Find Your Voice: Master Your Nonprofit’s Brand Story 7 Storytelling Essentials to Inspire & Mobilize Your Stakeholders Presented by: Sarah Saunders, Power2Persuade

Why Bother With Stories? “Anyone who has a new idea and wants to change the world will do better by telling stories than by any amount of logical exhortation.” – Stephen Denning

The Storytelling Challenge “The research identified an overwhelming need for thought leadership and capacity building to strengthen storytelling [for social impact organizations].” – Digital Storytelling for Social Impact, The Rockefeller Foundation (2014)

Mrs. Kelly’s Story BEFORE Deteriorated beyond repair Highly inefficient Utility bill ($500+) > 50% monthly income Risked losing home "Something must have happened to Mrs. Kelly."

Mrs. Kelly’s Story BEFORE Deteriorated beyond repair Highly inefficient Utility bill ($500+) > 50% monthly income Risked losing home AFTER High quality, new manufactured home (ENERGY STAR) Low-interest, fixed rate mortgage Utility + mortgage < old utility bill Home for 4 generations "Something must have happened to Mrs. Kelly." “We've got to get more housing like this in our territory!”

Mrs. Kelly’s Story BEFORE Deteriorated beyond repair Highly inefficient Utility bill ($500+) > 50% monthly income Risked losing home AFTER High quality, new manufactured home (ENERGY STAR) Low-interest, fixed rate mortgage Utility + mortgage < old utility bill Home for 4 generations Inspired national, replicable model for low-income homeownership { "Something must have happened to Mrs. Kelly." “We've got to get more housing like this in our territory!”

Social Impact Storytelling: 7 Key Ingredients

#1: Define Your Goals

Team Sameer & Team Vinay Asian American Donor Program After 11 weeks: 480 bone marrow drives 24,611 new people registered 3,500 volunteers recruited 2 matches found

#2: Build Your Path to Impact

Spread the word Make others care Explore problems & solutions Instill a sense of urgency Equip others to help Concerned Aware Informed Committed Engaged Be ready to share stories at every stage of the ‘conversion’ process…

#3: Focus On Your Audience Remember: it’s not about you…

#3: Focus On Your Audience It’s about those you serve – and those you inspire to action…

Potomac River Cleanup

#4: Get Active

Charity: Water

#5: Celebrate the WOW!

Why Focus on Emotions? “People will forget what you said, they will even forget what you did, but they will never forget what you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Muttville Senior Dogs Rock!

#6: Find Your Authentic Voice content/uploads/DeathtotheStockPhoto-License.pdf

No Kid Hungry

#7: Foster a Storytelling Culture

Signs of a Strong Storytelling Culture  You’ve developed & articulated a clear storytelling strategy  Your content and distribution platforms align with that strategy  Senior management encourages storytelling throughout the organization  All staff understand what makes a compelling story & how to tie it to your strategy, values  You're using meaningful metrics to evaluate storytelling effectiveness

Kedge

Thank You! Questions Sarah Saunders Power2Persuade Power2Persuade Blog (power2persuade.com/blog)