Tell to Sell. Tell to Win.
Storytelling is your nonprofit’s most powerful marketing tool. But everyone else is using it, too. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you need storyselling—a strategic form of storytelling designed to motivate your donors and prospects to action.
- It uses emotionally driven narratives to engage audiences.
- It works no matter how your audience is segmented.
- It utilizes a proven technique that’s been in use for thousands of years.
- It works far better at inspiring your audience to action than pure facts or statistics.
- It’s the best method to engage supporters and demonstrate your nonprofit’s impact in a tangible, relatable way.
It’s no secret that storytelling is one of the best marketing tools available, whether you’re trying to sell a car or “sell” a gift. Donor stories can inspire more donations and support, as can mission stories and stories about those you serve.
But there’s a big difference between a story that resonates with its readers, and one that sounds like a sales pitch. Any marketer or fundraiser who’s paying attention knows about the power of storytelling—and everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon.
That means if you want to be heard, you need to up your game—significantly. You don’t just need storytelling. You need storyselling.
The Science of Stories
There’s a ton of research on why and how storytelling makes such a powerful impact, but the bottom line is that our brains are wired for storytelling. We communicate through stories; learn through them; and entertain/relax with them. Stories cause our brains to release dopamine, a hormone and chemical messenger that not only boosts our mood, but helps us to pay attention, understand and remember concepts, and more.
And when a speaker tells a story, the listener’s brain fires off neurons in the same patterns as the speaker’s. It’s called “neural coupling”—and if you’ve ever watched a group of children during story time, you can almost see it happening. They’re focused on the speaker, faces rapt with attention. They smile, gasp or giggle at the same sections. And this ability to convey emotion is what makes stories so powerful for your nonprofit.
Extensive research has shown that stories:
- Activate oxytocin, the “love hormone” responsible for empathy
- Reduce cortisol, the “stress hormone”
- Reduce pain
- Motivate prospects to become donors
In 2006, a study at Carnegie Mellon University (PDF download) showed the power of story over facts and figures. Test subjects were given two appeals. One was data-focused, and cited statistics about droughts and food shortages affecting more than 3 million children in Malawi, Africa. The second was story-focused and told the tale of a (fictional) 7-year-old named Rokia who faced starvation.
As you’ve probably guessed, the emotional story about Rokia was the hands-down winner. And the numbers were staggering: It had nearly double the amount of donations than the data-driven appeal!
And these are all reasons that stories are essential to your nonprofit’s marketing.
But not all stories are created equal.
Telling The Right Story
I’ve been a professional writer and editor for more than 30 years. And in that time, I’ve learned that anyone can tell a story. The challenge lies in telling the right story, to the right audience, in the right way.
And this is where nonprofits and for-profits alike so often fail.
So let’s break down how to make storytelling an effective marketing tool, and ensure your stories not only get read, but inspire action.
We’ll start with the first problem—telling the right story.
When I worked as a marketing writer in the for-profit sector, one of the most commonly requested types of article was something called “branded content.”
In branded content, the subject of the story is presented as an expert on whatever it is their company produces or provides. So the CEO of a landscaping company, for instance, might offer expert tips on choosing the right type of paver for a garden path, or the best low-maintenance shrubs to plant around a house. The story is focused on presenting facts, rather than opinions or sales pitches. It’s a subtle advertising approach that reads very much like a news or feature story. At the end of the story, it casually offers the expert’s contact information or company website for more information.
The Credibility Factor
But there’s another style of content called an “advertorial.” An advertorial, as the name suggests, is very obviously an advertisement. It might make claims like “We sell only the finest landscape pavers in the tri-state area.” It might include catch phrases, slogans, and information about upcoming specials. When you find advertorials in publications, they are often marked with phrases like “paid advertisement” or “sponsored content.”
Of the two, branded content was requested much more frequently. Why? 1) Branded content focuses more on storytelling, which makes it far more engaging and effective. Studies bear this out. 2) Readers can smell a sales pitch right away—and advertorials are undisguised sales pitches. Readers get through a paragraph or two, realize it’s a glorified ad, and turn the page. That destroys credibility.
The same thing happens to nonprofit stories all the time. There are four common problems:
1) The focus is too broad: The story talks about a problem’s impact on a group, rather than an individual, and the reader can’t connect.
2) The focus is on the nonprofit, not its mission: When the story centers on the nonprofit (history, actions, etc.) or makes the nonprofit sound desperate for donations, the reader loses interest.
3) The focus is on the facts: When a story is data-driven, not emotion-driven, the reader cannot relate.
4) The focus is all gloom and doom: If your reader thinks you are constantly desperate, or feels like there’s no hope, where is their motivation to act?
The trick is to learn from the branded content formula. Yes, at the heart of it all, you’re still seeking a donation (sale). But you’re not hitting prospects (potential customers) over the head with the ask. You don’t come off sounding desperate or doomed. And you’re not bragging about all the good works your nonprofit is doing while alienating the donors (repeat customers) who actually make those good works possible.
You are putting the focus on donors (customers), and providing valuable information about your mission, goals, progress, campaign, gift impact or gift vehicles. You are being aware of your intended audience, and you’re choosing the right medium. And you’re telling an engaging story that connects with and inspires your audience.
Storytelling: Turning Theory into Practice
So how do you turn theory into practice? By going back to the basics, simplifying, and focusing on turning storytelling into storyselling.
Today’s donors are savvy. Most have been bombarded with marketing their entire lives. If you’re going to reach them, you need to:
1) Present them with something they really care about and give them hope.
2) Do it in a way that neither speaks down to them, nor is over their heads.
Keep it Simple
Let’s start with No. 2, since simplicity should be your foundation.
