Put Persuasive Storytelling to Work for Your Nonprofit
By Nancy Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz & Company

Most successful communications products, both print and online, have something in common. They begin with a real story about a person or situation that motivates the reader to read on. And, just like a good novel, the story features interesting characters, a rich context and a compelling plot. Think "Anna Karenina," not Danielle Steel.

Storytelling cuts through the mass of information surrounding us. So, instead of being bombarded with facts, names, figures, and other chunks of information that dull your prospect's interest, a story lead makes what you're trying to say seem personal and exciting.

For example, instead of promoting a two-year-old program (and promotion is the first step in fundraising) with a promise of being able to provide "provide art and music classes for 8,400 children in 450 Philadelphia elementary schools that currently offer none at all," you can lead with a story like this: (NOTE: This is a fictional scenario.)

"In 2001, fifth-grader Arlene Sherman was one of the first elementary school students in her Philadelphia district to participate in the Art for All program. Arlene, who had never before had art or music classes in school, found that she loved to sing, and had a talent for it. After three years in the program, one of her middle school teachers took Arlene to an audition for a city-wide children's choir, and she made the cut. After three years as the lead alto in the choir, Arlene is now the student choirmaster, and has started a choir in her own high school. Thanks to Art for All, Arlene now loves music, and has honed her singing talent. Even better, she's spreading her passion, and her knowledge, with fellow students."

When you use a story like this, you must tell the truth. Exceptions are stories that you clearly label as based on imagination by saying something like "Imagine..."

Well-told stories (or case studies, which for promoting programs and services serve the same purpose) enable your nonprofit to communicate more effectively. Through compelling stories, you:

• Sound experienced and expert.
• Present your information in a way that makes people enjoy reading it and remember it more easily.
• Avoid barriers of excess information.
• Pull together many independent facts and figures into an easy-to-absorb whole.
• Show (and not tell) your reader what you're really delivering.
• Make your message more manageable.
• Give your audiences an easy way to understand (even visualize) and explain his participation decision (to volunteer, to give, to serve on the board) to himself and others.

There are nine elements to any good story, whether storytelling lead, novel, or movie. A good story:

• Is relevant to your audiences.
  Know your audiences and what they care about. Choose an example, and craft the story, to focus on those passions.
   
• Is usually about a person or people
  We're far more attracted to stories about people than stories about machines, ideas, strategies, or the like.
   
• Carries an underlying message
  The message in a storytelling lead is usually your promise or an idea that leads directly to your promise.
   
• Is dense with detail
  Details give stories (and promotions) a texture of credibility.
   
• Is entertaining, and entertainingly written, as the story builds, and ultimately, surprises
  A story about a kid in music class isn't as exciting as Arlene's success story. Evolution or adventure makes a good read.
   
• Isn't too long
  Ever been to a movie that you felt ended two-thirds of the way through? You probably wanted to (and maybe did) walk out as the story dragged on. If you're writing a storytelling lead, don't make your audiences suffer the same way.

So when you're shaping the messages for your next campaign, annual report, or service/program promotion, see what stories you can find and feature them in your copy. And, take one step further to fortify your stories with photos and testimonials if possible.

When you do, I think you'll see what a difference a story can make, and find lots of applications for stories in your nonprofit's communications.

© 2002-2009 Nancy E. Schwartz. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Nancy E. Schwartz helps nonprofits succeed through effective marketing and communications. As President of Nancy Schwartz & Company (www.nancyschwartz.com), Nancy and her team provide marketing planning and implementation services to organizations as varied as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Center for Asian American Media, and Wake County (NC) Health Services.

Subscribe to her free e-newsletter Getting Attention(http://www.nancyschwartz.com/getting_attention.html) and read her blog at http://www.gettingattention.org for more insights, ideas and great tips on attracting the attention your organization deserves.

Client Spotlight - Room at the Inn

This month Paradigm Shift Studio, llc is proud to introduce you to Room at the Inn. This organization provides shelter for homeless women and families all across the St. Louis County area. Room at the Inn started with a really simple and brilliant idea - make use of unused space in churches to provide temporary shelter to homeless families. The first shelter with this kind of structure was in Nashville, Tennessee and the concept first reached St. Louis in 1988 when a coalition of churches – and their awesome volunteers – began providing housing for Salvation Army clients on weekends and during the winter. Room at the Inn modeled their shelter on others in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, many of which are also named Room at the Inn.

By 1992, enough congregations had stepped up that Room at the Inn was able to provide shelter year-round. They also received assistance through a grant from the St. Louis County Department of Human Services and the Housing Resource Commission. The Sisters of Divine Providence provided space in their provincial house, Mount Providence, in Normandy. The following year, the Sisters made a commitment to become the permanent sponsors of Room at the Inn. Because of the Sisters’ sponsorship, 1993 is now considered the founding year of Room at the Inn. The Sisters continue to donate the space, utilities and professional services for the shelter. In 1999, Room at the Inn moved to their present location in Bridgeton, sharing space with the Sisters of Divine Providence administrative offices.

