How to Gather, Write and Publish Your Donor Stories
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We all know how effective and inspiring a good story can be, but how do you go about actually gathering and preparing a donor story for publication? In this webinar, you’ll learn how to identify a good story, conduct an interview and write an impactful piece… all while nurturing the donor relationship. Leah will share practical tips that will apply whether you’re a big or small shop. Originally broadcast February 27, 2013
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How to Gather, Write and Publish Your Donor Stories
- 1. How to gather, write and publish your donor stories Leah Eustace, CFRE Principal & Chief Idea Goddess leah@goodworksco.ca @LeahEustace
- 2. Why stories are awesome… • Keep the reader’s attention • Help you communicate better • Enhance your credibility • Linger longer • Get passed along • Raise more money!
- 4. Look… and listen • Listen to what’s being said around the water cooler • What’s your founder story? • Talk to people on the front lines • Think about your own story… • Attend your charity’s events • Keep an eye on the blogs • At the end of every day ask yourself “what happened today that would make a good story?”
- 11. Tips and tricks
- 12. What to ask • Why don't you start by telling me a little bit about yourself • How did you come to be involved in [charity]? • What role does [charity] play… what sets it apart from other charities? • What impresses you most about [charity]? • Tell me about a particular person you've met, or a program you've been involved with (or a story you've read) involving [charity’s] work that has stood out for you
- 13. What to ask • Do you remember when you first heard of [charity] and under what circumstances it was? • What prompted your first gift to [charity]? • Where does your philanthropic spirit come from? What values were you brought up with? • What led you to consider a bequest? • What do you hope your bequest will help accomplish?
- 14. What to ask • What difference do you hope [charity] will have made when you look 25 or 50 years into the future? • Why should people consider leaving a bequest to [charity]? • If you had an opportunity to speak to other donors who were considering a bequest, what would you say to them?
- 15. Probe • Walk me through… • Paint a picture of… • How old are…? • What is that person’s name? • How did that make you feel? • What’s it like to…? • What went through your mind when…? • How did you react to…? • What hurdles did you face when…?
- 16. The last best question Is there anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on?
- 17. What’s next?
- 18. Writing
- 19. Components of a great story With thanks to Mark Phillips www.queerideas.co.uk
- 20. Think about the end product
- 21. Involving the donor in the process
- 22. The end product? A work of art Download at www.goodworksco.ca/who-we-work-with/portfolio
- 23. Thank you! Leah Eustace, CFRE Principal & Chief Idea Goddess Good Works leah@goodworksco.ca www.goodworksco.ca @LeahEustace
Editor's Notes
- Thank you, Tabitha, and welcome everyone to my session today. You’ll see my contact information up on the screen, and I encourage you to connect with me. You’ll see I’ve also included my twitter handle … I’m a bit of a twitter addict.. Those of you who’ve heard me speak before know how much I believe in nonprofit storytelling. And I’m not the only one. It seems that every conference these days has a session on the topic, and the internet is rife with articles about why you should tell stories. But what we don’t see as often is the how. How do you find your stories, gather them up, write them and then use them. That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
- All that being said, let’s take one step back for those of you who may not of heard about why stories are so awesome. Stories get and keep the reader’s attention Help you communicate better Enhance your credibility Linger longer in reader’s minds Get your message passed along further and faster Not only that, but people believe information more readily if it’s delivered in story rather than through statistics. And, at the end of the day, stories make us feel emotions and people make their giving decisions emotionally, not logically. Research has shown that telling the story of one person, without involving any statistics or other people, will bring you more revenue. So let’s spend a bit of time talking about how you find and gather stories.
- Most organizations I talk to struggle to find stories. It’s not that the stories aren’t there… they are. It’s just that they aren’t being told or kept track of. In other words, there isn’t a culture of storytelling within the organization and the fundraisers, who are looking for the stories, are constantly pushing, pushing, pushing. Let’s talk about some ways you can create pull.
- The most important thing to do is open up your ears and pay attention: Carry around a notebook Listen to what’s being said around the water cooler Ask someone who’s been with your organization a long time to talk about the early days What’s your founder story? Talk to the people on the front lines Think about your own story… why are you doing the job you do? How have you been touched by the cause you work for? Attend your charity’s events Keep an eye on the blogs At the end of every day ask yourself “what happened today that would make a good story?”
- Always take the opportunity to ask for stories: Website Reply devices Surveys Information packages Receipt packages Newsletters Facebook Blogs Set up Google alerts In person or over the phone brainstorm with staff a few times a year -the more you ask, the more you’ll change the culture of your organization
- We all have donors like this… the retired school teachers who correct our fundraising appeals, who send an email or leave a voicemail about something they’ve read. If donors are giving you any feedback at all (coupons, letters) that gives you an excuse to call them. So this gives you a few ideas about where to find stories. The next step is gathering them and the most important step in that process is conducting an interview.
