Rock Your Year-End Storytelling
Your non-profit story is your most valuable asset. Your heartfelt story will inspire action and create change. If you can tell your story like a feature movie, your donors will never forget it. And, even better, they’ll share it with others and you’ll be a rockstar.
Rock your storytelling! Your non-profit story is your most valuable asset. Your story can inspire action and create change. If you can tell your story like a feature movie, your donors will never forget it. And, even better, they’ll share it with others.
Important Story Components
A Character
Stories that draw people in are stories in which people care about, identify with or are fascinated by a character. You’ve got to put your characters front and center. Who is the person who needs your donor’s help?
A Hero
You need a hero. Ideally, this would be your donor!
A Threat
What is your donor saving your character from? What will happen without your donor’s help?
The Head and The Heart
You need to balance this combination. Don’t just give the facts and figures. To really tell a story well you have to be able to hold someone’s pain.
Top 10 Insights from the 2012 Nonprofit Technology Conference
#1 – The best stories are the ones that you remember. That move you to share and take action.
#2 – People will forget what you told them, they’ll forget what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel through stories. Make your story about your case and the character who will be helped.
#3 – Your storytelling doesn’t have to live within your marketing team. Your donors can contribute by sharing.
#4 – Keep recording stories! Talk to your donors and other staff and figure out some great stories to tell.
#5 – Consider your medium. Tell stories in direct mail, email, and also in video form.
#6 – In your video stories, make sure to not just have talking heads and keep your video to 1-2 minutes.
#7 – Don’t forget, a story has a beginning, middle, and end.
#8 – Use an image to touch heartstrings.
#9 – Simple stories are the best.
#10 – Don’t be afraid to fail!