Forget trying to sound “sophisticated.” I don’t care if you’re writing for high-wealth donors, university alumni, or the board. Write for the eighth-grade reading level. It’s simple enough to be easily understood without sounding simplistic. And it will reach the majority of your audience, no matter how you segment them.
That means shorter sentences (aim for under 20 words, staying closer to 10). It means ditching jargon (“gifts from your will,” not “bequests”). And it means replacing technical terms with everyday language.
Which of these is easier to understand?
- “An electrical conduction system regulates the pumping of the heart and the timing of the contraction of its various chambers.”
- “Tiny electric impulses made by your body control your heart. Your heart has muscles that work like a pump, and the impulses tell those muscles when to squeeze or relax.”
If you run it through a Flesch-Kincaid Readability Calculator, you’ll find A is considered “College level—difficult,” while B is “8th & 9th grade—plain English.”
If you still think your donors are too savvy for the eighth-grade level, consider this: Most manuals and instructions are written at the fourth or fifth-grade level. And the American Medical Association (AMA) recommends “patient education materials should not exceed a sixth-grade reading level.”
Make Them Care
Now let’s examine No. 1—giving donors something to care about.
I hate to tell you this, but your supporters really don’t care that a new laptop would make your job easier, or that a new operating room would allow your hospital to grow.
And while they might care that the problem you’re trying to solve affects a large group, they can’t relate to a group. (There’s plenty of research on this. It’s called Compassion Fade.)
They can, however, relate to one person (or animal). So if you want your supporters’ help, your job is to convey the stories behind your mission by making an individual the protagonist. Because your supporters do care about how those tools would help you accomplish your mission. Specifically, they care about how those tools can help individuals:
- A new laptop would help you find more homes for dogs like Rex, the arthritic 12-year-old German shepherd who was dropped off at your shelter last month.
- A new operating room would allow your hospital to help more children like Stefan, the 8-year-old boy who loves baseball, but was born with a congenital heart condition that stops him from playing.
The Formula for Success
This is where good storytelling comes into play. And just like Coca-Cola or Plexiglas, there’s a formula behind it. Only this one isn’t secret—it’s been used for centuries by writers ranging from Homer to George Lucas.
It’s called The Hero’s Journey. Here’s the short form:
- Call to Adventure: Our hero (protagonist) is presented with a problem or opportunity that sets their journey in motion.
- The Road of Trials: Our hero faces obstacles that test them and push them to their limits.
- Transformation: Through these trials and tribulations, our hero grows and changes.
- The Return: Our changed, wiser hero returns to their starting point a better person.
When you use that formula, seasoned well with emotion, you can’t lose. But how do you translate this method to your story? It’s easier than you think.
Pulling It Together: An Example
Rex’s Journey
Rex started his life as an energetic, playful puppy. He quickly found a home with a young family. He loved to play fetch, sleep on his humans’ bed, and go for car rides.
{problem}
But as Rex got older, his humans lost interest in him. They were afraid he’d have an accident, so they moved him outside.
{trials}
Rex has spent the last two years of his life chained to a dog coop. Sleeping in the cold and damp have given him arthritis. He struggles to stand, and moves slowly and stiffly when he does.
In February of this year, Rex’s family moved—but they abandoned the dog who was always their faithful friend. He was alone for three days until a neighbor heard him whining. Rex was found chained up in the back yard, dehydrated and malnourished.
{transformation}
That neighbor brought the skinny, shaking senior dog to our shelter. And thanks to our tireless volunteers, Rex has made fantastic progress in the month that he’s been here. He wags his tail a lot more. His ribs aren’t showing. He rolls over for belly rubs. And the medication he’s taking makes standing up and moving around a lot easier.
{the return}
Thankfully, Rex found a loving forever home with one of our volunteers. He will go home with her in a few weeks. But we see a lot of dogs like Rex here—and they don’t all get happy endings. You can help us to change that.
Your gift can help to pay for medication, food, and the veterinary care these dogs need. It can also make it easier to find forever homes for senior dogs like Rex and his friends. These good boys and girls have a lot of love left to give. They deserve to spend the last years of their lives with humans who will love them back.
Will you help us help the next Rex?
Emotions in Motion
Even though you know it’s a fake story, it kind of tugs at your heartstrings, right?
Note the way Rex is described—just two words give you a powerful, warm feeling:
energetic, playful.
Then there’s the language used to describe his problems and its resolution (the return):
Chained to a dog coop … sleeping in the cold and damp … struggles to stand, and moves slowly and stiffly … abandoned … skinny, shaking … he wags his tail … rolls over for belly rubs …
Even though we’ve never seen Rex, we can get a pretty clear mental picture of him. We can almost feel his pain when we read about how he was left behind, almost hear his whines, and almost see how he has trouble standing. It all works together to trigger feelings of empathy.
But, just as importantly, we can also picture Rex wagging his tail and rolling over for belly rubs. That gives us a feeling of hope. This happy ending shows us, rather than tells us, that something can be done—and we can be a part of it. That’s a powerful one-two punch. When used properly, it can’t be beat.
Conclusion
Everyone’s telling stories, but not every story is effective. If you want to cut through the noise and rise above the crowd, you need to level up:
1) Focus on the individual. Don’t tell stories about groups. People struggle to relate and lose empathy when they need to think about more than one person or animal.
2) Simplify your writing. Studies and real-world evidence show that writing for the eighth-grade reading level captures all types of readers.
3) Use a proven formula. If the Hero’s Journey is good enough for George Lucas, William Faulkner, and Steven King, it’s good enough for your nonprofit.
4) Let emotions shine through. Emotions motivate supporters to become donors, and motivate donors to become repeat donors.
Does your nonprofit need help telling stories that motivate supporters and drive donations? Schedule a discovery call today and find out what we can do for you.
