SUPER STORYTELLINGThe power to unite, inspire and engage

ARC CommunicationsRichelle Morgan Amy Blake

Willamette Valley Development Officers Regional Conference May 18, 2012

The power of story

In order for nonprofit stories to stand out amidst the noise, they will need to be more character driven, more vulnerable, more humorous or otherwise emotionally poignant.

Cara Jones, Storytellers for Good

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero• Passion• Obstacle/Conflict• Transformation• Audience

Unlock the secret to telling fundraising stories:

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero*• Passion• Obstacle/Conflict• Transformation• Audience

Note: A hero does not need to be a superhero.

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero

• Passion• Obstacle/Conflict• Transformation• Audience

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero• Passion

• Obstacle/Conflict• Transformation• Audience

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero• Passion• Obstacle/Conflict

• Transformation• Audience

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero• Passion• Obstacle/Conflict• Transformation

• Audience

Nonprofit storytelling

Who are your heroes?• Staff• Volunteer• Founder• Board member• Donor• Others?

Five Keys1. Hero2. Passion

3. Obstacle

4. Transformation

5. Audience

The last gasp of a polar bear before it drowns in the vast waters …

The fumbled cries of newborn polar bear cubs …

The exhaustion of a mother polar bear and her young as they succumb to starvation …

Writing Tip: Use vivid details to bring heroes to life.

Nonprofit heroes

Nonprofit storytelling

What is your passion?

• What emotions are behind facts and numbers?

• What will move donors?

• How can you turn telling to showing?

Five Keys1. Hero

2. Passion3. Obstacle

4. Transformation

5. Audience

Nonprofit passion

One small triumph … that will be replayed more than 50 times this week. You can help Zoe – and all the dogs of our shelter – by making a generous gift today …

Writing Tip: Break down a big problem into a small, do-able task.

Nonprofit storytelling

What are the obstacles?

• What enemies do you face?

• What roadblocks stand in the way? – Time, money

– Attitudes, awareness

– Circumstances, environment

Five Keys1. Hero

2. Passion

3. Obstacle4. Transformation

5. Audience

Nonprofit obstacles

…There was a gaping hole in the relief that nursing homes can provide to their Jewish patients …

Writing Tip: Decide what stance to take – against an enemy or overcoming a challenge.

Nonprofit storytelling Five Keys1. Hero

2. Passion

3. Obstacle

4. Transformation5. AudienceWhat do you seek to transform?

• How will you spend the donor’s money?

• Can you be specific or quantify the work?• How can you make it real or more

relatable?

Nonprofit transformation

…immerse yourself in intense, probing conversation and leave armed with strategies to make your workplace more open and inclusive.

Writing Tip: Avoid jargon and use strong words. Quantify where possible.

Nonprofit storytelling

Who are you telling the story to?• Age• Education level• Income level• Other relevant information

Five Keys1. Hero

2. Passion

3. Obstacle

4. Transformation

5. Audience

Writing Tip: Imagine one person. Put up a picture so you’re always writing to him/her.

Nonprofit audience

Five keys to storytelling

• Hero• Passion• Obstacle/Conflict• Transformation• Audience

Barriers to storytelling

• Interpersonal – Awareness– Understanding– Support

• Personal– Time– Location

• Organizational– Silos– Policies– Systems

Removing interpersonal barriers is as easy as…

opening the lines of communication…

and opening doors.

Focus on barriers you can affect

• Interpersonal– Awareness– Understanding– Support

• Personal– Time– Place

• Organizational– Silos– Policies– Systems

Identify stories and storytellers

• What stories do you want to tell?

• Who has your organization’s stories?– Employees– Volunteers– Clients or service recipients– Donors– Special experts

Look for stories in your mission, values,

and taglines. “Changing lives.

Building communities.

Creating opportunities.”

Central City Concern

A positive approach

• Create awareness.

• Cultivate understanding.

• Build support.

Create awareness

• Talk to people – everyone!

• Go to the stories.

• Gather in groups.

• Get the word out.

Cultivate understanding

• Articulate purpose of stories.• Connect individuals to big picture.– Mission, values, campaign, etc.

• Use five keys – Talk about heroes, obstacles, passion

and transformation. • Share examples, results and feedback.

Build support

• Create easy ways to share stories.

• Celebrate stories and storytellers.

• Be consistent and reliable.

• Communicate outcomes up and out.

I've got campaigners sitting in campaign strategy sessions and talking about how their work applies to fundraising. That's new, and it makes my job so much easier.

Development DirectorFriends of the Earth

Keep growing

• Build capacity – storytelling corps.• Create processes, share knowledge.• Integrate technology.• Keep looking and listening.• Share your story.

The key to a healthy society is a thriving community of storytellers.

Franco Sacchi, Nollywood Workshops

Hero Passion Obstacle

Transformation Audience Your Story

Richelle MorganRichelle@arc-comms.com

Amy R. BlakeAmy@arc-comms.com

www.arc-comms.com

Thank you!