secrets of effective social storytelling

Secrets of Effective Social Storytelling

2

Former nonprofit

executive director,

program manager,

director of outreach

Deep passion for igniting

change through digital

engagement

debra@communityorganizer20.com

Digital Engagement

Strategist

About Debra Askanase

Today’s Workshop

• Why stories resonate

• Sharing Small Moment Stories using social media

• Finding your organizational and project stories

• Elements of a great story

• Developing your own story

*Personal stories and gossip make up 65% of our daily conversations

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secrets-of-storytelling

All day long, we tell stories

We remember stories because we empathetically experience them

http://lifehacker.com/5965703/the-science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains

Decoding Experiencing

Read numbers, lists, text

Read/hear stories

Our brains process stories differently

http://lifehacker.com/5965703/the-science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains

We remember stories because we empathetically experience them

http://lifehacker.com/5965703/the-science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains

http://waggeneredstrom.com/what-we-do/social-innovation/report-digital-persuasion/

* *Small Moment Stories

All year long, leverage social media to share

“Small Moment Stories”

It can be this simple

Instagram

* Search Instagram with web.stagram.com

https://rally.org/starday

Stories about things

http://sfballet.tumblr.com/

What is the focus?

Check out Facebook.com/Humans

OfNewYork

* *Elements of a Strong Story

Long form or short, they all have similar elements

https://www.youtube.com/user/nonprofitvideoawards

• Simplifies a complex idea to its essence

• There is a story arc

– Faces adversity, finds allies, overcomes adversity

• The story arc creates a connection with the audience

• Has a relatable “main character”

• Involves sympathy and empathy

– The character has a problem => sympathy

– The character seeks a solution => empathy

• There is “a stake” involved for the main character

• Gives the audience one strong message

• Inspires action

A strong story…

A story without stakes --is just an essay

https://www.flickr.com/photos/65847570@N00/4155173518/

Make sure it’s a story, not an idea

Idea

Fight back against cancer.

StoryMeet Jordan. Learn who she is, what has

happened to her, what’s in the way, and how she fights back. Will she succeed?

Did this story have…

• A relatable character?

• Story arc

• Description

• Problem (empathy)

• Solution (sympathy)

• Stakes: What the character is overcoming

• A specific call to action?

• A “phrase that pays” in the story?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUQ1vdJQWn0

Look out for the Phrase That Pays*

*The one that you can translate into the ask. Thank you Marc Pitman!

Create great stories: Use Hatchforgood.org

Want to develop a great interview?

https://storycorps.me/about/

* *

4 Types of Stories You Have Right NOW

Founding/Founder’s stories

Our People stories

What You Do stories

Impact stories

What stories do you have on hand?

• Has a complex idea, simplified: Can you explain the story in one sentence

• Has a relatable main character. Who’s yours?

• Has a story arc with sympathy, empathy, and stakes.

– The character has a problem => sympathy

– The character seeks a solution => empathy

• What is “the stake” involved for the main character?

• Inspires action! How does your story inspire action?

Reminder: A story…

* *Creating Strong Visuals

Consider impact and viewpoints

Select what speaks to the heart

5 Visual Content Tips

1. Don’t assume others will react to visuals the same way you do. Test visuals.

2. Pair photos with words for impact. Use genuine photos, not stock images.

3. Invest the most in the first image that you show. First impressions get top billing in the mind.

4. People relate to people. Use people-centric photos.

5. Think about the emotion you want the visual to convey.

Choose the best visual media for your story and your organizational capacity

Stat

ic P

ho

to S

tory

telli

ng • Instagram

• Pinterest

• Flickr

• Tumblr

• Snapchat

• Tag galaxy

Dat

a V

izSt

ory

telli

ng • Infographics

• Maps

• Visual.ly

• Mindmaps

• ThingLink

Vid

eo S

tory

telli

ng • YouTube

• Animoto

• Vimeo

• Vine

• Instagram

• Meerkat

• Animated gif

Cu

rate

d S

tory

telli

ng • Storify

• Scoop.it

• Kontribune

• Paper.li

• Twitter

Share your story everywhere

• Social media

• Website

• Email

• Microsite

• Your fundraising page

• Newsletters

• Direct appeals

Storytelling Development:Final Checklist

• Say the story out loud• Aim for the heart• Test images• Test stories• Craft great questions (use StoryCorps app)• Make it personal (Gideon, Jordan) including sympathetic & empathetic• Make the story bold• Beginning, middle and end• Create a sense of urgency• One awesome visual early on in your story• Talk about the goal: why you need it, what the gap is, how much

(money/time/peeople) is needed• Make it seem attainable!• Invite stakeholders and donors to be part of the solution

Storytelling Resources

Data Visualization resource listhttp://www.juiceanalytics.com/writing/the-ultimate-collection-of-data-storytelling-resources

Resource for storytelling development, with a large library of supportive articleshttp://hatchforgood.org

Curated resources for business storytellinghttp://www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Digital Storytelling resources from TechSouphttp://www.techsoup.org/community/community-initiatives/storymakers-resources

Don’t forget to have fun!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83346641@N00/3578775702/

Don’t forget to have fun!I’m happy to answer any

follow-up questions!

Email: debra@communityorganizer20.com

Website: communityorganizer20.com

Blog: http://communityorganizer20.com

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/debraaskanase

Twitter: @askdebra

Other slides: slideshare.net/debask

Telephone: (617) 682-2977