Who's Telling YOUR Story? - 2011 Centre on Philanthropy Bermuda
1. Who’s Telling YOUR Story? Increasing the effectiveness of your communication, one story at a time Marc A. Pitman, FundraisingCoach.com Third Sector Conference 2011 Twitter: @marcapitman
2. More New 501(c)3’s Each Year Statistics from National Center for Charitable Statistics http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/
More charities; stable population 801 new 501(c)3's each WEEK for the last 12 years!!
We still want gifts!
Donors are increasingly distracted
Donors much more targeted in their giving; with GLOBAL reach
Picture of someone intently listening
Millenia of campfires and pubs have gotten us acclimated to story. KEEPERS OF THE LORE: externally AND internally!!!!
Why note like this? “Storytelling is in our DNA” Humans are “storytelling primates” Jane Goodall
In many of our countries, we used to have only one or two, maybe three TV stations.
Now there are hundreds of channels, not even including Netflix, DVRs, & Hulu.
So how do you breakthrough?
Andy Goodman, “ I am Jennifer.”
Q&A with attendees Hero? Conflict? Obstacle?
Q&A with attendees Hero? Conflict? Obstacle?
Q&A with attendees Hero? Conflict? Obstacle?
Q&A with attendees Hero? Conflict? Obstacle?
Andy Goodman’s Three Act
Andy Goodman’s Three Act
Andy Goodman’s Three Act
Doug Stevenson calls it “The Phrase that Pays” I am Jennifer Or “Sharpen your pencil” “Will you help us sharpen the pencil for others?” Script it!
Loosely inspired from Robert Reich’s “Tales for a New America” (1988) Your “Genesis” Story: how did it all start? Your “Balaam” Stories: celebrating glorious failures helps you create a risk taking culture Your “Job” Stories: what heroic suffering have your people endured (staff, clients, donors, whatever) Your “Nehemiah” Stories: your emblematic success stories; how does success look to you? Your “Revelation” Stories: what does your glorious future look like?
Your “Genesis” Story: how did it all start? Your “Balaam” Stories: celebrating glorious failures helps you create a risk taking culture Your “Job” Stories: what heroic suffering have your people endured (staff, clients, donors, whatever) Your “Nehemiah” Stories: your emblematic success stories; how does success look to you? Your “Revelation” Stories: what does your glorious future look like?
Your “Genesis” Story: how did it all start? Your “Balaam” Stories: celebrating glorious failures helps you create a risk taking culture Your “Job” Stories: what heroic suffering have your people endured (staff, clients, donors, whatever) Your “Nehemiah” Stories: your emblematic success stories; how does success look to you? Your “Revelation” Stories: what does your glorious future look like?
Your “Genesis” Story: how did it all start? Your “Balaam” Stories: celebrating glorious failures helps you create a risk taking culture Your “Job” Stories: what heroic suffering have your people endured (staff, clients, donors, whatever) Your “Nehemiah” Stories: your emblematic success stories; how does success look to you? Your “Revelation” Stories: what does your glorious future look like?
Your “Genesis” Story: how did it all start? Your “Balaam” Stories: celebrating glorious failures helps you create a risk taking culture Your “Job” Stories: what heroic suffering have your people endured (staff, clients, donors, whatever) Your “Nehemiah” Stories: your emblematic success stories; how does success look to you? Your “Revelation” Stories: what does your glorious future look like?
Your “Genesis” Story: how did it all start? Your “Balaam” Stories: celebrating glorious failures helps you create a risk taking culture Your “Job” Stories: what heroic suffering have your people endured (staff, clients, donors, whatever) Your “Nehemiah” Stories: your emblematic success stories; how does success look to you? Your “Revelation” Stories: what does your glorious future look like?
“ The more in control we are, the more out of touch we become with customers…” Association of National Advertisers' 2006 Annual Conference http://adage.com/ana06/article?article_id=112404
People ARE already talking about our organizations! What are they saying? Go where the conversations are! Check out social media. -Create videos with a Flip -upload photos with Flickr (Or Microsoft Photosynth) **Not a fundraising substitute.** Fans, donor evangelists, will use it to fundraise. So orgs should be familiar these tools. Start a blog. Play with Twitter. Seek out colleagues. Seek out people interested in your cause. Most importantly: LISTEN. Use these tools to LISTEN.
Elevator Pitch: SBS mission * 10 sec / 30 sec * Good exercise **Can sound REALLY canned
Effective way to group your stories, to speak w/o sounding canned Honesty & Authenticity Helps your donors market your school in ways you’re proud of
Effective way to group your stories, to speak w/o sounding canned Honesty & Authenticity Helps your donors market your school in ways you’re proud of
Effective way to group your stories, to speak w/o sounding canned Honesty & Authenticity Helps your donors market your school in ways you’re proud of
Effective way to group your stories, to speak w/o sounding canned Honesty & Authenticity Helps your donors market your school in ways you’re proud of
Effective way to group your stories, to speak w/o sounding canned Honesty & Authenticity Helps your donors market your school in ways you’re proud of
Do you see how this can simplify publications without killing creativity
Client Stories I helped: picking hoof is communication channel; AYC, starting staff meetings with fresh new stories
Online Computer Library Center http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/214109usf_how_libraries_stack_up.pdf
Online Computer Library Center http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/214109usf_how_libraries_stack_up.pdf
What would happen if all these networks carried YOUR STORY with your themes?