From the beginning of civilization, storytelling has maintained a uniquely impactful position in defining culture, motivating action and bringing people together. Today’s marketers need to be better storytellers than ever before as more and more stories are told all around us. Join Firespring’s Kiersten Hill as she goes through tips, techniques and tools to help the modern marketer tell better and more impactful stories to activate their audiences around ideas and actions.
Key Takeaways:
As a nonprofit professional, if you're scrambling for a way to communicate your accomplishments to your supporters but instead finding yourself putting out fire after fire, read this. With fewer resources to go around, it's no longer about demonstrating that programs are being accessed by those they aim to support. The pressure has now shifted towards showing that social impact objectives are being met…and because there is not a ‘one size fits all' approach to evaluating impact, it’s a more technical and difficult calculation to navigate.
Storytelling is the most powerful tool we have as changemakers. By sharing our authentic personal stories and those of the community we serve (with permission, of course), we can stand out as we stand up for our mission. We attract and inspire an audience that is ready to roll up their sleeves and help us make shifts happen at our nonprofit organization. In this session, we will explore the dynamics of storytelling and create each member of your team’s individual 'elevator pitch' – also known as a verbal business card.
Whether you’re applying for funding, pitching a new program initiative, lobbying for a policy solution, or asking for a raise, your success hinges upon your ability to make your case. In this session, you'll get back to the basics of how to get what you need and want for your nonprofit. Using real-world examples shared by participants, we’ll walk through the steps of clarifying your goals and desired outcomes, understanding your audiences, mapping your resources, and choosing the strategy and tactics that make sense for your organization.
Anniversary or other milestones can be a golden opportunity for renewing relationships, sharing your organization's impact, and possibly raising some extra funds. Many of the resources below agree: if you want to have an anniversary event or digital campaign, start planning early!
Getting Started with Your Anniversary Plan
The 2017 Nonprofit Management Master Class Lecture by Dr. Adrian Sargeant presented at Columbia University School of Professional Studies talks about the social psychology involved in cultivating donor relationships. In particular, about how donor satisfaction shifts over the course of the donor's relationship to the organization and what style of communication fundraisers can employ to engage the donor's sense of connection to the cause championed by your nonprofit.
The American novelist Joan Didion once wrote, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”
In many ways Didion was right. Stories may not seem like a basic survival need, but our brains naturally tell us stories as a way to give structure and meaning to our lives.
Communications Toolkit: A Guide to Navigating Communications for Social Impact - Currently in its 4th edition, this resource covers nearly every topic in communications, whether the purpose of the messing is to raise funds or raise awareness.
Public Relations for Nonprofits: Everything You Need to Know
Looking to dive into the world of public relations for your nonprofit? This blog covers everything you need to know about how to develop a PR strategy, pitch to the media, broaden your reach, and much more.