TELLING THE PILOT STORY OR, THE: HELLO PILOTS AND WELCOME TO STORYTELLING. THIS PRESENTATION WILL TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO CRAFT A STORY TO TELL TO YOUR AUDIENCE—WHETHER IT’S TO ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS, CONVINCE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTNER WITH YOUR CLUB, OR TO APPROACH DONORS TO JOIN AND CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR CAUSE! Texas District Fall Councils - 2016

PILOT INTERNATIONAL MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Pilot International is: to influence positive change in communities throughout the world To do this, we: come together in friendship and give people an outlet for service We focus on: Preparing youth and young adults for service Encouraging brain safety and health Supporting those who care for others MANY OF YOU WERE INTRODUCED TO THE REVISED PILOT INTERNATIONAL MISSION STATEMENT AT THE RECENT PILOT INTERNATIONALCONFERENCE IN MONTREAL, CANADA, IN JULY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO COULDN’T ATTEND, HOPE YOU READ THE RECENT TEXAS DISTRICT GOVERNOR‘S BULLETIN FROM GOVERNOR BOBBIE THAT PUBLISHED THE MISSION STATEMENT AND HOW CLUBS WILL ACHIEVE THE MISSION THROUGH SPECIFIC FOCUS AREAS.

OK—HOW DO WE TURN MISSION & FOCUS INTO A STORY? SELF-EXPLANATORY. HOW DO WE TELL OTHERS ABOUT PILOT THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT US?

FINDING YOUR STORY ORGANIZATIONAL STORYTELLING IS A CONCEPT IN THE STUDY OF MANAGEMENT, STRATEGY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES DON’T TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT WE DO (THEY DON’T!!) WHAT SETS PILOTS APART FROM OTHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS? WHEN I RESEARCHED STORYTELLING, I FOUND THAT IT IS A STANDARD CONCEPT IN THE STUDY OF MANAGEMENT! WHO KNEW? STORYTELLING IS AN ACCEPTED PRACTICE FOR NONPROFITS WHO SEEK DONORS AND GRANTS OR NEW MEMBERS (IN OUR CASE). WE CAN’T ASSUME THAT OUR COMMUNIITY KNOWS WHAT WE DO---NO, WE DON’T FLY PLANES! WE NEED TO IDENTIFY WHAT SETS PILOT CLUB APART FROM OTHER LOCAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS—LIONS HAVE A SERVICE MISSION (SIGHT); ROTARY HAS A BUSINESS MISSION OF BRINGING BUSINESS LEADERS TOGETHER; OTHER CLUBS SEEK OUT SUPPORTERS FOR THEIR POLITICAL MISSIONS; AND SOME ARE NONPROFITS THAT PROVIDE THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED WITH FOOD, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER BENEFITS.

WHAT DOES OUR CLUB WANT TO ACHIEVE? ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS? SOLICIT DONORS TO FINANCE PROJECTS? SOLICIT GRANTS? MARKET ON SOCIAL MEDIA? BECOME BETTER KNOWN IN LOCAL COMMUNITY? FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS? THE FIRST STEP IS TO IDENTIFY WHAT YOUR CLUB WANTS TO ACHIEVE BY TELLING THEIR STORY: DO THEY WANT TO ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS! DO THEY NEED DONORS TO FINANCE THEIR PROJECTS? DO THEY WANT TO INCREASE THEIR PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? DO THEY WANT OUR CLUB TO HAVE MORE VISIBILITY IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND IN LOCAL MEDIA?

THE POWER OF STORYTELLING MUST BE COMPELLING PLAYS ON HUMAN EMOTIONS—TUGS AT HEART STRINGS (I.E., SERVICE PROJECTS, TBI CAMPS) ALLOWS US TO THRIVE IN A COMPETETIVE ENVIRONMENT OTHER SERVICE CLUBS VYING FOR MEMBERS!! WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF GOOD STORYTELLING? WE KNOW PILOT CLUBS ARE PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION, BUT THAT DOESN’T TELL ANYONE ANYTHING. DON’T EXPECT PILOT TO SELL ITSELF—YOU’VE GOT TO DO THAT THROUGH EFFECTIVE STORYTELLING! POWERFUL STORYTELLING WILL EVOKE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES IN PEOPLE AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR CLUB. DON’T FORGET, IN MOST CASES, CLUBS ARE VYING WITH OTHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR MEMBERS AND DONORS. ONLY YOU CAN MAKE PILOT THE SERVICE CLUB OF CHOICE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!

TELLING YOUR STORY WHAT SERVICE PROJECTS IS YOUR CLUB INVOLVED WITH THAT TIE INTO PI MISSION? PROJECT LIFESAVER BICYCLE RODEOS & BRAINMINDER PUPPET SHOWS PICK-ME-UPS FOR CAREGIVERS ALZHEIMER’S WALK SERVICE TO THE AGING TBI CAMPS ANCHOR CLUBS THINK ABOUT YOUR CLUB’S SERVICE PROJECTS THAT ARE TIED TO THE PI MISSION AND FOCUS AREAS. SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE SHOWN ON THIS CHART AND YOUR CLUB PROBABLY HAS MANY OTHERS THAT SUPPORT THE THREE PI FOCUS AREAS.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS TALK PILOT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOCUS ON BENEFITS RATHER THAN ON FEATURES KEEP IT SIMPLE!! FOCUS ON SOUND BITES AND ELEVATOR SPEECH BE CONSISTENT—AGREE ON YOUR CLUB’S STORY AND HAVE ALL MEMBERS REPEAT IT REMEMBER TO MAKE YOUR STORY COMPELLING—PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO THEM AND TUGS AT THEIR HEARTSTRINGS! WITH THE LARGE VARIETY OF SERVICE PROJECTS THE CLUBS ARE INVOLVED IN, THERE IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT OTHERS CAN RELATE TO! TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF PILOT PROJECTS: FOR EXAMPLE, HOW TBI CAMPS PROVIDE A HAVEN FOR ADULT SURVIVORS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES TO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER SURVIVORS AND BE THEMSELVES. MENTION OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOLS TO AWARD BICYCLE HELMETS TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO STAY SAFE AND PLAY SMART! THEN THERE’S PROJECT LIFESAVER AND HOW IT LOCATES LOST INDIVIDUALS AND REUNITES THEM WITH THEIR FAMILY! THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES.

NOW YOU’RE READY TO TELL YOUR CLUB’S STORY! SPEAK IN SHORT SOUND BITES REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE THE EXPERT ON YOUR CLUB AND WHAT IT DOES FOR THE COMMUNITY! MAKE YOUR STORY COMPELLING—PEOPLE WILL WANT TO LEARN MORE AND SUPPORT/JOIN THE GREAT PROJECTS KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND SPEAK TO THEIR INTERESTS SUMMARY CHART. SELF-EXPLANATORY.