Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
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AFP Webinar presented October 8, 2014 Nothing connects us to one another like stories. We teach our children through story. We entertain each other with stories. And yes, we raise a lot of money by being great storytellers. Great fundraisers know the power of great narrative. In this session, Leah will talk about the psychology around giving, and will provide real life examples of great stories in action. At the conclusion of this session, participants will: Have a better understanding of how donors make giving decisions Know the components of a great story Have great examples of storytelling in action Target Audience: Intermediate-level fundraisers About the Presenter: Leah Eustace, CFRE is the Chief Idea Goddess at Good Works; a boutique consulting firm in Ottawa, Canada. With over 20 years of fundraising experience, her expertise lies in helping charities develop meaningful relationships with their donors through storytelling.
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Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
- 1. Incorporating Stories into Your Fundraising Program October 8, 2014
- 2. Leah Eustace, CFRE, ACFRE • Chief Idea Goddess at Goods Works • Chair-Elect of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy - Canada • Immediate Past-President of the AFP Ottawa Chapter • Co-Chair of the Inclusive Giving Project
- 3. Outline • Why is storytelling so big right now? • What makes a good story? • What kind of stories can you tell? • How do you gather a story? • Tips and tricks for great writing • Q & A Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 4. WHY IS STORYTELLING SO BIG RIGHT NOW? Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 5. Getting noticed Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 6. The answer is in how your brain works Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 7. Scenario one: Karen Klein Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 8. Scenario two: Darfur Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 9. Donors experience psychic numbing “If I think of the mass I will never act, if I think of the one, I will” Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 10. How many saved lives? Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 11. Give $10 million to fight a disease claiming 20,000 lives and save 10,000. or Give $10 million to fight a disease claiming 290,000 lives and save 20,000. Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 12. Emotion drives action Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 13. Appeal to the heart, not the head Artwork courtesy of Mark Phillips www.bluefroglondon.com Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 14. Our brains change as we age Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 15. We feel story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 16. The future of storytelling http://bit.ly/Paul-Zak
- 17. WHAT MAKES A GOOD STORY?
- 18. Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 19. Passion Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 20. Hero Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 21. An antagonist (or conflict) Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 22. Result Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 23. WHAT KIND OF STORIES CAN YOU USE?
- 24. Founding/founder story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 25. Donor story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 26. Beneficiary story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 27. Leadership story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 28. An inanimate object’s story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 29. Think outside the box
- 30. A staff person’s story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 31. Your story Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 32. HOW DO YOU GATHER A STORY?
- 33. Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 34. Pay attention
- 35. Extend an invitation Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 36. Always be prepared Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 37. Conducting an interview Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 38. Preparing your interviewee Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 39. Preparing yourself Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 40. Tips and tricks Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 41. 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 Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 42. 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/major gift? • What do you hope your gift will help accomplish? Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 43. What to ask • What prompted you to take this job? • Can you describe any pivotal moments you’ve had in your work? • What would the world/region/city/neighborhood be like if [charity] didn’t exist? • What do you love most about what you do? • Tell me how it feels to (walk down the hallway, save a life, rescue a puppy…) Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 44. 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…? Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 45. The last best question “Is there anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on?” Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 46. Involve your signatory in the storytelling process Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 47. TIPS AND TRICKS FOR GREAT WRITING
- 48. Write drunk; edit sober. ~ Ernest Hemingway Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 49. But seriously… Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 50. Why, not how Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 51. Focus on the cause, not the institution “Your $100 donation today will help us double the size of our cancer center.” “Your $100 donation today will give a cancer patient’s mother a home away from home tonight.” Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 52. Think of Jacqueline Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 53. Write for comprehension, not an academic thesis Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 54. Before “We all need ABC hospital to continue to diagnose problems in their earliest stages and to fund innovative research that helps people in our community, and people all across Canada, recover. Anyone who has been informed of a medical concern knows how comforting it is to receive quick confirmation and follow up if treatment is necessary – rather than anxiously waiting for results to come back.” Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 55. After It was Easter weekend and, as I sat down for our traditional family brunch, I felt a crushing pain in my chest. My wife, Susan, quickly called 911 and next thing I remember I was waking up in the hospital. I’d had a massive heart attack. Thankfully, the ambulance had taken me to ABC hospital, where my diagnosis was quick and surgeons were ready.” Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014
- 56. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program October 2014 @LeahEustace
- 57. Leah Eustace, ACFRE Chief Idea Goddess, Good Works @LeahEustace leah@goodworksco.ca
Editor's Notes
- 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 I’m going to go a little bit beyond that today and get practical. That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
- 1970s, the average person in Canada was exposed to roughly 500 ads a day. These days, that number is closer to 5,000. Cuba: lack of ads (anyone notice that?) So, “how do you get fundraising message noticed in the crowded modern marketplace?”
