the importance , how , when and where you intent to use the story , possible benefits , risks , no compensation given etc to the interviewees and get written consent before you proceed with collecting the stories
You should also : Ensure that your stories - like the rest of your marketing content - adheres to your brand messaging and brand guidelines ; Review , edit , proof-read , curate , write and publish the complete stories ; Evaluate performance of the stories e . g . review website traffic , page views , social media comments ; Build a knowledge hub / library with all the stories and photos published over time ; and Write follow up stories to update your audience and showcase the positive change .
Tips for powerful non-profit storytelling
What makes stories so enticing is their structure . Every good story should have a beginning , a middle , and an end . The story should be unique and clearly capture the wider context , problem / challenge , overall scene , project intervention , progress after intervention , voices from the beneficiaries ( use quotes and testimonials to achieve this ).
Here is a brief example of a short concise story
Joan *, 16 years old , lives in Kilifi , Kenya with her mother and two siblings . The family lives in a single room and can only afford to eat one meal per day . One day , Joan decided to move to the city in search of a better life . Unfortunately , life became unbearable for her , she worked as a house help without being paid and ended up in the cold dark streets for 3 months , with no one to help her . She was extremely sad and lonely and her only wish was to go back home . In May 2022 , Joan was rescued by the project team , taken to a shelter where she received counselling , medical check ups and food . Her family was traced later on and she was finally re-united with them . Joan is now safe back home and back in school . Speaking about her future , Joan says ; “ I want to be a lawyer when I grow up .”
Through the donations you provide to us , we can be able to help more children like Joan . Together , we can make a difference , one life at a time !
Effective and exceptional stories
For your story to be effective and exceptional , it has to : captivate the reader ’ s / viewer ’ s attention from the very start which means that the introduction has to be enticing ; be about a specific person ( main character ) to help people familiarize and empathize ; weave in statistics as part of the narrative ; give clear timelines and answer the questions ; Who , What , Why , When , Where , How .
The story must : incorporate senses : smell , taste , touch , sight , hearing to help your audience connect and engage , trigger emotion ( happiness , joy ); have some aspect of positivity ( how your beneficiary managed to overcome their issues or end up in a better place as a result of your intervention ); communicate the dignity and worth of the character ; incorporate visuals ; photos , infographics , and even cartoons or drawings to stand out in a sea of text ; and lastly , have a call to action at the end .
As you develop your stories remember to share unique memorable content that does not come across as ‘ promotional .’
Sharing your stories
As a communication professional , you have finalized on your storytelling strategy , worked hard to create a storytelling culture within the organization , and you gathered amazing relevant stories in various shapes and forms . Now it ’ s time to distribute them !
You can leverage on the existing integrated communication channels to reach your intended audiences including the organizations ’ website , social media pages ( Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn ), email , monthly newsletters and Blogs .
Embracing the power of storytelling
So , should start-up non-profit professionals invest heavily in Storytelling ? The answer to this question is yes .
It is imperative to consider sharing stories of hope , progress , significant life change , and stories of impact with everyone including your donors , partners , the general public , volunteers and staff members regularly . Hearing directly from the people you have supported through storytelling is the most powerful way to communicate your nonprofit ’ s impact .
When it comes to building a non-profit brand that your audience can believe in , increasing donations and support for your non-profit , storytelling is very important . With the critical storytelling tips highlighted above , you can be confident to go ahead and implement storytelling in your non-profit ’ s communication efforts .
Embrace the power of storytelling , invest heavily in it and see where it takes your non-profit organization .
Grace Akinyi Oduor is a marketing and communications consultant . You can commune with her on this or related issues via email at : GOduor111 @ gmail . com .