Five keys to telling super stories for and about your nonprofit, and tactics for working across barriers to find the best stories.

1. SUPER STORYTELLING
The power to unite, inspire and engage
ARC Communications
Richelle Morgan  Amy Blake
Willamette Valley Development Officers Regional Conference May 18, 2012

2. 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

3. Five keys to storytelling
Unlock the secret to telling fundraising stories:
• Hero
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience

4. Five keys to storytelling
• Hero*
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience
Note: A hero does not need to be a superhero.

5. Five keys to storytelling
• Hero
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience

6. Five keys to storytelling
• Hero
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience

7. Five keys to storytelling
• Hero
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience

8. Five keys to storytelling
• Hero
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience

9. Nonprofit storytelling
Five Keys
1. Hero
2. Passion
3. Obstacle
4. Transformation
Who are your heroes? 5. Audience
• Staff
• Volunteer
• Founder
• Board member
• Donor
• Others?

10. Nonprofit heroes
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.

11. Nonprofit storytelling
Five Keys
1. Hero
2. Passion
3. Obstacle
4. Transformation
What is your passion? 5. Audience
• What emotions are behind facts and
numbers?
• What will move donors?
• How can you turn telling to showing?

12. 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.

13. Nonprofit storytelling
Five Keys
1. Hero
2. Passion
3. Obstacle
4. Transformation
What are the obstacles? 5. Audience
• What enemies do you face?
• What roadblocks stand in the way?
– Time, money
– Attitudes, awareness
– Circumstances, environment

14. 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.

15. Nonprofit storytelling
Five Keys
1. Hero
2. Passion
3. Obstacle
4. Transformation
5. Audience
What 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?

16. 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.

17. Nonprofit storytelling
Five Keys
1. Hero
2. Passion
3. Obstacle
4. Transformation
Who are you telling the story to? 5. Audience
• Age
• Education level
• Income level
• Other relevant information

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

19. Five keys to storytelling
• Hero
• Passion
• Obstacle/Conflict
• Transformation
• Audience

20. Barriers to storytelling
• Interpersonal
– Awareness
– Understanding
– Support
• Personal
– Time
– Location
• Organizational
– Silos
– Policies
– Systems

21. Removing
interpersonal
barriers is
as easy as…
opening the lines
of communication…
and opening doors.

22. Focus on barriers you can affect
• Interpersonal
– Awareness
– Understanding
– Support
• Personal
– Time
– Place
• Organizational
– Silos
– Policies
– Systems

23. Identify stories and storytellers
Look for stories in
• What stories do you your
want to tell? mission, values, and
taglines.
• Who has your
“Changing lives.
organization’s stories?
Building communities.
– Employees
– Volunteers Creating opportunities.”
Central City Concern
– Clients or service recipients
– Donors
– Special experts

24. A positive approach
• Create
awareness.
• Cultivate
understanding.
• Build
support.

25. Create awareness
• Talk to people –
everyone!
• Go to the stories.
• Gather in groups.
• Get the word out.

26. 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.

27. Build support
• Create easy ways to
share stories. I've got campaigners sitting in
campaign strategy sessions
• Celebrate stories and and talking about how their
work applies to fundraising.
storytellers. That's new,
and it makes my job so much
• Be consistent and easier.
Development Director
reliable. Friends of the Earth
• Communicate outcomes
up and out.

28. Keep growing
The key to a healthy
society is a thriving
community of
storytellers.
Franco Sacchi, Nollywood Workshops
• Build capacity – storytelling corps.
• Create processes, share knowledge.
• Integrate technology.
• Keep looking and listening.
• Share your story.

29. Hero  Passion  Obstacle
Transformation  Audience
Your Story

30. Thank you!
Richelle Morgan Amy R. Blake
Richelle@arc-comms.com Amy@arc-comms.com
www.arc-comms.com