- Whenever you’re gathering a story, this is your essential equipment. In fact, I suggest you keep it with you at all times (I certainly do). If you don’t already have this stuff, go out and buy it right away. You need a digital voice recorder… you can get a decent one for under $100… and you need a device like the one on the right that connects to both your telephone and recorder. It’s called a telerecorder. This will allow you to record both sides of a telephone conversation. A notepad and pen for obvious reasons. Why a box of tissue? Because many interviews will make either you or the person your interviewing… or both… cry. In fact, if tears flow you’ll know you’ve gone where you needed to go and you’ll be in the perfect frame of mind to start writing the story.
- People sometimes feel intimidated when they here the word ‘interview,’ so I suggest you simply suggest setting up a time to talk to them about their story and ask a few questions Always use a recorder: you’ll not have to take notes and you’ll capture everything you need Whenever possible, do your interview by phone
- Set up a time that’s convenient. If they ask for your questions in advance, try to dissuade them… you don’t want them to be overly prepared Consider sending them a sample of the kind of story you’ll be writing: particularly if it’s for an appeal Ask them for about 45 minutes of their time (but, if you already know the person is a talker, suggest an hour). Ask what number you should call them at, or where you should meet them. Be prompt. Let them know how the story will be used Let them know the process… how long before they see a draft, for example. Ask them how much time they have for you… and stick to it! Let them know that they have full approval of the final product Always let the person know you’re using a recorder Offer that if you ask anything that makes them uncomfortable, to just let you know
- Are the right person to do the interview? Be honest with yourself: if you’re a pretty closed person; have trouble expressing emotions and are uncomfortable when people share intimate details about their lives with you, find someone else to do the interview Even if you are the right person to be doing interviews, make sure you’re the right person to be doing this interview: Prostate Cancer = man; ovarian cancer = woman; women’s shelter = woman Be honest with yourself: sometimes we’re too close to the cause to do an effective interview. For example, if you’re an ovarian cancer survivor, it will likely be difficult for you to conduct a good interview that focusses on that topic Find and read everything you can about the person before the interview, but don’t hesitate to ask them to tell the stories again You’re doing background research so that you know what kinds of questions to ask If they say ‘well you can find all that out on the internet’ respond with how important it is for you to hear it in their own words You’ll have a better interview if the interviewee knows you’ve done your homework and that you’ll ask challenging questions as a result of it Always write your questions down in advance… this will help if there’s a lull in the conversation and it will remind you to touch on all the things you need to touch on Make sure you’re in a place where you won’t be disturbed FOCUS (close your email, mute your phone, close your door)
- Share part of yourself Warm them up by talking about a news event, weather, their city. For example, “So you live in Halifax. I was there last summer with my kids and we had one of our best vacations ever.” Remind them why your speaking to them… what it’s for and what role you play Be prepared to let the conversation go off on tangents… sometimes your best stuff comes out that way. On the other hand, it can also go off on a tangent that’s not relevant to the story… be prepared to steer the conversation back to where you need it to be. “That’s really interesting, but can I ask…” For complicated topics, like medical research or pure science, where the interviewee is talking in jargon, stop and ask him/her… how would you describe that project/your work to your 80-year-old great aunt? What does that lab work mean to the average person? How will it impact them? Can you tell me about a particular patient who’s benefited? Ask a question, and then pause. When we’re nervous or uncomfortable, we have a tendency to get chatty. Don’t… just wait and let the person you’re interviewing gather their thoughts Always ask open ended questions Don’t be afraid to confirm: “And how old is your granddaughter? What’s her name? When was that?” Don’t ignore the uncomfortable… but warm the interviewee up before you ask them If the person begins to show vulnerability, don’t back up… go forward Don’t let them get away with generalities… Example “That was a difficult time for me.” respond with “how difficult?” “why was it difficult?” Look for specifics, details and examples Now let’s talk about specific questions you can ask. These are the ones I’ve fine-tuned over dozens of interviews and you’ll find them listed in one of your handouts.
- Not all these questions will be appropriate to every interview, but most of them will. Why don't you start by telling me a little bit about yourself This is a great way to open as it warms you both up to the conversation How did you come to be involved in [charity]? Here you want to clarify their role…. Are they just a donor? A physician? The Board Chair? What role does [charity] play… what sets it apart from other charities? Find out, in their words, why you’re special What impresses you most about [charity]? Tell me about a particular person you've met, or a program you've been involved with (or a story you've read) involving [charity’s] work that has stood out for you You sometimes need to ask this question, then come back to it. Many people have a hard time thinking of the answer straight away.
- Do you remember when you first heard of [charity] and under what circumstances it was? You’re looking for their personal connection to the cause. What prompted your first gift to [charity]? Donors make decisions emotionally… figure out what that first emotion was that prompted the first gift Where does your philanthropic spirit come from? What values were you brought up with? I’ve probably gathered the heart of more stories with this question than anything else. What was their childhood like? Did their parents encourage philanthropy? Now… some specific questions for planned giving donors….. What led you to consider a bequest? Again, you’re looking for the emotional trigger What do you hope your bequest will help accomplish?
