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Telling the Right Story for Your Online Campaign
Lawrence Grodeska June 11, 2013
Use Twitter Hashtag #npweb
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Protecting and Preserving the
Institutional Memories of
Nonprofits Since 1993
www.cjwconsulting.com
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Coming this June
Sponsored by:
Today’s Speaker
Lawrence Grodeska Director of Nonprofit Community
Change.org
Hosting:
Cheri J Weissman, CJW Consulting & Services, Inc. Assisting with chat questions: Jamie Maloney, 4Good
Part
Of:
Agenda:
• Why are stories important?
• Elements of a good story
–Narrative
–Presentation
• What’s your story?
• Storytime
• Tips & tools
Why are stories so
important?
Narrative
Elements of a good story
A story follows the journey of
someone who wants something
badly and is having difficulty
getting it.
A character having a problem
creates sympathy.
A character seeking a solution
creates empathy.
Stakes or implications up the
ante for empathy.
Presentation
Elements of a good story
3 principles of visual communications
1) Humans are visual first, verbal second.
2) Our actions are based more on
emotions than rational thought.
3) Visuals most effectively evoke emotion
and inspire people to take action.
Seeing is Believing: A Guide to Visual Storytelling Best Practices, 2013 Resource Media
The medium is the message
Objective Channel
Educate video, infographic, petition
Engage / action
video, image, petition, sms, email
Fundraise email, social media
Brand / credibility
video, infographic, press, petition
What’s your story?
Define your goals
• What is the outcome you want for this
campaign?
Know your audience
• Whose hearts and minds do you need
to win over?
Choose your tactics
Objective Channel
Educate video, infographic, petition
Engage / action
video, image, petition, sms, email
Fundraise email, social media
Brand / credibility
video, infographic, press, petition
Pick your character
• Remember:
– Interest
– Sympathy (problem)
– Empathy (solution)
– Stakes
• People power your
story!
Tell your story!
• Vet your stories to be credible
• Circulate story among peers or
colleagues for feedback
• Build education into continuum of action
• Share your success along the way
Storytime
ForestEthics Enbridge
campaign
Problem: Planned pipeline from Alberta's Tar Sands to the coast
would introduce mega-tankers into pristine waters for
the first time. Huge threat to wildlife, thousands of rivers
and streams, and Canada’s fisheries.
Objectives, audience & tactics
• Long term objective: stop the pipeline – Short term: Create online action opportunities for
supporters to create offline change
• Audience: environmentalists and concerned citizens
• Tools and tactics: – Petitions
– Targeted actions
– Signup, donation & thank you pages
Campaign story
Characters:
• Wildlife
• Activists
Problem:
habitat & democracy are threatened
Solution:
listen to public & stop the pipeline
Stakes:
loss of wildlife, government overreach
Actions
Government response
“ Unfortunately, there are environmental and other radical groups that would seek to block this opportunity to diversify our trade(…) These groups threaten to hijack our regulatory system to achieve their radical ideological agenda. They seek to exploit any loophole they can find, stacking public hearings with bodies to ensure that delays kill good projects…” – Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources
Shift story narrative
Fundraising asks
Rallies & news events
Tips & Tools
Storytelling takes time
• Listen!
• Record and store your stories
• Evaluate your success over time
• Experiment
• Don’t be afraid to fail
Visual presentation
• Test images
• Combine images & text (LOLcats)
• Make images with your message
• Use authentic images from your campaign
• Choose subjects to maximize connection (eyes)
• First impressions matter, invest in good images
Storytelling tools
• Storify.com
• Vine app
• Google maps (victories)
• QuickMeme.com
• visual.ly
• Zeega.com
• Youtube editor
What are YOU changing?
Web: Change.org/organizations
Social: @ChangeOrgs
/ChangeOrgs
@lsgrodeska
Email: [email protected]