Strateggygic Storytelling: A Sure Path to Major and ... › uploads › 5 › 3 › 7 › 2 › 53729933 › 2014...Jun 12, 2014 · Strateggygic Storytelling: A Sure Path to Major

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Strategic Storytelling: g y gA Sure Path to Major and

Planned Gifts

June 12, 2014

Laurel McCombsSenior Philanthropy Advisor

The Osborne Group

Today’s Agenda

1. Story telling starts with your “why”1. Story telling starts with your why

2. It’s a strategic conversation Questioning and listening for intent

3. Story telling best practices

© 2014 Karen

Osborne2© 2014 The Osborne Group

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Inspired, Joyful, Generous Investors

© 2014 The Osborne Group 3

Being “All In”* *Ernie Ludy, Founder Medstat

Human

Personal Capital

IntellectualFinancial

Network

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© 2014 The Osborne Group

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1 Childhood stories

What are the stories that we tell and retell that collectively demonstrate who we are?

1. Childhood stories

2. Education stories

3. Love match stories; family stories

4. Stories of loss

5. Stories of perseverance

6. Faith stories

7. Triumph stories

8. Stories of transition

9. Ah Ha stories


Start with Impact, Your “Why”

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The Golden Circle – Simon Sinek

WhatEvery organization on the planet

knows WHAT they do. These are y

products they sell or the services

they offer.

HowSome organizations

know HOW they do it. These

are the things that make

them special or set them

apart from their competition.

WhyVery few organizations know WHY they

do what they do. WHY is not about

making money. That’s a result. It’s a

purpose, cause or belief. It’s the very

reason your organization exists.

What We Do vs. What We Achieve

What we do includes: What we achieve speaks to:

Facts

Data

Information

p

Impact

Vision

Motivation


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Big Ideas Beget Big Investments


Inspiring SupportMission

Vision

Your mission is powerful – but someone can feel equally good

$ Vision

Values & Beliefs

Strategic Business Plan

Case for S t

giving $25 as $25,000 to your mission.

It is your vision that inspires greater support as donors envision a world different from today.

SupportThis vision must be backed by a strategic plan, bold goals, and a clear rationale for financial support.


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Characteristics of Vision*John Kotter, Leading Change

A compelling picture of Boldp g pthe future with some implicit or explicit commentary on why people should strive to create that future.

Urgent and compelling

Imaginable

Desirable

Feasible

F d A strategic response to

anticipated needs and conditions

Focused

Flexible

Communicable


What Problems are You Solving?


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Times Change, Values Don’t *Bill Toliver, The Matale Line

H I d h h i / i h 1. Have I made the case that our issue/cause is worth someone’s sacred time or money?

2. Have I made it clear that a solution is possible?

3. Can I articulate why they should place their faith in us over all others?

4 Can I show them what we are doing with their money?4. Can I show them what we are doing with their money?

5. Have I set up the right infrastructure to make them feel a part of the effort?


The Tarnside Curve of Involvement* *Tarnside Consultancy, UK

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Two-Way Engagement

For engagement opportunities to work as a means g g ppfor developing a relationship,

It has to be interactive (not passive)

Meaningful and satisfying to the donor

And productive for your organization

The same is true in your communications and storytelling opportunities

We Remember…*Flanagan, 1997

20% of what we

read

30% of what we

hear

40% of what we

see

50% of what we

say

60% of what we

do

90% of what we

read, hear, see, say and

do!


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The Seven Powers of Questions* *Dorothy Leeds

1. Demand answers

2. Stimulate thinking

3. Provide needed and invaluable information

4. Put you in control

5. Get people to open up

6. Lead to quality listening

7. Get people to persuade themselves

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Some Questions Have More Power* *Neil Rackman

O d d d l d Open ended and closed

New Information

Clarification

Confirmation

Attitude and Values

I li ti Implication

Commitment

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Listening for Intent

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What Type of Listener Are You?

Mi d d R h Mind reader

Sentence finisher

Interrupter/gap filler

Filterer

Dreamer

Rehearser

Identifier

Placater

Derailer

Talker

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Storytelling Best Practices

“No one ever bought anything on an elevator” Seth Godin

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Sticky Messages*Made to Stick, by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Simple Simple

Unexpected

Concrete

Credible

Emotional Emotional

Stories

23© 2014 The Osborne Group

Ten Immutable Laws of Storytelling*Storytelling as Best Practice by Andy Goodman

1 Stories should speak the audience’s language1. Stories should speak the audience’s language.2. Stories are about people.3. The people in your story have to want something.4. Let your characters speak for themselves.5. Stories need to be fixed in time and space.6. Audiences bore easily.

© 2014 Karen

Osborne© 2014 The Osborne Group

7. Stories don’t tell: they show.8. Stories stir up emotions.9. Stories have at least one “moment of truth.”10. Stories have clear meaning.

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Always Start with the Stewardship Story

Long time donors are YOUR BEST FRIENDg

Start with thank you

Impact and outcomes already achieved

Collaborate with annual giving, major gifts, and donor relations

You need them to retain donors!You need them to retain donors!

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Stories Answer Donors’ Questions

© 2014 Karen


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The Three-Part Story

• The problem

• Challenge to society

• What we do

• How we do

MIDDLEMIDDLE• The Future World

• Outcomes, change

BEGINNINGBEGINNING ENDINGENDING


Making the Case in (Draft) Writing

Opening hook

“Make your verbs sweat” (Jerry Panas)

Punchy, varied

Third party endorsements

Data, graphs, pictures

Stories Stories

Call to action

© 2014 Karen


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What are Your Organization’s Stories?

1. The nature of the challengeg

2. How we got started

3. Emblematic success (unique, the way we make a difference)

4. Performance (stories about your people)

5 Striving to improve (failing forward)5. Striving to improve (failing forward)

6. Where we are going – the vision story


Multi-Channel Storytelling

Video

Website

Games

Annual Report

Blog Posts

T t Website

Brochures

Social media

Presentations

Newsletters

Annual Report

eBooks

Infographics

Comics

Music

Tweets

White Papers

Special Events

Impact Reports

Testimonials One-pagers

Photos

Webcasts

Research

Apps

Testimonials

Slideshare

Scrapbooks© 2014

Karen Osborne


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Force Multipliers: Storytellers

IdentifyIdentify

Engage

Empower


Putting It All Together

Start with Your “Why”y

Storytelling with Intent

Engage in Strategic Conversations

Discover Your Most Powerful Stories

Multi-Channel Delivery

E i Y St t ll Empowering Your Storytellers


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More questions? Want to learn more?

Laurel McCombsSenior Philanthropy Advisor

[email protected]

The Osborne Group is a full-service strategic planning, management, campaign consulting and fund development training firm.

TOG BLOG: theosbornegroupblog.comJoin us on Spreecast: spreecast.com

Find us on LinkedIn and Follow us on TwitterCall: (914) 428-7777

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Strateggygic Storytelling: A Sure Path to Major and ... › uploads › 5 › 3 › 7 › 2 › 53729933 › 2014...Jun 12, 2014 · Strateggygic Storytelling: A Sure Path to Major