Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
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Incorporating Stories into
Your Fundraising Program
October 8, 2014
Leah Eustace, CFRE, ACFRE
• Chief Idea Goddess at
Goods Works
• Chair-Elect of the AFP
Foundation for
Philanthropy - Canada
• Immediate Past-President
of the AFP Ottawa
Chapter
• Co-Chair of the Inclusive
Giving Project
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Outline
• Why is storytelling so big right now?
• What makes a good story?
• What kind of stories can you tell?
• How do you gather a story?
• Tips and tricks for great writing
• Q & A
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
WHY IS STORYTELLING SO
BIG RIGHT NOW?
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Getting noticed
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
The answer is in
how your brain works
@LeahEustace
Scenario one: Karen Klein
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Scenario two: Darfur
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Donors experience
psychic numbing
“If I think of
the mass I will
never act, if I
think of the
one, I will”
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
How many saved lives?
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Give $10 million to fight a disease claiming
20,000 lives and save 10,000.
or
Give $10 million to fight a disease claiming
290,000 lives and save 20,000.
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Emotion drives action
@LeahEustace
Appeal to the heart,
not the head
Artwork courtesy of Mark Phillips www.bluefroglondon.com
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Our brains change
as we age
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
We feel story
The future of storytelling
http://bit.ly/Paul-Zak
WHAT MAKES A GOOD
STORY?
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Passion
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Hero
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Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
An antagonist (or conflict)
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Result
@LeahEustace
WHAT KIND OF STORIES CAN
YOU USE?
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Founding/founder story
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Donor story
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Beneficiary story
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Leadership story
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
An inanimate object’s story
Think outside the box
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
A staff person’s story
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Your story
HOW DO YOU GATHER A
STORY?
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
@LeahEustace
Pay attention
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Extend an invitation
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Always be prepared
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Conducting an interview
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Preparing your interviewee
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Preparing yourself
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Tips and tricks
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
What to ask
• Why don't you start by telling me a little bit about yourself
• How did you come to be involved in [charity]?
• What role does [charity] play… what sets it apart from other charities?
• What impresses you most about [charity]?
• Tell me about a particular person you've met, or a program you've been involved with (or a story you've read) involving [charity’s] work that has stood out for you
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
What to ask
• Do you remember when you first heard of
[charity] and under what circumstances it was?
• What prompted your first gift to [charity]?
• Where does your philanthropic spirit come
from? What values were you brought up with?
• What led you to consider a bequest/major gift?
• What do you hope your gift will help
accomplish?
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
What to ask
• What prompted you to take this job?
• Can you describe any pivotal moments you’ve
had in your work?
• What would the world/region/city/neighborhood
be like if [charity] didn’t exist?
• What do you love most about what you do?
• Tell me how it feels to (walk down the hallway,
save a life, rescue a puppy…)
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Probe• Walk me through…
• Paint a picture of…
• How old are…?
• What is that person’s name?
• How did that make you feel?
• What’s it like to…?
• What went through your mind when…?
• How did you react to…?
• What hurdles did you face when…?
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
The last best question
“Is there anything
else you’d like to
add that we haven’t
touched on?”
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Involve your signatory in the
storytelling process
@LeahEustace
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR GREAT
WRITING
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Write drunk;
edit sober.~ Ernest Hemingway
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
But seriously…
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Why, not how
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Focus on the cause,
not the institution
“Your $100 donation today will help us
double the size of our cancer center.”
“Your $100 donation today will give a cancer
patient’s mother a home away from home
tonight.”
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Think of Jacqueline
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Write for comprehension,
not an academic thesis
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
Before“We all need ABC hospital to continue to
diagnose problems in their earliest stages and to
fund innovative research that helps people in our
community, and people all across Canada,
recover. Anyone who has been informed of a
medical concern knows how comforting it is to
receive quick confirmation and follow up if
treatment is necessary – rather than anxiously
waiting for results to come back.”
@LeahEustace
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
AfterIt was Easter weekend and, as I sat down for
our traditional family brunch, I felt a crushing
pain in my chest. My wife, Susan, quickly
called 911 and next thing I remember I was
waking up in the hospital.
I’d had a massive heart attack.
Thankfully, the ambulance had taken me to
ABC hospital, where my diagnosis was quick
and surgeons were ready.”
Incorporating Stories into your Fundraising Program
October 2014
“I've learned that people
will forget what you said,
people will forget what
you did, but people will
never forget how you
made them feel.”
- Maya Angelou
@LeahEustace