Every non-profit must face fundraising with enthusiasm to maintain their mission. Businesses must generate revenue every month and storytelling is key. Stories are one the the least documented and most important pieces of a big event or campaign. Here are some insights to encourage you as you begin to document your stories.
Four thoughtful ways to prepare your stories
- Revisit your website. Does they vision, mission, and purpose still resonate with you? If these words were drafted by a friend or consultant and they don’t FEEL right, edit and start getting clear.
- Brain-dump with your audio recorder or video camera all your ideas and WHY you exist. Listen back for key phrases and points. Are those seen on the website? You can edit and add as you need to.
- Craft a compelling vision for the event. If you have real needs with with real people, tell the story. If you’re looking to prepare for future challenges or equipment, get clear on WHY these need to be addressed “SO THAT” the community benefits. Raising funds for facility maintenance or supplies isn’t necessarily marketable but if you go back to your vision the fog clears.
- Document your success stories. They may be in your head now but once they’re on paper it’s easy to equip others to tell these stories. As you document the stories notice the results and benefits and how your organization made it possible. These stories can aid in web copy and marketing materials. What were the benefits they received because of your organization? How did they feel because of you and what did that mean for their ability to re-engage the community in a successful way? Each story should be named. You can change the name to protect the beneficiaries or cities so consider names about the result or the action that was taken. Recently I learned about STAR stories and you can see for yourself how easy it can be to write better stories. Watch this video linked above to start yours today.
Once you are crystal clear on why you want to raise money and you have compelling stories to back them, then you can begin garnering sponsors, venues, and inviting members to your event. There is a lot that goes into event design and once you get your stories clear, and repeatable, the marketing becomes easy.
Capturing stories on videos plays a big role in social media these days. Whether you capture the stories or hire someone for support, it’s a good idea to have other people tell your story to solidify the value you bring to the community. Ready to get some some support? Look at our video services.
