5 Keys to Unlocking the Power of Strategic Storytelling [SPONSORED WEBINAR]
Photo via Niyam Bhushan on Flickr.
I often talk about content marketing, but at the heart of the strategy is great storytelling. The fact is that nonprofits should be great storytellers, but they’re not. They struggle with it - despite its obvious importance to their success with donors, supporters and corporate partners.
As the Content Marketing Institute’s Robert Rose has said, “It's weirdly ironic to me that nonprofits have a struggle making a business case for content [storytelling]. Because mission is the story, right?"
Jenny Riddle, Storytelling Expert
Speaking of mission, Bob Schultz at The CauseWay Agency is on one to make nonprofits better storytellers - and he’s bringing in a big gun to help: storytelling expert Jenny Riddle.
Together, Bob and Jenny will be leading a FREE live webinar on September 19th at 2:30pm EDT on The Power of Strategic Storytelling. You can sign up here.
Among other things, Jenny will be discussing:
1. Why stories work. Our brains are hardwired for stories. Scientists that study brain function know that the brain lights up like a Christmas tree when it hears stories. Stories engage our emotions! Jenny will be discussing other reasons why stories are invaluable, like how they make the complex simple.
2. Barriers to effective storytelling. Many nonprofits pride themselves on snappy slogans - for example, The Salvation Army’s Doing the Most Good. But putting slogans before stories is a big mistake. The reason is simple: emotion. Stories have it and slogans don’t. Jenny will show you how to build on the right-side brain power of slogans and engage the emotional left-side of supporters’ brains (you know, the side that gives you money!).
3. Strategies for finding stories. Nonprofits sometimes have trouble identifying powerful stories because they don’t know the foundation of good stories, which is usually some kind of conflict or obstacle. Jenny will give you a checklist to mine for storytelling gold!
4. Shaping your story. Do good stories start at the beginning, or do they begin with the end and work backwards? According to Jenny the answer is….wait for it….neither. They start in the middle. Wha?? I’ll let Jenny explain this one to you. It’s a great lesson.
5. Fixing broken stories. Jenny has some good news for you. She’s convinced that your nonprofit already has all the ingredients for great storytelling. They just need to be packaged in way that is compelling and relatable to potential donors and partners.
This will be a great webinar. As one nonprofit said after hearing Jenny speak, “After the event, I heard statements from our members like ‘Inspiring,’ ‘Totally relatable,’ and even ‘We’ll be re-evaluating our marketing efforts so we can better tell our story.”
You can sign up for what’s sure to be an interesting, revealing and actionable webinar here. Remember, this is a LIVE webinar and it’s FREE.
This post is sponsored by The CauseWay Agency. The CauseWay Agency is a purpose-driven, full-service cause communications agency that works exclusively with leading non-profit organizations and government agencies to address important social issues. Learn more about The Causeway Agency here.
