Telling Stories That Build Support and Raise Money Kivi Leroux Miller President, Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com
What is a Story? “A story is a fact, wrapped in an emotion that compels us to take an action that transforms our world.” – Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman in The Elements of Persuasion
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
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Stories Work Because . . .
Why are Stories So Much Better? • Easier to remember
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Why are Stories So Much Better? • Easier to remember • Feed word‐of‐mouth marketing
Why are Stories So Much Better? • Easier to remember • Feed word‐of‐mouth marketing • Free!
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Why are Stories So Much Better? • Easier to remember • Feed word‐of‐mouth marketing • Free! • Make us human
Why are Stories So Much Better? • Easier to remember • Feed word‐of‐mouth marketing • Free! • Make us human • Emotional, and therefore inspirational
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Where Nonprofit Stories Often Fail
The Curse of Knowledge
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Dry Facts Rarely Motivate
Flickr: scragz
Stories are Emotional Examples
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What’s This About?
How the Media Tells Nonprofit Stories
http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/making-a-difference Rake & Bake: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40153870/#40612709 Sheltering Books: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40153870/#40396542
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
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Stories Work Because . . .
Flickr: roboppy
They Are Sticky.
Three Classic Stories
1. The Challenge Plot 2. The Creativity Plot 3. The Connection Plot Mixing and matching is fine!
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
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1. The Challenge Plot • Classic underdog, rags to riches, against all odds, bootstrap stories • Inspires action, confidence; appeals to our courage and strength Flickr: barrebarrie
Act I: Introduces the character, his situation, and his goal.
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Act II: Character faces obstacles. Tension mounts.
Act III: Action peaks. Character triumphs, gets payoff.
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Who Is This Guy in Your Story?
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Writing the Challenge Plot Here’s What You Need:
• Characters at a particular time and place • Their goals or desires • Barriers that they must overcome • How they get beyond those barriers • Payoffs or triumphs
2. The Creativity Plot
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
Flickr: blmurch
• Aha! moments, breakthroughs, “what if” stories that work out • Inspires us to take a chance, experiment, support a new approach
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Writing the Creativity Plot Here’s What You Need:
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
• A well‐understood problem • A standard response that just doesn’t work • A new approach (test runs or theories OK) • Vision of a new reality
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3. The Connection Plot • Bridging the gap, we are one, there but for the grace of God go I, big meaning in a small event stories • Inspires compassion, understanding, love, cooperation Flickr: pondspider
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Writing the Connection Plot Here’s What You Need:
• A small, specific situation or event • Connections within the story and with the reader’s heart/soul • A surprise, discovery, or epiphany • A connection to a greater, universal human experience
Helping Donors See Their Role & Using Stories in Online Fundraising
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
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What story arcs can they participate in with you? flickr.com/photos/zaffi/4597977354
Are we there yet?
Longer Communications Arcs • Think Must‐See TV, Except Now It’s Your Content! • Story Threads Over Weeks or Months • Think Beginning, Middle, End
flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/5351266905
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The “Witness” Story – Usually About Stopping Something Bad
The Story of Getting Ready – Great for Annual Appeals
anewwarrior.greenpeace.org
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A Dozen Fundraising Asks • The Match
• Let’s Get Ready
• Sponsor/Adopt
• The Sustainer
• The Menu
• Help Us Buy It
• Fighting Evil
• The Wish List
• The Emergency
• The Deadline
• The Story of One
• Join the Club
A Dozen Engagement Asks • Sign a Pledge
• Share Your Story
• Watch Video and Share
• Upload a Photo
• Take the Quiz • Ask a Question
• Send Word of Encouragement
• Download a Guide
• Take a Challenge
• Honor a Memory
• RSVP
© 2011-2015, Kivi Leroux Miller. NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
• Say Thank You
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Let’s create a story arc around #GAGivesDay
Now you know what to look for . . .
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Polish them up and put them to work!
Share your stories with us! @kivilm
[email protected] Fb.com/nonprofitmarketingguide
Kivi Leroux Miller President, Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com
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