The document discusses strategic storytelling for marketing and fundraising. It provides evidence that stories are more effective than statistics at motivating donations because they activate the emotional, empathetic parts of the brain. The key is to craft stories that are intentionally designed to resonate with audiences and demonstrate impact, thus motivating them to give. It outlines best practices for identifying compelling stories, interviewing subjects, and structuring narratives to follow a hero's journey arc and engage audiences through empathy, conflict, solution, and affirmation. The goal is to position donors as heroes who can create change through their giving.

1. Strategic Storytelling
John Thompson
Chief Creative Officer
November, 2017

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• Direct Mail
• Digital
• Broadcast
• Print
• Phone
• Social
• Mid-Level
Cultivation
Who is TrueSense Marketing?

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So what’s the story?
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“If history were taught in the form of stories,
it would never be forgotten.”
– Rudyard Kipling

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“Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the
truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it
will live in my heart forever.”
– Native American Proverb

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“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that
you make, but about the stories you tell.”
– Seth Godin

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“If a story is not about the hearer
he will not listen.”
– John Steinbeck

8. Who Hears You?

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A powerful force for good through
their giving.
We Believe Your Donors are Heroes

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Donors are positioned to be the
primary instrument of change.
(NOT the organization!)
We Believe Your Donors are Heroes

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Impact
Retain
Migrate
Heroic Donors

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Amounts
Frequency
Channel
Heroic Donors

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Provide recognition and gratitude
Ask for feedback
Listen to them
Heroic Donors

14. What Moves Them?

15. “Giving does
good things
for me.”

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drives

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Your Brain on Stories
Stories that are emotionally compelling actually
alter brain activity:
• Attention
• Tension
• Empathy
• Transport
• Recall

18. A Tale of Two Studies

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Study #1
Study measured blood levels of oxytocin
(the “feel good” hormone) before and after
two video stories

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Study #1 Results
Oxytocin synthesis was observed after the character-
driven story, and fueled the drive to help others:
“The amount of oxytocin released by the brain
predicted how much people were willing to help others;
for example, donating money to a charity associated
with the narrative.”
“Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling”; Harvard Business Review (Paul J. Zak)

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Study #2
Compared impact of giving from
direct mail letters:
1. Stats about millions
of starving children
2. Focused on only
one starving little girl

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Study #2 Results
The story of the little girl was much more effective in
motivating people to give.
People connect to stories, not statistics.
Statistics trigger the mind’s calculator.
Stories trigger the heart.
“Sympathy and callousness: The impact of deliberative thought on donations
to identifiable and statistical victims”; Study authors: Deborah Small, George Loewenstein, Paul Slovic

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What’s It Mean?
One-to-one connections

24. BUT…

25. Strategic Storytelling

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• Intentional
• Fact-based
• Targeted
• Motivating
Strategically-designed stories:

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R + D = Motivation
Answering the Creative Equation:

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Resonation + Demonstration = Motivation
Answering the Creative Equation:

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Resonation + Demonstration = Motivation
Answering the Creative Equation:

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STORIES
VICTIMS
VILLAINS
NEED
PROMISE
SUCCESSES
SAINTS
PROGRAMS
STEWARDSHIP
BRAND & MISSION
MOTIVATION
+

31. What Do Your Donors Care About?

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Meeting the physical needs of homelessness and
hunger are among the greatest recognized needs
by your donor markets.

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Your donors have an honest understanding of the real
issues behind the causes of homelessness.

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Do not shy away from making prayer and spiritual
transformation part of your storytelling.

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Your donors take action because they have a high
degree of caring about people.

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38. Building Your Stories

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4 Ingredients for a Powerful Story
Affirm
1
2
3
4
Empathy
Conflict
Solution

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To Start …
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Look for the gold nugget — the part of the story that’s
memorable and powerful.

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Where to Look
• Individuals and families helped
• Your own staff
• Your donors
• Volunteers

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How to Prep for Interviews
Prepare questions (but don’t rely on them)
Find an environment where people
are most comfortable
Bring a recorder if it helps
Details that are “sticky” = memorable
Wing it = often yields greater details
that can capture hearts

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During the Interview
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Imagery
• People, not buildings (no “edifice Complex”!)
– People that make eye contact
– Contemplative, not smiling
• Respectful, not exploitative
• Needful, not hopeless

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Faces & interactions that tell stories

46. Story Structure

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Stay on strategy!

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A
6 Arc
Audience
Angle
Action
Answer
Affirm
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A1: Arc
• The basic structure of your
story: a beginning, a
middle, and an end

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A1: Arc
• Typically includes
a hero’s journey and allows
us to be a journey partner

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A2: Audience
First rule:
Know your
audience!
Second rule:
You are not your donor!

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A3: Angle
• This is the hook — what draws
your reader/listener in and keeps them
listening
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• Make it interesting and
compelling
• Unusual lead-ins draw people
in and keep them engaged
longer

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A3: Angle

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A4: Action
The action is the conflict —
key ingredient of storytelling
It sets up this important
turning point in the story:
THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

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A4: Action

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A5: Answer
The answer solves the problem!
This is the pivot point: bringing the
donor into the story as a hero.

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A5: Answer

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A6: Affirm
Who grows tired of hearing
how great they are?

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A6: Affirm
Answer: No one.

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Thank you!
You changed a life!
Well done, you!!

66. Takeaways

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Takeaways: Strategies
• Your donors are the heroes
• Emotion drives giving
• Find your creative equation: Resonate + Demonstrate = Motivate
• Mission research reveals: People, Place and Product

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Takeaways: Tactics
• Strategic, intentional story building:
– 4 ingredients: Empathy, Conflict, Solution, Affirmation
– Plan your resource-gathering
– People pictures: to suggest need (eye contact, serious,
contemplative)
– Stay on strategy
– A6: Arc, Audience, Angle, Action, Answer, Affirm