In the marketing of any nonprofit, storytelling plays a crucial role. Donors are ultimately humans with human emotions, and they want to know why they should become involved with your organization’s mission. What does it mean to them? Why should they care? With the unstable economy causing increasing numbers of donors to tighten their belts, making a human connection is more crucial than ever. That is just the point addressed by Mark Royner of SeaChange for Network for Good.
According to Royner, nonprofits commonly either neglect to tell their stories or, out of a desire to seem professional, savvy, and in control, construct them as sterile executive summaries. Though some degree of professionalism is appropriate, too many numbers and figures numb your audience to your cause. In lieu of mechanical, technical, and ultimately wooden generalizations, Royner simply recommends that nonprofits write stories that aim to reach people, not corporations. Consider the following points:
- Who is the protagonist? It shouldn’t be an organization as a whole – that’s where the disconnect starts. Donors need to see a portrait of an individual. And rather than casting your hero as a superhuman saint, highlight imperfect as well as admirable attributes.
- What is the protagonist’s goal? Where did the story start and why is being told now?
- What is the conflict that opposes the protagonist’s achievement of their goal? Is it a specific event in the person’s life? A social condition? While you shouldn’t embellish the gravity of your situation, downplaying it doesn’t serve here.
- At the end, your tale may not have a storybook happy ending. The reader may be left with a sense that the plot is ultimately disappointing or incomplete. But that is the sense which calls people to action – to pick up their own pens and help you write the end of the story.
Steer away from a story with…
- Emotionless development
- Poor casting (a corporate protagonist rather than an individual)
- An overly broad focus
- Too much data
- An artificially perfect ending
- No clear message
For further guidance on telling your nonprofit’s story, take advantage of Network for Good’s storytelling checklist.
Information taken from: Katya Andresen. “Are your nonprofit’s stories winners or snoozers? Learn here.” <http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/>.
-- Kelsey Luffman is a Research Assistant at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online