How long are you really listening for?Are you listening at the back? No, are you REALLY listening? I bet we all think we're good listeners now. It feels a very 2026 skill. We like to think we're good at empathising, understanding and comforting. And who better at that than doctors - they must the best listeners, right? Well, one study, shared by Lauren Castle-Baker on our recent webinar, found that GPs overestimated the amount of time they spend listening by 700%. One minute rather than seven minutes. And another study found doctors waited only 17 seconds before interrupting patients. Such studies are not intended to make an example of doctors but to highlight our false sense of security when it comes to listening. Being a better listener make speakers feel more relaxed, open and willing to share. Which means better insights, better stories. And the outcomes from that are stellar campaigns like Stories of Sanctuary from the London Borough of Waltham Forest - and you can hear all about that on the catch-up link below๐. USE THIS: content and campaign ideasWe've explored lore, what the hell it is and how we might be able to harness it right here in this very newsletter (and webinar). And this example from Ben and Jerry's nails it, I reckon. A genuine place in the States (and online too) where they lay 'to rest' their discontinued flavours. Digging into their back story, embracing their quirks, showing off their personality - it's all unique to them. (Get this type of creative and content inspiration first on the Creative Catch of the Day WhatsApp channel.) โWEBINAR CATCH-UP: inclusive storytellingโIf you couldn't make our inclusive storytelling webinar, you can catch up on the YouTube channel. Hear from Harshil Shah, Communications and Campaigns Lead at the London Borough of Waltham Forest, on his brilliant Stories of Sanctuary campaign, Lauren Castle-Baker, from culture experts A Kind Life, with practical tips on gathering inclusive stories, and Helena Hornby, from social engagement experts Orlo, on the importance of tracking sentiment. โWATER SAFETY: get your ready-made campaignโThe heatwaves are back and you can also catch up on a really important webinar from the Blue Light Hub on water safety, with out-of-the-box campaigns from the RNLI and RoSPA ready to launch. โDrop me a line if you want to protect people in the water in your area. SOCIAL: The Round-Up
โSTORYTELLING: shifting narrative takes time and here's howโStart with depth for long-form storytelling, then shorten/clip it for wider reach, then take it offline into communities. โNATIONAL MOOD TRACKER: how the nation's feeling about a new PM at a glanceโSo we're set for another new Prime Minister and the national political picture is shifting day by day. If only there was a handy way of seeing what that sentiment looked like. Thanks to Orlo, there is... โWORK: not happy in your job? Become a rat catcherโIndependence and autonomy, problem solving, helping others, engaging with the natural world. Why rat catchers have such high job satisfaction. ABOUT USโTurn The Page is a story-led communications consultancy, using the power of stories to create memorable, measurable campaigns, strategies and narratives. Campaigns and comms led by stories are measurably more successful and improve engagement and trust.
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For any hard-pressed comms person in the public or third sector who just needs a bit of inspiration, handy learning or fascinating facts (there really is a New Fave Fact section). Campaign and creative inspiration you can steal. Storytelling and comms tips and insight to pass off as your own.
Is that your final answer? Why the hell were we playing Who Wants To Be A Millionaire at a comms conference? (It was Who Wants To Be A Social Media-naire, to be completely accurate, tenuous pun fans). We were digging into the lore of our host city, Nottingham, at the LGcomms Academy event to find out what makes it special and unique. We've done a bit of dissecting and discussing lore right here - there's a webinar you can watch back if you missed that. But what are the practical building...
The underrated art of acknowledgement My brother does nature conservation. No real reason for you to know or care about that, but he does. What I'd completely forgotten about was how a letter from Sir David Attenborough had played a large part in that, until he was recounting the story around the great man's 100th birthday celebrations a few weeks ago. When he was 12, Paul sent him a letter about reptiles he was rescuing near our house (our shared bedroom was always full of snakes and lizard...
They don't teach you that at college No matter what type of comms qualification or experience you have, some things you just can't train for. You may have either got along to the UnAwards Masterclass event in Birmingham (well done if you bagged a ticket) or been able to join the online webinar last week. And, as always, it was brilliant to hear the stories behind the award-winning work - how it was planned, created and executed. (By the way, one of the top comms hacks out there is the Comms...