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It's not you. It's your stories.
This document discusses why fundraisers are often failing at storytelling in their appeals and what needs to change. It outlines that there are two types of stories - ones that explain and ones that compel action. Stories that just explain accomplishments and needs often do not motivate donors to give, unlike stories that create tension and position the donor as the hero who can resolve it. The document provides examples of effective versus ineffective storytelling and summarizes principles from behavioral science on how to craft compelling stories that will motivate donors to support an organization's mission.
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It's not you. It's your stories.
- 1. It’s not you.It’s your stories. Why fundraisers are failing at storytelling and what they need to change. #12NTCNPStory Sue Citro Steve Daigneault
- 2. Evaluate This Session! Eachentry is a chance to win an NTEN engraved iPad! INSERT QR CODE HERE or Online at www.nten.org/ntc/eval
- 4. Version 1: Institutionalapproach outlining accomplishments and need. Version 2: Story of one young person diagnosed with a debilitating disease.
- 5. Version 1 raised… …more than version 2
- 6. For a nationalcivil rights organization, the story version lost by 25% For an international aid organization, there was no statistical difference In countless other cases, story-based appeals have under-performed industry and client benchmarks
- 7. Science tells us storiesare powerful… ̶ They are universal ̶ Mirror human thought ̶ Shape our identities ̶ Define our social community …so what’s going on?
- 9. Two Types ofStories: 1) Stories that explain 2) Stories that compel
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- 11. Explaining stories don’t, by themselves, compel readers to act.
- 12. Why do peoplegive? 1. “You’ll not onlylife” our work – you’ll know To changed a fund you be happy 2. “Give todayand updates.” To feel importantmember and get insider info to become a 3. “We be Asian savannahtoo.” To saved the elephant elephant . story save the part of a success We can 4. “From Marthaeveryone’s doing it Because JimaT., a construction worker Tennessee to L., grandmother in in Florida, Americans everywhere have already committed to our fight.”
- 13.
- 14. Putting This InfoPractice: The Nature Conservancy’s Story on Storytelling…
- 15. What I’ve Learned: Justlike U2, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking for….
- 16. We’ve Made Progress BEFORE: TheNature Conservancy's efforts to preserve the diversity of life on Earth depends solely on the support of its members. AFTER: Becoming a member can put you at the center of critical conservation projects underway all across the globe.
- 17. 100s of Examples... …No Magic Bullet
- 18. You’ll Need MoreThan 1 Story
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- 20. Great Story forGen Y (Share w/Friends – Tension – Hero – If you don’t do it…)
- 21. Great Story forMiddle Donors (Share w/Friends – Tension – Hero – If you don’t do it…) Giving up 40%
- 22. You Must LetGo of Your Story…
- 23. The Story isJust the Beginning… Ultimately, you’re building a relationship and that will never change.
- 24.
- 25. Details matter Use richdetails to make your story feel credible. Try using sensory details about how it looks, smells, feels, sounds, or tastes.
- 26. Details matter “He’s onlyone-and-a-half, but Abdirizaq’s hair has turned almost white.” “It comes in easy to hold, crinkly foil packets that kids can use to feed themselves.”
- 27. Use the right“we” Use “we” or “us” to refer to both your organization & supporters – not just your organization working alone.
- 28. Use the right“we” “It’s a team effort. It has to be, if we’re going to put people back on their feet — build clean water systems, teach farmers better ways to grow food...”
- 29. Create a donoridentity Explain who your donor is – why they are special. Frame “giving” as a chance to be that kind of person.
- 30. Create a donoridentity “A gift to WCS is something much bigger than one donation – It's a signal that you believe in a future where tigers, elephants, and gorillas still roam free – and that such a future is worth fighting for.”
- 31. Make the consequencesclear Explain the consequences of the donor’s choice to give or not. They have a choice to become a hero – or not.
- 32. Make the consequencesclear “Millions of other children with special needs are hoping for a story like Shannon's – but right now, their fates hang in the balance. Will you let them continue down the path to an uncertain future…or will you step in and help?”
- 33. 3 Quick Gut-Check Questions
- 34. 1. Would Ishare this story whether or not it’s in an email?
- 35. 2. Is yourstory about how awesome you are, or how awesome your donor is?
- 36. 3. Is there unresolved tension in the story? Is there a role for the reader?
- 37.
- 38. Contact Us: Sue Citro– @suecitro scitro@tnc.org Steve Daigneault sdaigneault@mrss.com Read more at: labs.mrss.com