Storytelling has over the years been the easiest way to effectively communicate values and also influence the listener’s mindset. It gives the storyteller the ability to tap into the emotions of his or her audience thereby, influencing their decisions over life matters and other important areas of human existence.
As a nonprofit seeking to bring about change, storytelling can be a useful tool in accomplishing that goal through the application of some strategic methods.
In this blog, we look at 3 ways through which a nonprofit can take advantage of storytelling to bring about systematic changes.
- Presenting results and achievements as stories
Results are best understood when told as stories with references made to real-life scenarios. Nonprofits when informing people about themselves can tell stories of their impacts in the past via newsletters, social media platforms, blogs, and website contents.
The problem most times is that most nonprofits do not know how to present their achievements and impacts with the right words when telling their story. People understand a course, a thing, and an event better when the right words are applied in its presentation to them.
When the right words are used to tell stories of the works that a nonprofit organization has been able to do over time, they can then influence their target audience’s decisions thereby bringing about their intended goals.
- Tapping into people’s emotion
Stories are easy ways through which we can reach people’s humanity and bring out their hidden emotions thereby influencing their choices. Nonprofits can tell stories that relate to each audience’s experience and lifestyle.
A Story about someone who found themselves in a certain environment and who later became a victim of such environment and needs help to recover from either an addiction or a health condition will win the hearts of a parent who has a child within the same age.
The ability of a nonprofit organization to tell stories that a specific set of people can relate to will help fasten their course.
- Presentation of issues
Stories can be used to explain the issues that a nonprofit has set out to proffer solutions to. There is a difference between listing out what needs to be solved and telling relevant stories about what needs to be resolved by a nonprofit organization.
For example; at Grand Charities, we are focused on helping young people like Michael who has been battling with marijuana addiction for the past ten years and has been one of the six young persons undergoing rehabilitation at our facility.
The above story tells a story that will motivate every reader to commit their money to making sure that the above charity is able to help other persons like Michael.
Conclusion
Effective storytelling can inspire and motivate people to get involved. The key is to create a clear and compelling narrative that the audience connects with on an emotional level. It is about telling the right story to the right audience and at the right time and in order to do this, you have to consider your audience so that you can reach them at a level where they will be able to align with your mission and goals.