This presentation was given during the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Washington D.C.

1. Telling Your Impact Story
December 11, 2012
Washington D.C NeighborWorks
Training Institute

2. Presenters
Alexandra Chaikin Sarah Parmenter
achaikin@nw.org sparmenter@nw.org
Online Media, Community Building and
Public Relations division Organizing Program

3. Agenda for this Workshop
• Why stories matter
• Who cares about our stories
• Elements of good storytelling
• Practice writing
• Feedback

4. Introductions
• Your name
• Name of your organization
• Your role in organization
• A story (novel, tv ad, video) you think is powerful

5. “Stories are more convincing than sets
of data…numbers numb, jargon jars,
and no one ever marched on
Washington because of a pie chart.”
Andy Goodman
Story Telling as a Best Practice

6. Why Stories Matter
• For millennia, humans have told stories to help
us convey important messages/morals to one
another
• Marketing is modern storytelling. It’s used to
convince people to spend money and/or take
particular actions
• Nonprofits can use stories to convey the
effectiveness of their work and to motivate
others to join the cause

7. Audience
• Who needs to hear your story?
– Community members
– Board members
– Funders
– Local and national media
– Policy makers

8. What Makes a Good Story?
• A good storyteller makes the audience feel like
s/he is part of the story
• A good story leaves the audience ready to take
action
• Your work in the community leads to great
stories every day.

9. The Power
of One
While we want to
tell how we affect
change for all of our
clients, a single
story is more
powerful than a
group of less
detailed stories

10. The Power of One - continued
Eduardo used We taught 20
knowledge from our VS. foreclosure prevention
foreclosure classes to classes in 2012 that
renegotiate his helped 52 residents
elderly mother’s save their homes from
mortgage and she foreclosure.
can now remain in
the home she’s lived
in for 25 years.

11. Story Length
• Stories don’t have to be long to be powerful.
Think of Nike’s “Just do it” slogan or Apple’s
“Think Different” campaign.
• What matters to a story’s effectiveness is how
the audience feels after reading it. Addressing
four core story elements can make a powerful
story in only one paragraph.

12. Four Elements of a Great
Story
1. Hero
2. Obstacle
3. “Magic Tool”
4. Happy ending/Outcome

13. Story Example
The Collins family became
homeless after single-mom
Monica Collins lost her job in
East Waco, Texas. However,
with the help of
NeighborWorks Waco’
financial education classes
and job counseling services,
Monica has found a new job
and an affordable apartment.
Monica’s sons Bryson and
James have gone from
getting Cs to As in school.

14. Practice Writing Stories
Think of a client your organization has helped
and let’s practice turning their story into a
powerful message that will resonate with your
key audiences.

15. 4 Steps for Powerful Stories
1. Describe the hero-client
2. Describe the obstacle
3. Describe how your organization provided a
“magic tool” to empower our hero
4. Describe the happy ending for our hero (and
the community)

16. Writing Your Story: Step 1
• Describe the hero
– Tell about the family/individual so we can actually
“know” them—for example, married, retired, Latino,
three children, single mom, new to the community,
disabled family member, etc.

17. Writing Your Story: Step 2
• Describe the obstacle
– Be specific about our hero’s situation. It doesn’t have
to be a long description, just one that will feel familiar
to the audience. Ex: natural disaster, job loss,
community violence, poverty

18. Writing Your Story: Step 3
• Describe how your organization empowered our
hero
– Tell about the products, services, knowledge,
experience, and/or resources you used to address
their situation.
– What unique gifts or assets did you offer that they
may not have found elsewhere?

19. Writing Your Story: Step 4
• The happy ending. Say what happens to our
hero (and the community, if appropriate)
– What was the outcome for the hero? A new home?
New skills and confidence?
– Tie the hero’s success to broader success in the
community. Ex: Martha’s community garden now
serves 50 residents, providing them with fresh
carrots, beets and other nutritious vegetables.

20. Where You Can Share This
Story
• Newsletters
• Annual Reports
• Website, blogs and social media
• Staff/board meetings (case studies)
• News articles and press releases
• On the walls and reception areas of your offices
• Editor@nw.org

21. Examples of How to Share a
Story
Grant Social
Proposal Media
Website Social
Media

22. Feedback
• What did you think of this exercise?
• How will this workshop affect the way you tell
stories going forward?

23. APPENDIX

24. Resources
• Winning the Story Wars by Jonah Sachs
http://winningthestorywars.com/
• Nonprofit Storytelling
http://ow.ly/gaXGb
• Using Storytelling to Engage and Motivate
Constituents
http://ow.ly/gaXJm