digital storytelling for inspiration and impact

Digital Storytelling for Inspiration and Impact

July 25, 2016

Voltaire Santos Miran Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

@vsantosmiran 312.420.6778

voltaire.miran@mstoner.com

Agenda1. Why Story Matters

2. Mapping the Journey

3. Crafting the Narratives

4. Stories in the Digital Wild

5. Three Lessons Learned

6. Questions

To give you new tools to frame, tell, and evaluate your institutional storytelling efforts.

My Goal:

Why Story Matters

The Role of Story

Solve problems

Connect

Entertain

Teach Provide pattern and order

Impart traditions

Assimilate

“Story — whether delivered through films, books, or video games — teaches us facts about the world;

influences our moral logic; and marks us with fears, hopes, and anxieties that alter our behavior, perhaps

even our personalities.”

Jonathan Gottschall “The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human”

“Stories equip us with a mental file of dilemmas we might one day face, along with

workable solutions.”

Steven Pinker “How The Mind Works”

“A thought triggers the same regions of the brain that would be activated if you were

actually experiencing the event in real life.”

Carmine Gallo,“The Storyteller’s Secret”

“A compelling story with an emotional trigger alters our brain chemistry,

making us more trusting, understanding, and open to ideas.”

Paul Zak, Neuroscientist

What Makes a Great Story

“The art of persuasion depends upon ethos, logos,

and and pathos.”

Aristotle

Exposition

Complication

Crisis

Climax

Resolution

Aristotle et. al.

Once Upon a Time …

One Day …

Because of That …

And Because of That …

Until, Finally …

Once upon a time …

1Characters

and Backstory

and Plot

Setting:

Time and Place

Exposition:

One day

1Obstacle(s) ConflictWant

Complication:

Because of that

1Good, Then Bad,

Rinse, Repeat

TensionProgression

Crisis:

And because of that

1Big. Crescendo.The.

Climax:

Until, finally

1Conclusion LessonRealization or

Transformation

Resolution:

Great storytelling for education institutions follows the principles of great storytelling. Period.

The Practice:

Popular Themes

1. Fate:Troy

2. Ambition:Great Expectations

3. Sacrifice:The Gift of the Magi

4. Transformation:Cher

5. Love:The Gospels

6. Vengeance: Before He Cheats

7. Resurrection:Terminator

Credit: Tessa Wegert (http://bit.ly/tessawegert )

Popular Plots

1. Overcoming the Monster: Harry Potter

2. Rags to Riches: Cinderella

3. The Quest:The Lord of the Rings

4. Voyage and Return:The Wizard of Oz

5. Comedy:A Midsummer Night’s Dream

6. Tragedy:Macbeth

7. Rebirth:Beauty and the Beast

Credit: Christopher Booker, The Seven Basic Plots (http://bit.ly/sevenbasicplots)

Simple1

In the Language

of One’s Audience

MemorableEasy to

Understand

Engaging1

Unexpected EmotionalIllustrative

Authentic1

Truthful PurposefulResonant

Motivating1

Exploration ActionConnection

Mapping the Journey

In order to serve your audiences, you need to understand them in a meaningful way.

The Assertion:

“Empathy is about understanding … what’s going on in a person’s head and heart … and

acknowledging her reasoning and emotions as valid, even when they differ from your own.”

Indi Young, Practical Empathy

ENGAGE & INVEST LEAD & INSPIRE REFLECT & RECOMMIT

• Why am I doing this? • Do I belong here? • What sort of impact can I make here? • What sort of commitment am I willing to make? • Do others in the org share my values and priorities? • Is this org “for real?”

• I want to stay connected and to know what’s going on. • I think that this is a good investment of my time and money. • I realize and appreciate how my involvement has changed me. • I want to promote our organization actively.

• I’m ready to step up in the organization, and I believe I can have a bigger impact in a leadership role.

• I’ve got a lot of great ideas about things we can do, and I want to make things happen!

• How can we extend our reach and influence? • I want to make sure others have a good experience like I have.

• Am I having the impact that I want to have? • Is this the best investment of my time and resources? • Do I still have more to offer? • How am I benefitting from my involvement? • Do I believe that they appreciate, respect, and value me?

• Excitement: I’m so glad to have found this organization, and I want to be part of something bigger than myself.

• Apprehension: I hope I fit in. • Empowerment: I can make a difference through my involvement. • Acceptance: I belong here, and I feel cared for.

• Investment: This is important to me. • Enjoyment: I like the relationships that I’m building, and I value my

interactions with people who share my interests. • Pride: I’m part of something important. • Gratitude: I want to give back in some way. • Happiness: Helping others brings me joy.

• Thrill: I can make an even bigger impact in my new role. • Urgency: I need to get more people involved and invested. • Accomplishment: I feel good when I lend my expertise and give my

support, and I like the recognition. • Efficacy: Contributing makes me feel important. • Pressure: Others have stepped up, I should, too.

• Ambivalence: I’m not sure this is still “right” for me. • Appreciation: This organization makes a difference in the world. • Fear: Where to, if I decide to taper my involvement and support? • Hurt: I feel slighted or disrespected. • Inspiration: I want to continue with my involvement.

