Today I’m going to show you how to shape and share another of the six types of stories your organization has to tell—your focus story. This is so vital in connecting your work and impact with what matters to your prospects and supporters, so make sure to do it right.
Warning:Telling a good focus story is particularly challenging (and especially important vital) for policy organizations, intermediary organizations (e.g. community foundations, United Ways, nonprofit support orgs and others that help nonprofits do their work better and more broadly) and really, for most organizations that don’t provide direct services. Here’s how to do it well.
The Typical Nonprofit Focus Story—
Is your focus story as inaccessible (and boring, let’s just say it) as this one?
Many are, especially for the organizations that need strong focus stories to clarify what they do and why folks should care.
What? I don’t even understand this. It makes me tired.
“From the minute the first elevator zoomed up in 1853, people have been polishing their elevator pitches. The idea was that if the big prospect ever strode into your elevator, you’d be able to smoothly explain your organization and your role there by the time you reached your floor.”
But that traditional elevator pitch is dead! Here’s why, and how to persuade people to give, volunteer and support your cause today: READ MORE
THIS is what you need to do to connect with your people (supporters, prospects, partners, staff, leadership and volunteers all) and move them to take the actions you need.
Take newsjacking one step further—to integrate what’s going on inside of your peoples’ heads—as well as in the world around them and you, to focus your marketing messages, format, channel and delivery time. Here’s a great example…
Friday was tough here in the Northeast. The real blizzard was still en route but the pelting ice outside made outside play impossible. Every child I know was yearning for snow and, with school closed or cut to a half day, sick of being stuck inside. Ugh!
So when this tweet and the email below crossed my lens, I thought, “Wow, these folks really get me. And if they get me, I’m more interested in what they have to say.” (post continues below email)
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who survived a gunshot wound to the head in a January 2011 shooting spree, has spent the last two years re-learning how to walk, talk, read and write. And she opened yesterday’s Senate hearings on gun control with this unforgettable statement.
Today I’m going to show you how to shape and share one of the six types of stories your organization has to tell, the founding story. Links to all 7 posts in the series below
The Typical Nonprofit Founding Story—
Is yours as deadly as this one? Because you have all the ingredients to make it far more effective.
Dream your way to change—not by sleeping or hoping—but by acting to make it real, and motivating others to do the same!
That’s the best way to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.—who followed his dream, and motivated us to serve. Consider the influence he and his work still have today, 40 years after he was assassinated.
There’s so much content around on storytelling, lots of its focused on why stories are so effective.
But there’s far less guidance on helping you know what your story possibilities are, and building your skills in shaping and sharing your stories. That’s what most of you said you wanted to know to become 5-star storytellers, and that’s the focus of this series.
Storytelling starts with finding the stories your organization already has. But, most of you tell me you don’t know where to find your stories. Here’s how..
“From the minute the first elevator zoomed up in 1853, people have been polishing their elevator pitches. The idea was that if the big prospect ever strode into your elevator, you’d be able to smoothly explain your organization and your role there by the time you reached your floor.”
But that elevator pitch is dead, and you need to take a radically new approach. Here’s why, and how: READ MORE
You tell me you’re always seeking more effective ways to build interest and action. Well, there’s no better way than letting your supporters and partners do the talking with testimonials.
Few of you use testimonials—the essence of the kind of consumer-based marketing you’re hearing so much about right now—to full effect. I’m hope to motivate you to change that with this easy-to-get-to success story from Help a Reporter Out (HARO)—a wonderful free service that links reporters with expert sources.
Dream your way to change—not by sleeping or hoping—but by acting to make it real, and motivating others to do the same!