- What difference do you hope [charity] will have made when you look 25 or 50 years into the future? Often the response is much simpler and more inspiring than the one that’s in your vision statement Why should people consider leaving a bequest to [charity]? In their words, what are the motivators If you had an opportunity to speak to other donors who were considering a bequest, what would you say to them? This is another question where I often get my best tidbits of information, or a theme for the piece I’m writing
- For most responses, you’ll have to probe a little deeper….
- The single best question. By now you’ve built up a relationship, you’ve connected with the person you’ve interviewed. Many times when I’ve asked this question, I’ll learn something that the person has never told anyone before. 90% of the time, there’s other stuff on their mind… let them share it. And, once that last question has been answered: remind them again about the process, thank them profusely, hang up and make sure your recording worked … if it didn’t write down as much as you can remember right away before you do anything else
- So what’s next? If you can, start writing right away… while you’re emotional. You’ll write your best stuff this way. Just keep your door closed and your phone turned off and start typing. Don’t worry about typos or finding the perfect sentence to start off with… just write. If anyone follows Katya Andresen’s Non-Profit Marketing Blog (and you should because it’s one of the best out there), you may have seen her post about storytelling last week. In it, she said about writing “Run toward uncomfortable.” If you write something that makes you want to hide or erase, keep going straight to that feeling. You’re on to something That sums it all up. If you can’t write immediately, take the time to jot down a few thoughts: what part of the story stood out for you the most? Was there a particular quote that spoke to you? Write these down because they’ll be harder to remember later. Think again about the end product: if you were interviewing in order to gather a story for a four-page letter, but no matter how hard you tried, it’s a three paragraph kind of story… then use it for something else rather than stretch it out.
- Always write stories in the first person Write as you speak: short sentences and paragraphs Write at a grade 6 level (google “turn on readability stats in word” to find out how to do that) Like any fundraising appeal, the story should have an introduction, a problem, a solution and a result. An anecdote needs a pivotal moment, characters, plot, action and a punch line. You want to paint a picture in your donors’ minds so they pay closer attention, understand more easily and respond emotionally.
- Great stories succeed because they are able to capture the imagination A great story is true. Your readers will see through a made up story. Great stories are subtle. Surprisingly, the fewer details a marketer spells out, the more powerful the story becomes. Allowing people to draw their own conclusions is far more effective than announcing the punch line. Great stories happen fast. First impressions are far more powerful than we give them credit for. Great stories don’t appeal to logic, but they often appeal to our senses. Most of all, great stories agree with our world view. The best stories don’t teach people anything new. Instead, the best stories agree with what the audience already believes and makes the members of the audience feel smart and secure when reminded how right they were in the first place.
- Think about how the story will be used and write accordingly Website Letter Newsletter article One good story can be used many ways and many times. Just as you’re getting sick of the story, donors are starting to hear it.
- Always send them final draft… including graphics and set up Remind them what it will be used for Be prepared for them to reject things/re-write If you’ve set them up properly in advance, particularly if you’ve shared a sample story with them, they’ll be less likely to re-write What if it goes horribly wrong? I’ve twice (in hundreds of pieces of writing) had donors ask that they not have their stories used once they see the final draft This almost always happens in cases where the story was very fresh or evolving (give example of breast cancer patient) My advice is to stay away from those stories, if possible, and to prepare your storyteller very well in advance so they know what to expect Remember to send a thank you note to the donor, or whoever the storyteller is, along with a copy of the final product (or a few copies) Follow up after a few months and let the donor know what their story accomplished… the impact it had If, for some reason, the piece doesn’t end up being used… let the donor know… they’re probably looking for it to appear Don’t forget to put a note in the database so that others know that you’ve gathered and used this person’s story
- I’ve included a couple of examples of legacy marketing letters in your handouts The New Democratic Party of Canada approached Good Works to help them run a legacy campaign to mark the first anniversary of Jack Layton’s death. We recommended a personal narrative from his widow, Olivia Chow, coupled with a replica of Jack’s now-famous ‘Letter to Canadians’ that’s suitable for framing. We kept the package very simple and stressed the message of Jack’s larger-than-life political presence – and the incredible legacy of optimism and hope that he left to his party and his country. Legacy Series, CEO Vision Letter Catholic Relief Services is the largest Catholic international development NGO in the USA. Good Works worked with Catholic Relief Services to plan and execute an Iceberg Philanthropy campaign with its most loyal donors. When we were asked to write a CEO vision letter as part of the legacy direct mail series, we were faced with a challenge. The CEO was brand new – and the donors hadn’t met her yet. Yet, she needed to introduce herself AND talk to these donors about leaving a bequest. The objective of this letter was to help donors know and trust the new CEO – and to feel that it was appropriate that she talk to them about legacy giving. This letter achieved just that. Lots of other examples of good legacy storytelling can be found at sofii.org And this brings us to the end. I’m very happy to answer any questions you might have.