- Through stories. Stories get and keep the reader’s attention Help you communicate better Enhance credibility Linger longer in reader’s minds Get your message passed along further and faster People believe information more readily if it’s delivered in story rather than through statistics. And science backs this up…
- Remember Karen Klein? Back in June, a film of Karen, a bus monitor in Upstate New York hit the interet. It showed her being bullied by 7th graders. In the video, the 7th grade boys are heard bullying Klein with taunts that include her appearance, age, as well as her purse, and comment about "the water on her face", at first saying it was sweat. Once she explains she is crying, they reply that the reason is that she misses her box of Twinkies. They then proceed with remarks about Twinkies, call her a "fat-ass" constantly, touch her, and demand that she provide her address on camera. They also threatened to egg her house, urinate on her door, and stab her. One boy refers to Klein's family, saying, "They all killed themselves, because they didn't want to be near you."[6] In reality, Klein’s oldest son had commited suicide ten years earlier.[7] It wasn’t clear if the boy who made the comment was aware of this. Soon after the video went viral, Max Sidorov, a nutritionist, author and Ukrainian immigrant living here in Toronto who says he had been a victim of bullying as a child, started a campaign at fundraising site Indiegogo with a goal of $5,000, to help give Klein a vacation. Within a few days of its creation, the fund had surpassed half a million dollars, and, in September, Sidorov presented Klein with a cheque for over $700,000. Klein stated that she plans to use $100,000 of the earnings to establish the Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation, as part of the GiveBack Foundation Why did this happen?
- Conflict began in 2003 One of world’s worst human rights crises. 4.7 million people affected 1.4 million living in camps Described as genocide As many as 400,000 dead Do you have any examples like this in your own fundraising? Perhaps you asked for money for a big problem and it didn’t get the same response as a relatively small problem?
- Paul Slovic, a researcher at the University of Oregon, has done a lot of work in this area. Ordinary citizens were asked to contribute $5 to alleviate hunger abroad In one version, the money would go to a particular girl, Rokia, a 7-year-old in Mali In another, to 21 million hungry Africans In a third to Rokia, but she was presented as a victim of a larger tapestry of global hunger People were less likely to give to anonymous millions like Rokia. By they were also less willing to give in the third sceniaro, in which Rokia’s suffering was presented as part of a broader pattern In another experiment, people in one group could donate to a $300,000 fund for medical treatments that would save the life of one child – or, in another group, the lives of 8 children. People donated more than twice as much money to help save one child as to help save 8.
- In another experiment, people in one group could donate to a $300,000 fund for medical treatments that would save the life of one child – or, in another group, the lives of 8 children. People donated more than twice as much money to help save one child as to help save 8.
- Today a slew of neuroscientists like Gerald Zaltman are proving what savvy marketers have always known: that giving is not a rational choice, that 95 per cent of human thought and emotion happens without our conscious awareness. Want proof? Paul Slovic ran a test offering people the following choice: Give $10 million to fight a disease claiming 20,000 lives and save 10,000. Give $10 million to fight a disease claiming 290,000 lives and save 20,000. The first option won!
- People give when they’re emotions are engaged Decisions are activated by unconscious part of our brain (called the limbic system) . The rational part, which governs our logical thoughts and the language, only comes into play afterwards to justify our decision. Our brain works through images: two third of stimuli that reach our brain are visual and more than half of the brain works on visual stimuli
- human’s are not ideally set up to understand logic; they’re ideally set up to understand stories Engage their emotions Another Slovic experiment: People prepared to donate to the needy were first asked either to talk about babies (to prime the emotions) or to perform math calculations (to prime their rational side). Those who did math donated less. There is a universal story structure, and this structure, according to Paul Zak’s experiments, you can predict with 80% accuracy who will give.
- As people age, their cognitive patterns become less abstract and more concrete … in other words, they become more right brained This results in a sharpened sense of reality, and an increased capacity for emotion They become better at feeling empathy and sympathy for others, taking the viewpoint of the one who speaks, seeing personal experiences and first-person stories as important way of learning, and embracing an ethic of caring
- How a story actually works… Stories are powerful because they transport us into other people's worlds and in doing that they change how our brains work
- There are 5 ingredients every letter story needs. This is what takes you from ho-hum (or a reciting overwhelming fact after fact) to good. Maybe even excellent. All stories need passion, a hero, an antogonist or conflict, awareness, and technically speaking, let’s talk about the best way to write it.
- 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.
- You need passion to tell a good story. Is suspect that everyone in this room has passion: we wouldn’t be overworked and under paid in the non-profit profession if we weren’t drive by that passion and that desire to make a difference. The more passionate we are in telling our story and the more authentic we are in our emotions, the more compelling we are as the narrator. Another way of saying this is we need some oomph in the narration.
- There needs to be a protagonist or hero in your story. You need someone who people find they respect or who is compelling, someone substantial but someone relatable at the same time, someone people identify with and feel some role in the stakes that that person is facing.
- If there’s nothing at stake, there’s no story. What is the hero up against? If there’s nothing in their way or there’s no conflict, it’s not a story. What is the person trying to achieve? Where is the natural tension in the story?
- Finally, don’t be shy. What you do changes the world. It does. So let us have closure in your story. Let us see how you are transforming things for the better. It is the end of every good story, and leaves us ready to here your next one.
