non-profit storytelling & donor relations

Non-Profit Storytelling: The Basics You Need to Know to Build Better, More Loyal Relationships with

Donors

Vanessa ChaseThe Storytelling Non-profit

Share Your Thoughts

What’s one thing you know about storytelling?

Why Storytelling

Common Problems

Resonating with donorsCommunicating clearlyBeing creative

A Broken Approachyou’re not able to connect in an impactful way

donors don’t understand

they feel unconnected, so they sever ties

donors stop caring

STORIES AS SOLUTIONS

Stories help bridge the Donor Knowledge Gap in two key ways: The Organization

they provide context

they emotionally connect your donors to the cause.

The Donor Knowledge Gap

The Donor The OrganizationStories

Share Your Thoughts

Is your organization doing a good job of bridging the

gap?

What Is Storytelling

Storytelling is the process of combining facts and narrative in order to communicate a message

and an emotion to a target audience.

Donor Relations + Storytelling

demonstrate accountability

provide context

make donors the hero

avoid too many facts

used in many touch points

Telling Your Stories

DEFINE YOUR GOAL & CORE MESSAGEKNOW YOUR AUDIENCECHARACTER & CONFLICTCOLLECTING STORIES

SHARING STORIES

Your Goal

let strategy drive your efforts identify a goal and a core message what is the end goal of telling this story?

what is the overarching message that you want

to convey?

(the reason why someone would answer

the call to action)

Core Message

University of Toronto

http://boundless.utoronto.ca/story/holly-zoe-katia/

Know Your Audience

Am I your donor?

Know Your AudienceCreate an audience profile

Character

Client Staff Members

Board Members

Volunteers Donors Community Advocates

Conflict

conflict is the problem that your character needs to solve

conflict’s solution makes your donors feel like a hero

Cancer Care Connection

Collecting StoriesKNOW WHAT THEY NEED

“Tell me a story.” is far too broad, be specific:

“I’m writing our donor stewardship report and I want to be able to share a story about someone from (program

name). Ideally, someone who has had a positive experience in the program and you think has really

benefited from it. Do you have any thoughts about people who might be good to speak to?”

Collecting StoriesCREATE TOOLS

Put tools and systems in place to collect stories:

create a story collection form

send out a monthly email

Sharing StoriesUSE YOUR STORY STRATEGY

When/how will you be communicating with donors?

What opportunities do you have for storytelling?

Sharing Stories

Is what you’re doing working for your donors?

Humane Society of New York

The Organization

http://www.pinterest.com/pinterestpower/non-profits-on-pinterest/

Mercy Ships Canada

The Organization

http://mercyshipscanada.com

UNICEF USA

The Organization

http://on.fb.me/VFxuVT

Subject Line: Your Impact in 16 Photos

STORYTELLING CAN TRANSFORM YOUR NON-PROFIT

STORYTELLING CAN TRANSFORM YOUR NON-PROFIT

The most important stories are the ones you tell yourself and the ones you tell

each other.

QUESTIONS?

Share Your Thoughts

What’s one thing that you’ve learned today?

THANK YOU!

vanessa@thestorytellingprofit.com

@vanessaechase

storytellingnp/

www.thestorytellingprofit.com