news is weak, but because the story has not been shaped with the reader, the journalist, or the wider market in mind.
Start with relevance, not announcements
The biggest mistake businesses make is leading with themselves.
“We are pleased to announce…”
“We have launched…”
“We are excited to share…”
That language immediately signals that the story is inward-looking. A journalist or editor will ask one question before reading on: why should anyone care?
A strong PR story starts with relevance. It connects to something external such as a market shift, a customer challenge, a regulatory change, a behaviour trend, or a regional priority. In the Middle East, that might be digital transformation, nationalisation agendas, sustainability targets, SME growth, or sector resilience.
The announcement then becomes supporting evidence, not the headline.
A clear problem beats a clever angle
PR stories work best when they solve something.
What problem existed before this business, solution, partnership, or decision came along? What was broken, inefficient, overlooked, or misunderstood?
For B2B and SME brands, this is often where the strongest stories sit. They are close to real operational issues, whether that is supply chain inefficiencies, customer experience gaps, compliance pressure, or skills shortages.
When you articulate the problem clearly, the story stops sounding like promotion and starts sounding like insight.
Context turns activity into news
Context is what elevates a story from “company update” to “industry relevance”.
This could include data, market behaviour, policy direction, or observed shifts from working closely with customers. It does not need to be heavy research, but it does need to show awareness of the wider landscape.
In this region especially, context matters. Editors want to understand how a story fits into the GCC market, not just whether it worked for one company.
A good PR story answers the unspoken question: what does this say about where the market is heading?
People make stories stick
Even in B2B, stories land better when they include people. This does not mean personal backstories for the sake of it. It means human perspective. A founder explaining why they made a decision. A client describing what changed for them. A team lead sharing what surprised them during a project.
Quotations should add insight, not repeat the press release in softer language. If a quote could be removed without changing the story, it probably should be.
Credibility is built through specifics
Vague claims weaken even the best story.
Phrases like “leading”, “innovative”, or “best-in-class” are rarely believable unless backed by something concrete. Specific outcomes, clear scope, defined timelines, or measurable impact all help ground a story in reality.
For SMEs, credibility often comes from focus rather than scale. Doing one thing well, consistently, is far more compelling than trying to sound bigger than you are.
Timing matters more than perfection
A strong story delivered too late is still a weak story.
PR works best when it aligns with editorial cycles, seasonal themes, industry conversations, or regional moments such as budget planning periods, major trade events, or policy announcements.
This is why planning matters. When you know what stories you want to tell across the year, you can shape them properly instead of rushing to react.
If it does not travel, it is not a PR story
A final sense check is simple.
Can this story be adapted for different platforms like earned media, LinkedIn, your blog, a newsletter, a panel discussion? If it only works as a press release and nowhere else, it may be too narrow.
Good PR stories are flexible. They carry a core narrative that can travel across channels without losing meaning.
A practical takeaway for SMEs
Before pitching or publishing any PR story, ask three honest questions.
What problem does this address beyond our business?
Why would this matter to someone outside our organisation?
Would we find this interesting if it were about another company?
If the answers are unclear, the story needs work. Not more distribution. Not louder messaging. Better structure.
PR is not about saying more. It is about saying something that earns attention.
