how to find & tell stories that cause donors to give again
DESCRIPTION
The most powerful way to connect people to your mission is by telling a story that causes the listener to feel something. Your organization is already filled with these kinds of stories, but when you share them, do your listeners take action? Do they make another gift? Volunteer again? Or bring others into your organization as new guests and donors? Learn from Master Storyteller, Lori L. Jacobwith, whose stories and coaching has already helped nonprofit organizations raise more than $200 million from individual donors. Lori will share tools and strategies to help you engage your team (yes you have a team!) to identify and share powerful stories so you retain more donors AND raise more money. Lori L. Jacobwith has a passion for the positive. Her strategies & tools have helped organizations to collectively raise more than $200 million from individual donors over the past decade. She has coached and trained thousands across North America to raise more money and powerfully share their stories. Lori is the founder of the Ignited Online Fundraising Community, the author of Nine Steps to a Successful Fundraising Campaign and the “must-read” fundraising coaching blog: Withism’s From Lori: Boldness, Clarity and Wisdom for Fundraising Professionals.TRANSCRIPT
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
Presented by:
Lori L. Jacobwith
• Master storyteller, trainer & coach
LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Lori L. Jacobwith
• Master storyteller, trainer & coach
• 25+ years in social profit sector
LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Lori L. Jacobwith
• Master storyteller, trainer & coach
• 25+ years in social profit sector
• Measurable: Since 2001 I’ve helped organizations raise $200 million from individual donors. And counting.
LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Lori L. Jacobwith
• Master storyteller, trainer & coach
• 25+ years in social profit sector
• Measurable: Since 2001 I’ve helped organizations raise $200 million from individual donors. And counting.
• Coached more than 3000 organizations and as many stories.
LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Author of the Only Step-by-Step Storytelling System
www.lorijacobwith.com/storytellingsystem
What We Will Cover
What is storytelling
What We Will Cover
What is storytelling
Why tell stories?
What We Will Cover
What is storytelling
Why tell stories?
What donors want
What We Will Cover
What is storytelling
Why tell stories?
What donors want
Where to find great stories
What We Will Cover
What is storytelling
Why tell stories?
What donors want
Where to find great stories
A framework to help craft your story
What do you want supporters to do?
Information Deluges Us
How can you stand out?
There is a secret to
cutting through the
clutter of day to day
noise…
Your Impact on Real People
…of real or imagined events.~ Source: National Storytelling Association
Storytelling: A Narrative Account
You are not a
newspaper or news
reporter that shares
objective and careful
stories.
What Storytelling is Not
At its core, storytelling is the
art of using language,
vocalization, and/or physical
movement and gesture to
reveal the elements and
images of a story to a
specific, live audience.
~ Source: National Storytelling Association
Storytelling
What action do supporters take when you share your stories?
What people want when they support a cause:
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they support a cause:
To make a difference
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they support a cause:
To make a difference
To feel personally connected to something greater than themselves
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they support a cause:
To make a difference
To feel personally connected to something greater than themselves
To feel useful
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they support a cause:
To make a difference
To feel personally connected to something greater than themselves
To feel useful
To get the warm glow of giving~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good
Great Gaping Disconnect
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
An appeal to give (more) money
There needs to be more of what people want in their experience with us.
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
A tax receipt
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
An appeal to give (more) money
Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
An appeal to give (more) money
There needs to be more of what people want in their experience with us.
Startling Statistic
Nearly 50% of donors stop giving for reasons
connected to “a failure to
communicate.” ~ Penelope Burk & Cygnus Applied Research
Startling Statistic
Who Do You Want to Retain?
Source: Agents of Good.org
Regular Feedback & Reinforcement
Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story
Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story
• We “THINK” in story
Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story
• We “THINK” in story
• Every decision we make is based on the story we tell ourselves.
Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story
• We “THINK” in story
• Every decision we make is based on the story we tell ourselves.
• If we don’t feel something we can’t make a decision
Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story
• Facts: Wake up the brain.
Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story
• Facts: Wake up the brain.
• Stories: Allow us to experience the facts.
Knowledge Alone Does Not Cause People to Take Action
…create unforgettable
emotional connections
Stories of Your Impact
Mission Moments
Lori’s Definition:
“Any short, inspirational, example of how your organization is making an impact.”
Mission Moments
Lori’s Definition:
“Any short, inspirational, example of how your organization is making an impact.”
Must be an example of a real person.
Mission Moments
Lori’s Definition:
“Any short, inspirational, example of how your organization is making an impact.”
Must be an example of a real person.