The mission of Room at the Inn is simple but powerful. They provide emergency shelter and a stabilizing support system to women and families in need in St. Louis County, using a collaborative, interfaith effort of congregations and organizations throughout the St. Louis Region. Their programs include providing a short shelter stay with comprehensive supportive services that help clients: 1) understand and correct the reasons for their homelessness, 2) regain self-sufficiency as quickly as possible, and 3) prevent future episodes of homelessness. With the help of their many community and faith-based partners, Room at the Inn provides shelter, food and much more including:

• case management
• physical and mental health evaluations
• substance abuse evaluations and counseling
• domestic abuse counseling
• goal-setting assistance and mentoring
• referrals to more than 50 human services agencies
• life-skills classes, including financial management, parenting, job skills, etc.
• showers, laundry and kitchen facilities
• telephone, computer and Internet access
• transportation to and from appropriate agencies, services
• housing placement assistance

Last year Room at the Inn was able to serve 200 clients. 50% of these clients were children, 25% of these clients were the single parents of these children, and the other 25% were single women.

Paradigm Shift Studio, llc first got involved with Room at the Inn when they were chosen to receive one of Paradigm’s Philanthropy Grants from our Giving Back Program. Room at the Inn’s request was to identify ways to improve communications with their night site volunteers. Room at the Inn depends on the generosity of their partners to meet the shelter needs of their clients and they wanted to make sure that this important audience felt valued, appreciated and heard. As part of this grant, Paradigm Shift Studio, llc conducted online and telephone interviews, asking volunteers for their perceptions about Room at the Inn, as well as their personal experiences. All of the information was analyzed and recommendations made on ways to reach their communication goals. Room at the Inn used the outcome report to better understand the perceptions and preferences of their partners and have already begun responding by redesigning their website to create a password protected section for their night site coordinators to access. They also have a volunteer gathering planned for late summer to directly address some of the other opportunities to strengthen the partnerships. Lastly, they plan to adapt some of their communications as indicated by the research. Communications Specialist, Therese Meyerhoff concludes, “Some of what our volunteers asked for is already happening, but the research reminded us that messages need to be repeated.”

When asked about the future goals of Room at the Inn, we were told, “Our intent is to continue to build a stronger alliance with our night site partners. We want to strengthen our communications and create new ways to reinforce effective dialog and sharing among all the night sites that are involved with Room at the Inn. We have a very large network of people working together toward a single mission. To make this the best possible experience for our homeless clients and also for our hundreds of volunteers we need to have a very open, easy-to-use, timely communications system. Working with Paradigm Shift was a wonderful experience. Their work was very professional, well organized, timely, complete and well documented. The results were thorough and insightful. The Paradigm Shift Studio assessment will be the foundation for us to achieve these goals of the future.”

If you would like more information about Room at the Inn please visit their website or contact Program Director Sister Joann Nowak, OSF and Volunteer Coordinator Sister Stephanie Turck, CDP at 314-209-9198.

Training, Funding Dollars and Free Memberships - The Reaching Our Youth Institute (ROYI) Benefits Area Nonprofits

St. Louis For Kids’ Reaching Our Youth Institute (ROYI) is a capacity building initiative implemented for the purpose of establishing a strong network of competitive and sustainable youth-serving, faith-based and community-based organizations in the Greater St. Louis region. ROYI hopes that through this network the programs of these organizations will become more efficient and effective and ultimately result in better, more consistent outcomes for youth. Paradigm Shift Studio is a consulting partner to ROYI and provides capacity building to some of the ROYI fellows. We value this important partnership with St. Louis For Kids to benefit non-profits throughout our community.

Membership in ROYI provides your organization with firsthand information about the next funding cycle. ROYI has three levels of engagements, each level being more competitive and impactful. The first level is the Membership Phase which gives you access to FREE training workshops aimed at helping your organization develop and become more sustainable in this tough economy. Does your organization need help better marketing your services to the community, or need a Succession Plan in place on the off chance key staff leave your organization? Have you always wondered how to increase the effectiveness of your Volunteer Program? In this tough economy do you have a current strategic plan...or even any idea how to get started on one? Do you need to diversify your revenue sources? If you answered yes to any of these questions, sign up and take advantage of training on these topics and much more!

The second level of engagement allows eligible member organizations to compete for the Fellowship Phase by submitting Letters of Application. Fellows receive assistance conducting an organizational self-assessment; creating a capacity improvement work plan, and receive 10-15 hours of one-on-one technical assistance. This level also allows for customized fellows training, Executive Director roundtables & quarterly board training.

The third level of engagement encourages interested fellow-level organizations to compete for the Sub-Award Phase by submitting a proposal, budget and capacity improvement work plan in an effort to obtain $7,000 - $20,000 in a cash award. This level also awards at least 25 hours of one-on-one technical assistance in at least 2 capacity building areas.

So, could you use $7,000-$20,000 to enhance the effectiveness of your organization? If so, all you need to do to get the process started is complete a 2009 Membership Questionnaire or visit the website. We look forward to working with your organization through the ROYI initative!