Writing Your Land Trust’s

Success Story:

The Power of Words

in Your Work

Krista Gromalski

570-647-6407

krista@heronseye.com

Sandy Long

570-647-6406

sandy@heronseye.com

HeronsEye.com

Our Agenda

• Get to Know Each Other

• Find Your Story

• The Power of Story

• Break

• Land Trust Alive

• Share Your Story

• Questions

Organizational Narrative

“A thriving organization sees its mission

as an ever-emerging story with all the

necessary twists and turns.”

– David Fleming, "Narrative Leadership: Using the Power of Stories”

What is a Story?

• A narrative account of a real or imagined event or events.

• A specific structure of narrative with a specific style, set of characters, and sense of completeness.

• Conveys wisdom, beliefs and values.

• Explains how things are, why they are, as well as our role and purpose.

– National Storytelling Association

Find Your Story

•Origin – Where have you been?

• Impact – Where are you now?

•Vision – Where are you going?

In the beginning…

“An origin story takes you back to a

moment. An instant, when an organization

was born.”

- Joel ben Izzy, Story Consultant

You wanted something…

•Describe that “instant”

•Make it real

• Use details

• What did it feel like to be in that moment?

Your actions have impact…

What is your impact?

Your impact

moves you forward…

“Whatever started you in the beginning,

that „spark‟,

has to be connected to the vision.”

- Joel ben Izzy, Story Consultant

Types of Story

•The BIG STORY– Used by a broad base of your organization - staff, board, volunteers,

members, etc.

– It gets everyone using the same language.

•The details

– Coveys your smaller messages.

– Focuses on a specific program that runs for a set amount of time, an ad

campaign or fundraising campaign.

The Power of Story

• Irresistible

•Believable

•Unforgettable– Greg Power

President and General Manager

Weber Shandwick

What’s in a Game?

• Business Processes = The way we

do things.

• Games = Experiencing processes

from within,

like a customer.

Land Trust Alive

Based on Product Pinocchio

Gamestorming: A Playbook for

Innovators, Rulebreakers,

and Changemakers

Describe Your Friend

• What am I like?

• What are my values?

• What is my community?

• What makes me different?

• What is my fight?

Suspend Your Disbelief

Draw a picture of your friend & givethat persona name.

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What is Your Friend Like?

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•Call out adjectives

and phrases

that describe

your friend.

• Write your responses

around your picture.

• Be creative!

• Don’t self edit.

What are Your Friend’s Values?

• What would your

friend say or do

in this situation?

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• What does this

say about your

friend’s values?

Who does Your Friend

Hang Out with?

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What Makes

Your Friend Different?

What is Your Friend’s Fight?

• Motivation?

• What keeps him or her up at night?

• What does he or she do for people?

• What is he or she trying to prove?

• What obstacles are in his or her way?

Reflect

Then, introduce us to your friend.

Media Relations

• Be concise and precise

• Get to know your contacts

• Respond promptly

• Make your info easy to access

• Send thank you notes or emails

• Don’t avoid the difficult conversations

Stories&Social Media

Thank You!

Heron’s Eye

Communications

HeronsEye.com