- Camp Changed My Life Thanks for that, Erica I’m not like every other teenager and I never will be. But Camp Ten Oaks has shown me that I can be whoever I want to be. And, nobody can ever judge me for that. I came out as gay when I was 13. I was severely bullied at school and it felt like there was nothing I could do about it. My social worker suggested I go to Camp Ten Oaks and that moment changed my life. I’ve now been to camp for three years in a row, but I remember not knowing what I signed up for that first year. I’m not normally an outdoors-y person and camp is, well, it’s quite rustic. I couldn’t believe it - not much electricity, outhouses, and never ending stairs! After a few days though, none of that mattered. I was just having the best time ever. For the first time I felt like I belonged. There are so many amazing people at camp. Ten Oaks was the first place I felt that nobody judged me. I can’t even put that feeling into words – it’s liberating - the best feeling in the world. Thank you for that! Every summer I’ve gone back to camp, it’s affected my life for the rest of the year. Because of Camp Ten Oaks, I can be more myself than I’ve ever been. I want to thank you with my life for your donation that makes camp possible, Jose. The Ten Oaks Project has helped and changed me in a way nothing else could.
- I grew up surrounded by philanthropy and the spirit of giving. In fact, when people ask me how I got started in fundraising, my answer is always “well, it’s genetic.” My grandfather was awarded the Order of Canada for his voluntary contributions. He was instrumental in founding both the Community Foundation of Ottawa, and, when he turned 80, Community Foundations of Canada. He once defined vision as a jet-propelled dream with a navigation system. Our extended family is very close. Back when my grandparents were alive, we would drop everything to gather for Sunday dinners at their house. Instead of talking about politics or religion, we would talk passionately about aboriginal rights, equality, and ending stigma around mental illness. On special occasions, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, the number of people around the table would grow to include anyone who would otherwise be alone. So, when it came time for me to choose a career, philanthropy was my natural choice. It’s all I knew, and I was passionate about it. In fact, in the almost 20 years since receiving my M.Phil. from Cambridge University, I’ve worked exclusively in that area. A few years ago, I was out for dinner with my partner and two children. We were at the kind of restaurant that has a big screen TV in the corner and got to talking to the kids about interviews (a reporter was interviewing a hockey player). My then six-year-old son, Simon, thought this sounded like fun, so I grabbed my microphone (aka spoon) and away we went. All of a sudden (maybe it was déjà vu), a video started playing in my head: it was a video called “Philanthropy is…” that was produced back in 1986 by The Council of Minnesota Foundations. They went around asking children the question “what is philanthropy?” with hilarious results. So, I asked Simon, “have you ever heard of the word ‘philanthropy’?” He looked at me and said “philanthro… what?… never heard of it.” I said “well, what do you think it means?” “I have noooooooo idea” he responded. Then he thought for a bit and he said, “does it mean helping other people?” My daughter, Devon, isn’t any different. She came home from school one day, soon after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, in tears. I sat her down trying to figure out what had upset her. She said “some kids were talking at school today about the earthquake. They said they didn’t care about those people because they lived really far away. But Mommy, they’re just like us! They can’t help it if they were born in that place.” What am I passionate about? Clearly, I’m passionate about family and about helping those less fortunate than ourselves. But what really gets me excited about Monday mornings is knowing that I’m helping to make the donor experience one that makes the heart sing, as mine has sung for the causes I care about.
- 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.
- 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?” Carry around a notebook Check out what the corporate world is doing…. Type “tell your story” into Google
- 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
- 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?
- 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?
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- Donors already know how to leave a bequest. They feel the charity is being kind of preachy Put your hand up if the planned giving information on your website focusses on how to leave a bequest. stop talking about how to leave a planned gift and start talking about why your donors should leave one to you. Focus on inspiring the donor. How do you inspire them? Tell them about the future you believe in. Tell them about your hopes and dreams. Show them what you’ve been able to accomplish, and the amazing things you’ll be able to do in the next 25 or 50 years.
- Which appeal would you respond to….
- we aren’t our target demographic typical Canadian donor is Jacqueline 70 or 75-year-old woman often widowed children grown up and a handful of grandchildren grew up in a different era than we did… she may remember the depression, she still does her banking by walking into the branch and she sends her cheques by mail. Find a photo of Jacqueline and stick it on your bulletin board. When you’re writing to or communicating to your donors, imagine you’re communicating with Jacqueline.
- Anyone know what grade level it’s recommended we use in our fundraising writing? Grade 7 Not about education, it’s about comprehension MS word Obama’s state of the union written at grade eight level three years in a row.
- science tells us that human’s are not ideally set up to understand logic; they’re ideally set up to understand stories Feelings, not analytical thinking, drive donations Stories get and keep the reader’s attention Help you communicate better Enhance credibility Linger longer in reader’s minds Get your message passed along further and faster Stories are concrete, so they illustrate your concepts better than abstract, noncreative techniques do. And because people derive a visual image from a story – as opposed to a blind recitation of facts – stories literally help your audience see things your way. People believe information more readily if it’s delivered in story rather than through statistics.