• Conversations with friends and colleagues

• Interactions with other organization peers and staff

• Conversations with other members

• Events and meetings • Organization- and industry-

specific news sources

• Respected local and national news sources

• Annual reports • Magazines and publications • Newsletters • Email communications • Online communities

• Posts, tweets, and other social media posts from supporters

• Institutional sites • Web searches • Personal interactions

STAGES

THOUGHTS

FEELINGS

ACTIONS

TRUSTED RESOURCES

EXPLORE & ENJOY

Review outcomes

Search the web Involve and recruit family and friends

Visit organization sites Engage in social

Meet other supporters

Advocate via social

Benchmark our org’s progress

Accept leadership positionGive

Volunteer

Attend events

Build relationships

Subscribe Become a member

Participate in online communities

Become a public spokesperson

Decide if now is the right time

to make a change

Consider long-term priorities

Talk with trusted advisors

• Provide content on your site that speaks to both head and heart. • Provide multiple ways to engage at various levels. • Coordinate internal communications initiatives to make cultivation

seamless.

• Provide opportunities and training for leadership and meaningful interaction.

• Make information sharing as easy and seamless as possible.

• Affirm the individual’s value and illustrate the impact of their contribution.

• Learn more about a person’s goals and priorities. • Encourage ongoing/increased involvement.OPPORTUNITIES

• Provide ways for people to customize the type, frequency, and channels for their communication.

• Respond quickly. • Express genuine gratitude. • Listen to questions and feedback. • Demonstrate commitment to supporters as individuals.

STORYTELLING PRINCIPLES

• Go deeper. All gifts make a difference, all memberships have their privileges, and all organizations make some sort of impact. The details are what make the story your story.

• Remember that the hero of the story is not your organization. Find ways to place your reader at the heart of the story.

• Nurture your reader’s own inner storyteller. Remember that the most important stories for donors and alumni are the stories that they tell themselves and those around them.

• Use stories to illustrate and explain. Statistics and facts can educate and inform, and a story can bring life to reality.

Explore Enjoy

• Why am I doing this?

• Do I belong here?

• What sort of impact can I make here?

• What sort of commitment am I willing to make?

• Do others in the org share my values and priorities?

• Is this org “for real?”

Thoughts:

• Investment: This is important to me.

• Enjoyment: I like the relationships that I’m building, and I value my interactions with people who share my interests.

• Pride: I’m part of something important.

• Gratitude: I want to give back in some way.

• Happiness: Helping others brings me joy.

Feelings:

Institutional sites

Web searches

Personal interactions

Trusted Resources:

Actions:

• Respond quickly.

• Express genuine gratitude.

• Listen to questions and feedback.

• Demonstrate commitment to supporters as individuals.

Opportunities:

Review outcomes

Search the web

Visit organization sitesEngage in social

Engage Invest

• I want to stay connected and to know what’s going on.

• I think that this is a good investment of my time and money.

• I realize and appreciate how my involvement has changed me.

• I want to promote our organization actively.

Thoughts:

• Apprehension: I hope I fit in.

• Empowerment: I can make a difference through my involvement.

• Acceptance: I belong here, and I feel cared for.

Feelings:

• Annual reports

• Magazines and publications

• Newsletters

• Email communications

• Online communities

Trusted Resources:

Actions:

• Provide content on your site that speaks to both head and heart.

• Provide multiple ways to engage at various levels.

• Coordinate internal communications initiatives to make cultivation seamless.

Opportunities:

Advocate via social

GiveAttend events

Build relationships

SubscribeBecome a member

Lead Inspire

• How can we extend our reach and influence?

• I want to make sure others have a good experience like I have.

Thoughts:

• Thrill: I can make an even bigger impact in my new role.

• Urgency: I need to get more people involved and invested.

• Accomplishment: I feel good when I lend my expertise and give my support, and I like the recognition.

• Efficacy: Contributing makes me feel important.

• Pressure: Others have stepped up, I should, too.

Feelings:

• Events and meetings

• Organization- and industry-specific news sources

Trusted Resources:

Actions:

• Provide content on your site that speaks to both head and heart.

• Provide multiple ways to engage at various levels.

• Coordinate internal communications initiatives to make cultivation seamless.

Opportunities:

Involve and recruit family and friends

Accept leadership position

Volunteer

Reflect Recommit

• Am I having the impact that I want to have?

• Is this the best investment of my time and resources?

• Do I still have more to offer?

• How am I benefitting from my involvement?

• Do I believe that they appreciate, respect, and value me?

Thoughts:

• Ambivalence: I’m not sure this is still “right” for me.

• Appreciation: This organization makes a difference in the world.

• Fear: Where to, if I decide to taper my involvement and support?

• Hurt: I feel slighted or disrespected.

• Inspiration: I want to continue with my involvement.

Feelings:

Trusted Resources:

Actions:

• Learn more about a person’s goals and priorities.

• Encourage ongoing/increased involvement.