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It’s not you. It’s your stories. Why fundraisers are failing at storytelling and what they need to change. #12NTCNPStory
Sue Citro Steve Daigneault
Evaluate This Session! Each entry is a chance to win an NTEN engraved iPad!
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Version 1: Institutional approach
outlining accomplishments and need.
Version 2: Story of one young person
diagnosed with a debilitating disease.
Version 1 raised…
…more than version 2
For a national civil rights organization,
the story version lost by 25%
For an international aid organization,
there was no statistical difference
In countless other cases, story-based
appeals have under-performed industry
and client benchmarks
Science tells us
stories are powerful… They are universal
Mirror human thought
Shape our identities
Define our social community
…so what’s going on?
Two Types of Stories:
1) Stories that explain
2) Stories that compel
Stories that Explain
+
Explaining stories don’t,
by themselves,
compel readers to act.
Why do people give?
To be happy
To feel important
To be part of a success story
Because everyone’s doing it
“You’ll not only fund our work – you’ll know
you changed a life”
“Give today to become a member and get
insider info and updates.”
“We saved the savannah elephant . We can
save the Asian elephant too.”
“From Martha L., a grandmother in
Tennessee to Jim T., a construction worker
in Florida, Americans everywhere have
already committed to our fight.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Stories that Compel
Putting This Info Practice:
The Nature Conservancy’s Story
on Storytelling…
Just like U2, I Still Haven’t Found
What I’m Looking for….
What I’ve Learned:
We’ve Made Progress
BEFORE:
The Nature Conservancy's efforts to preserve
the diversity of life on Earth depends solely
on the support of its members.
AFTER:
Becoming a member can put you at the center
of critical conservation projects underway all
across the globe.
…No Magic Bullet
100s of Examples...
You’ll Need More Than 1 Story
Cialdini’s 6 Principles
Great Story for Gen Y (Share w/Friends – Tension – Hero – If you don’t do it…)
Great Story for Middle Donors (Share w/Friends – Tension – Hero – If you don’t do it…) Giving up 40%
You Must Let Go of Your Story…
Ultimately, you’re building a relationship
and that will never change.
The Story is Just the
Beginning…
Tips +
Gut Checks
Use rich details to make your story feel
credible.
Try using sensory details about how it
looks, smells, feels, sounds, or tastes.
Details matter
“He’s only one-and-a-half, but
Abdirizaq’s hair has turned almost
white.”
“It comes in easy to hold, crinkly foil
packets that kids can use to feed
themselves.”
Details matter
Use “we” or “us” to refer to both your
organization & supporters – not just
your organization working alone.
Use the right “we”
Use the right “we”
“It’s a team effort. It has to be, if we’re
going to put people back on their feet
— build clean water systems, teach
farmers better ways to grow food...”
Explain who your donor is – why they
are special.
Frame “giving” as a chance to be that
kind of person.
Create a donor identity
“A gift to WCS is something much
bigger than one donation –
It's a signal that you believe in a future
where tigers, elephants, and gorillas
still roam free – and that such a future
is worth fighting for.”
Create a donor identity
Explain the consequences of the
donor’s choice to give or not.
They have a choice to become a
hero – or not.
Make the consequences clear
“Millions of other children with special
needs are hoping for a story like
Shannon's – but right now, their fates
hang in the balance.
Will you let them continue down the path
to an uncertain future…or will you step
in and help?”
Make the consequences clear
3 Quick Gut-Check
Questions
1.
Would I share this story
whether or not it’s in an
email?
2.
Is your story about how
awesome you are, or
how awesome your
donor is?
3.
Is there unresolved
tension in the story? Is
there a role for the
reader?
Q & A
Contact Us:
Sue Citro – @suecitro
Steve Daigneault
Read more at: labs.mrss.com
