Good storytelling is essential if you want to build a broad base of support for your nonprofit. After all, you are much more likely to be able to recruit all of the volunteers that you need, increase donations, and build a diverse coalition of advocates for your cause if you can tell your NFP’s stories in a way that demonstrates what a difference your nonprofit makes in the community.

Telling your organisation’s stories isn’t just about reciting back a list of dates and other facts. There are a few steps to take if you want to tell stories that appeal to others. The following are a few tips to help you get to the heart of the matter so that you can craft stories that encourage others to join you on your mission to make a difference.

Focus on the People

Most of us enjoy hearing or reading stories that have what is known as a human interest. When crafting your NFP’s stories, focus on telling the story of specific individuals, such as the volunteers that are making an impact in your community, or, the recipients of services that your nonprofit provides, and how your nonprofit makes a real difference in their lives.

Even if the recipients of you nonprofit’s services aren’t human, for example, your cause might relate to animal welfare, or the environment, focusing on how the cause impacts others helps others to be able to relate more closely to the importance of your cause.

Focus on the Obstacles and How your NFP is Helping Others to Overcome

Most compelling narratives include some sort of conflict, so it’s important to explain the problem that your service community is dealing with, and how your nonprofit is actively working to help the community to resolve the issue. For example, you can place the focus on people, and how they addressed a problem by telling the story of how a service recipient was able to overcome an obstacle through your nonprofit’s programs.

Focus on Emotion

Emotion is a key part of being able to tell a story that will captivate and resonate with others. While all of us would like to think that we only make decisions based entirely on logic, our emotions also come into play. We are more likely to donate, volunteer and advocate for causes that we feel a strong emotional connection to, and that we trust and believe to be doing good work to help others. Good stories use words and images that stir the emotions, so be careful to not leave out this vital ingredient!

Don’t Confine Your Storytelling to Just One Format

It’s not only important for your nonprofit to tell good stories, but, the most successful storytellers use multiple formats to convey their message. Wherever possible, try to include clear, bold, and interesting images with all of your stories, whether you are simply posting a single photo, or, an actual written storyline.

Mixing formats can help increase your results. For example, the next time that your nonprofit is engages in a service project, why not shoot some video footage along with taking pictures? Capture your volunteers talking about how the experience of helping others has broadened their perspectives and changes their lives for the good. You could also shoot a short film of a service recipient talking about the challenges that they have had to face, or, perhaps film one of the officers of your nonprofit talking about their plans for the future and how critical public support is to achieving their mission. Once you have some short videos, you could just post them on your website and social media accounts, or, even use them in commercial ads, but you could also embed your videos into written stories in multiple formats to boost the impact of both styles of storytelling.

Include a Call to Action

Don’t you hate it when a good story comes to an end? Most of us do. Capitalise on the feelings that you have stirred up in the viewer of your story, and include a call to action. Let them get in on the fun and share in the adventure of making a difference! Include a link that encourages other to sign up to volunteer, advocate, or donate to your organisation!

Spread the Word

Once you have crafted a few good stories, don’t forget to share them across all of your social media channels and make them easy to share. All it takes is for one story, one photo, one video to go viral to boost your reach and increase your results!