Could be a client, staff person, volunteer and certainly can be a board member.
http://bit.ly/MissionMomentsFromLori
Mission Moments
Where to find stories?
Where to find stories?
We take for granted:
Where to find stories?
We take for granted:
1. People understand what kind
of impact examples you are
looking for.
Where to find stories?
We take for granted:
1. People understand what kind
of impact examples you are
looking for.
2. People know how to tell a
story.
Remember:
Most people don’t know
HOW to do what you
are asking.
Where to find stories?
Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
1. Who do you ask for mission
moment examples?
Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
1. Who do you ask for mission
moment examples?
2. What questions do you ask?
Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
1. Who do you ask for mission
moment examples?
2. What questions do you ask?
3. Where do you ask the
questions?
1. Who to Ask?
Who to Ask?
Let’s make a list…
2. What do you ask them?
Finding Powerful Stories
Open-ended questions.
Finding Powerful Stories
Open-ended questions.
Ask questions that gets “at” a story but doesn’t feel like you are putting the person on the spot.
Finding Powerful Stories
Open-ended questions.
Ask questions that gets “at” a story but doesn’t feel like you are putting the person on the spot.
The responsibility to “find” the story is yours. Ask more questions to glean the “nuggets” to build the story.
Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
1. Who have you met at our organization that inspires you?
Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
1. Who have you met at our organization that inspires you?
2. What is your own “mission moment” that makes you want to be a part of our organization?
Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
1. Who have you met at our organization that inspires you?
2. What is your own “mission moment” that makes you want to be a part of our organization?
3. Add your own.
3. Where to Ask the Questions?
Where to Ask the Questions?
Turning a Mission Moment into a Story
Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
Boring2Brilliant.com
Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
Boring2Brilliant.com• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your listener can visualize.
Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
Boring2Brilliant.com• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your listener can visualize.
• Use words that emotionally connect the listener to your work and the person you’re speaking about. No jargon.
Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
Boring2Brilliant.com• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your listener can visualize.
• Use words that emotionally connect the listener to your work and the person you’re speaking about. No jargon.
• Share specific examples of YOUR work and how it makes a difference in the life of a real person
Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
Boring2Brilliant.com• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your listener can visualize.
• Use words that emotionally connect the listener to your work and the person you’re speaking about. No jargon.
• Share specific examples of YOUR work and how it makes a difference in the life of a real person
• The story must be short – 2 minutes or less.
Before and After
Storytelling: How Do We Do This?
1. Identify one person.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
2. Learn & jot down as much about them as you can.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
2. Learn & jot down as much about them as you can.
3. Write down all of the exact results.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
4. Make a list of transformations due to your involvement and their results.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
5. Circle the words that stand out and are emotionally connecting.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
• Abandoned
• Blessed
• Emotionally bruised
• Spiritually & physically broken
• Weary
• More?
Emotionally connecting words
The placement of
emotionally engaging words
and phrases, is key to creating
a powerful story.
6. Now fit the story into the framework & practice telling your story.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
6. Now fit the story into the framework & practice telling your story.
Lori’s 6-Step Process
Often.
Even Shorter
Using the Same Story Again
Storytelling & Board Members
http://bit.ly/BoardMembersStorytelling[This link is case sensitive]
People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.
~ Maya Angelou
Lots of Ways To Stay Connected
@LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Available at: Amazon.com
Free Weekly BLOG: WITHISM’S FROM LORI:Boldness, clarity and wisdom for fundraising professionals
making a difference
Download - Free Resources page: LoriJacobwith.com
Steps to Creating a Storytelling Culture
Steps to Creating a Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings, discussions, events by sharing a story.
Steps to Creating a Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings, discussions, events by sharing a story.
2. Ask board members, staff, donors & others for examples of people that have inspired them from your organization.
Steps to Creating a Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings, discussions, events by sharing a story.
2. Ask board members, staff, donors & others for examples of people that have inspired them from your organization.
3. Make it fun, safe & easy to “learn” HOW to share a powerful client example.
Steps to Creating a Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings, discussions, events by sharing a story.
2. Ask board members, staff, donors & others for examples of people that have inspired them from your organization.
3. Make it fun, safe & easy to “learn” HOW to share a powerful client example.
4. Include lots of written & told stories via social media, website, donors visits
Moving Forward
Share:
One thing you learned
How will you create a storytelling culture?
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
Go forth and find & share powerful stories
Questions?
Thank you!
Next Webinar:
The Reality of SEO for Nonprofits
11/20 - 2:30pm EST
bloomerang.co/resources/webinars