| by Terry Axelrod, Founder and CEO, Benevon
Zero in on Your Emotional Hook
Part Four
How does your organization change the lives of real people?
Use stories to communicate that, and you will make an emotional
impression that people will never forget.
Many people we work with find that re-igniting their passion
comes from learning to tell the story of their organization
powerfully—the story that really strikes a chord with
people. The kind of story that people can’t forget,
like the story of the woman born without legs and an arm that
ends at the elbow who felt empowered by a local Easter Seals
group to overcome the limitations of her disability. Or the
cat who was left at an animal shelter for four months and
was so grateful for being adopted that it acts like a mother
to orphaned kittens.
Take a moment here to think about your own giving. Think
about the organizations you feel really wonderful about supporting.
Do you feel emotionally connected to their work? Odds are,
you do—and that’s why you want to support them
year after year.
Emotion is the golden nugget of any introduction to your
organization because it connects potential donors deeply to
your cause. All the facts in the world, alone, won't get us
to give our biggest gift. Something's got to pull at our heartstrings.
Take the time to discover what it is about your cause that
really hooks people, that calls them to become involved and
stay involved. Then, incorporate this into every aspect of
your communications with people in your community.
Rest assured, every cause has an emotional connection to
make. For a camp or college, this may be nostalgia. For an
environmental group, it may be the dream of leaving our grandchildren
a healthy planet.
Still struggling? Try getting a small group together to discuss
the following questions. They will help you clarify your unique
emotional connection.
What originally moved you about the mission of the organization?
Why did you decide to get involved in the first place? Briefly
share your stories. They will re-inspire you. You will see
common threads.
What cherished cultural values and ideals does your organization
deal with?
Why do people say they want to be involved with your organization?
What moves them enough to give their time or money?
There’s always a way to relate your mission to the
changed life of one individual or family, even if you're dealing
with an abstract policy issue. Take it back to a core human
emotion that stirs people.
The easiest way to show the emotional impact of your work
is through stories. Long after they forget specific facts,
people will remember a story. Help your group zero in on your
"Essential Story.”
The Essential Story is the archetypal story that conveys
the emotional essence of your work powerfully—each time
it is told. It may be a true story about one particular person
or group, or it may be a composite of several stories of real
people whose lives have been changed by your organization.
This story should move you every time you tell it.
The Essential Story has three distinct stages:
- Stage 1: The "Before" Stage
Choose one person's story, give the person a fictitious
name, and briefly describe in vivid language his situation
before he came in contact with your group.
- Stage 2: The "Intervention"
What specific services or support did she receive from you?
What was your personal observation of her at that time?
- Stage 3: The "After" Stage
What are the results of the intervention? How has life changed
for this person? What is now possible for him? What does
this person now say about his or her life? How is she giving
back to others?
Take the time to write out and practice telling this story.
Of course, this does not preclude you from using other stories
as well. It just gives you a fail-proof fall-back story that
everyone from your organization can use to successfully convey
the emotional essence of your work.
Letters of appreciation and live testimonials add depth and
credibility to the third-person stories you will be telling.
The combination of third-person stories, letters, live testimonials,
photos, and/or audiotape will ensure that you get your message
across.
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For more information, visit http://www.benevon.com/. |
