Story-telling helps non-profits make their case. Stories persuade donors and humanize an agency’s mission. You need to provide a compelling success story about your agency. Your top marketing channels to present your stories include direct mail, website or social media marketing. Your goal is to make donors and prospective donors react.
Generating compelling success stories doesn’t happen by magic. Your agency’s staff needs to understand the importance of stories in your organization’s marketing and fundraising efforts. They need to feel comfortable asking clients for their stories. These stories can be used in both marketing and fundraising. Your marketing channels should include your website, newsletters, social media and direct mail. In these mediums, your audience can read stories that will connect them to your organization. Consequently, these stories will help your non-profit make the case.
You want your story to captivate your readers by engrossing them in the challenge inherent in the story. There needs to be a clear sense of progress and contrast from the “before” state to the “after” state. Make sure to highlight your organization’s role in this transformation. After all, you are selling your organization’s ability to make a difference.
Does Your Story Inspire?
People want to be inspired by your work. They want to feel that their dollars or support makes a difference. For that reason, stories can make the difference between a mediocre gift and an amazing one. If your story moves a single person to give, you have done your job.
Furthermore, when non-profits make their case, it paves the way for both dollars and volunteer engagement.
Click HERE to learn how you can create a culture of story telling in your agency. This page will also provide you with actionable steps you can take to develop the compelling stories you need to make your case. And above all, remember, it’s not just about the copy, you also need to consider your imagery.