Storytelling for Sustainability

1. Storytelling for Sustainability Natasha Macdonald, Kim Wilson, Debbie Horrocks November 20, 2012

3. Communications – Why so important? Build relationships Increase visibility – credibility Build brand image of CLCs Recruit new champions

4. Get the word out… If people don’t know what we do, why would they decide to work with us? How do we get the message out?

5. How can you engage your stakeholders? By motivating people around you, the people you want to engage – they will spread ideas and share their experiences

6. Why Storytelling? • Stories are powerful – they can heal, teach, inspire, enlighten • Storytelling is a crucial ingredient for successfully conveying a message. • People learn more — and are persuaded more — from stories; it is one of the most powerful ways to be memorable.”

7. Put your stories to work for you • Successful marketing is all about emotions -- not facts • People need to see and experience things before they can believe it • Stories can change peoples points of view and influence their lives • They are an effective element to any grant application • You need a way to stick in the minds of your stakeholders and motivate them to action. The best way to do that is to engage them with your story and inspire them to make your organization a part of their story. • People want to know not only WHAT you do but also WHY you do it

8. It’s all about the story! If you’re working in non-profit development, whether writing a grant proposal or developing a fundraising campaign, or planning an event, it all boils down to the story. What do you want people to know?

9. How do you find your story? You talk to people! You can recruit stories by asking specific questions in your surveys. Instead of asking questions like, “How was your experience in the program?” (“It was great!”), ask: “What aspects of the program were most valuable to you? And why?”

10. Never underestimate the power of story to persuade Telling a story can be persuasive - it can have enormous power in terms of recall. “A great story is never told once; it is shared again and again. If your community members share great stories about their involvement in the community, the stories will travel far and wide and encourage new and unknown people to dip their feet into your waters”. Jono Bacon, journalist

11. Everything you do has a story – just waiting to be told

12. “Somewhere along the way one discovers that what one has to tell is not nearly so important as the telling itself.” Henry Miller

13. Visual Storytelling Arts-based storytelling – telling a story using various means such as collage, sculpture, drama, song, multimedia

15. CLC Room is great place to promote

16. When others tell the story…..

17. Other outlets… Flyers – newsletters – voicemail message: what story can they tell?

18. Flyers

21. The Media Relationship with local media Don’t forget the powerful new tool called social media

22. ACTIVITY The 2-Minute Elevator Speech The elevator door opens and there stands a well known local funder. It's the chance of a lifetime. But that chance only lasts as long as the elevator ride - you have 2 minutes to tell your story.

23. The quick description that will motivate a listener to ask for more information, invest in your efforts and/or encourage others to engage with your organization.

24. Remind me again, what do you do? What does your organization do?

25. Questions your “Elevator Pitch”must answer: • What do you do? What is a CLC? • Why is what you do important? • What is the impact you are having? Make it quantitative – give them numbers! • Why should they be engaged? • People want to know not only what you do by why you do it AND DON’T FORGET THE PASSION!