Stories give context to data and facts. They make the abstract concrete, and create relationships where none existed. Significantly, stories create emotional connections between an organization and its audience that can last well beyond the initial contact. This presentation, given for organizations participating in Valley Gives 2014, highlights
• What makes a good story
• The organizational stories you have right now
• The types of stories that can power your fundraising/crowdfunding campaign
• Social media tools to tell your story
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Crafting Stories To Support Fundraising
1. Stories That Support Our
Fundraising on Valley Gives
Day…and Beyond
Presented by
Debra Askanase
2. 2
Former nonprofit
executive director,
program manager,
community organizer
Deep passion for movement-
building and change
organizations
debra@communityorganizer20.com
Digital Engagement
Strategist
About Debra Askanase
3. Today’s Workshop
• Why stories resonate
• Sharing Small Moment Stories using social
media
• Finding your organizational and project stories
• Elements of a great story
• Developing your own story
4. *Personal stories and gossip make up 65% of our
daily conversations
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secrets-of-storytelling
All day long, we tell stories
5. When we hear a story,
we try to relate it to one
of our existing experiences
6. Decoding Experiencing
Read numbers,
lists, text
Read/hear
stories
Our brains process stories differently
http://lifehacker.com/5965703/the-science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains
7. We remember stories because we
empathetically experience them
http://lifehacker.com/5965703/the-science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains
20. Share Pair Discussion
What environment
contributes towards
staff finding and
unearthing your
organization’s stories?
What obstructs or
prevents your staff
from finding stories?
21. * *
Elements of a Strong Story
Long form or short, they all have
similar elements
23. • Simplifies a complex idea to its essence
• There is a story arc
– Faces adversity, finds allies, overcomes adversity
• The story arc creates a connection with the audience
• Has a relatable “main character”
• Involves sympathy and empathy
– The character has a problem => sympathy
– The character seeks a solution => empathy
• There is “a stake” involved for the main character
• Gives the audience one strong message
• Inspires action
A strong story…
24. A story without stakes --
is just an essay
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65847570@N00/4155173518/
25. Make sure it’s a story, not an idea
Idea
Fight back against cancer.
Story
Meet Jordan. Learn who she is, what has
happened to her, what’s in the way, and how she
fights back. Will she succeed?
26. Did this story have…
• A relatable character?
• Story arc
• Description
• Problem (empathy)
• Solution (sympathy)
• Stakes: What the character is overcoming
• A specific call to action?
• A “phrase that pays” in the story?
31. • Has a complex idea, simplified: Can you explain the
story in one sentence
• Has a relatable main character. Who’s yours?
• Has a story arc with sympathy, empathy, and stakes.
– The character has a problem => sympathy
– The character seeks a solution => empathy
• What is “the stake” involved for the main character?
• Inspires action! How does your story inspire action?
Reminder: A story…
32. * *
Creating Strong Visuals
Consider impact and viewpoints
Select what speaks to the heart
33. 5 Visual Content Tips
1. Don’t assume others will react to visuals the same way you
do. Test visuals.
2. Pair photos with words for impact. Use genuine photos, not
stock images.
3. Invest the most in the first image that you show. First
impressions get top billing in the mind.
4. People relate to people. Use people-centric photos.
5. Think about the emotion you want the visual to convey.
34. Choose the best visual media for your story and
your organizational capacity
StaticPhotoStorytelling
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Flickr
• Tumblr
• Jpeg
• Tag galaxy
DataVizStorytelling • Infographics
• Maps
• Dipity
• Visual.ly
• Mindmaps
• ThingLink
VideoStorytelling
• YouTube
• Animoto
• Vimeo
• Vine
CuratedStorytelling
• Storify
• Scoop.it
• Kontribune
• Paper.li
• Twitter
35. Share your story everywhere
• Social media
• Website
• Email
• Microsite
• Your fundraising page
• Newsletters
36. Storytelling Development:
Final Checklist
• Say the story out loud
• Aim for the heart
• Test images
• Test stories
• Make it personal (Gideon, Izzy) including sympathetic & empathetic
• Make the story bold
• Beginning, middle and end
• Create a sense of urgency
• One awesome visual early on in your story
• Talk about the money: why you need it, what the gap is, how much
is needed
• Make it seem attainable!
• Invite donors to be part of the solution
37. A few great Valley Gives 2013 Stories…
Gandara Mental Health, Inc
http://www.razoo.com/story/Gandara-Center
Easthampton Community Center
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8NXNLQHLhk
Whole Children
http://vimeo.com/81019452
38. Don’t forget to have fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83346641@N00/3578775702/
39. Don’t forget to have fun!
I’m happy to answer any
follow-up questions!
Email: debra@communityorganizer20.com
Website: communityorganizer20.com
Blog: http://communityorganizer20.com
Linkedin: linked.com/in/debraaskanase
Twitter: @askdebra
Other slides: slideshare.net/debask
Telephone: (617) 682-2977
14-year-old Gideon Gidori has wanted to be an astronaut for as long as he can remember. Born in Tanzania, he’d be the first from his country, and the first black astronaut from the continent of Africa. This Star Day, Gideon is wishing for the funds he needs to cover his school tuition and expenses at Florida Air Academy next year, as well as the tuition of his friend and former classmate in Tanzania, 16-year-old Leah Albert, who dreams of becoming her country’s first woman president and is studying at the International School of Moshi in Tanzania.
Stakes: What are the stakes for the main character? What happens if s/he doesn’t succeed?
What do you stand to gain or lose? Why is what happens in the story important to you? If you can’t answer this, then think of a different story. A story without stakes is an essay and is best experienced on the page, not the stage.
What happens in this story? Who’s in it? What do they do? What happens to them? What do they want? What’s in their way? How do they succeed, or why do they fail?
How did this make you feel?
Did it compel you to give?
Why/why not?
…but which are compelling enough to create a fundraising ask?
Pair off and think about the story you want to tell that relates to Valley Gives. What’s a story you have right now?
Stakes: What are the stakes for the main character? What happens if s/he doesn’t succeed?
Pairing photos with images: Research by KISSmetrics, a web analytics software company, showed that captions under images on websites are read on average 300 percent more than the body copy of the story with which those images appear