Storytelling for Nonprofits

Written By Dani Beam

The Science Behind Powerful Stories and How to Share Yours

There’s no shortage of cringe-worthy marketing buzzwords out there. Engagement. Optimization. Influencer. Storytelling. I could easily write an article on each one, making a case that while the word itself may cause your eyes to roll, they are anchor words amid ocean-sized concepts that are worth time, discussion, and scrutiny.

But to properly explore these concepts and how they manifest in your organization’s marketing strategy, you need to start at the beginning – with your story.

Stories Stick.

As an avid reader, a former journalist, and a consumer of all things written, told, and shared (OK, I’m nosy), stories have been a huge part of my personal and professional life. Most of us have favorite children’s books that have stayed with us through adulthood (The Missing Piece, anyone?).

A stranger we engaged with in conversation who you still think of to this day (in my case, a young wildlife firefighter I met on a plane who was on her way to battle a fire in the southwest).

Or a movie or TV show that takes you to a special place rewatch after rewatch (hearing Elton John’s Tiny Dancer transports me to the rock journalist film Almost Famous every single time).

Adopting a Storytelling Approach in Your Work Can Be Equally as Powerful.

Just like in my experience of recalling the joy I found in reading my favorite children’s book, organizations can use storytelling to cement ideas and showcase the impact of their work in ways the human brain can more easily retain.

Why? Quite literally, it’s science.

As journalist Benedict Carey wrote in New York Times Magazine, “Researchers have found that the human brain has a natural affinity for narrative construction. People tend to remember facts more accurately if they encounter them in a story rather than in a list.”

In the study, Who doesn't love a good story? — What neuroscience tells about how we respond to narratives, the author Craig Cormick details what research tells us about how stories affect us. These include:

  • Increased people’s likelihood of remembering information [Graesser et al., 1980]

  • Reduced counter-arguing [Green and Brock, 2000]

  • People feel the experience being described was their own [Niemand, 2018]

  • Stories are more convincing than just data [Niemand, 2018]

Most Nonprofits Understand the Importance of Storytelling. The Question is, “How?”

When I speak with clients about why they need to tell better stories, they typically get it. They agree they need to tell stories that are authentic (there’s another buzzword for you that I stand by!).

But when we get to the ‘how’ – how you actually go about telling a more authentic story – that’s when most organizations get stuck. Many are fearful of the resources they believe are necessary to create storytelling opportunities. Others have no idea where to start.

I see nonprofits, and people in general, get caught in a linear thought process as it relates to stories - that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3. But stories, like our lives, don’t work that way. They have complexity and surprise. They are emotional. Unexpected. They have conflict and resolution. A beginning, middle, and end.

If you spend any time googling marketing campaigns as I do, the same brands emerge as superstar storytellers again and again. Nike, Apple, Land Rover, the list goes on. But what I’m more interested in, and what can be challenging to find, are the small organizations, the nonprofits, the arts and culture centers that are the fabric of their communities that are taking their real, relevant, and important work and showcasing it in beautiful, evocative ways.

  • Take a look at how Krochet Kids describes their work on their About page.

  • Humans of NY (it’s not small anymore, but it started out that way). Simple, powerful storytelling, shared in bite-sized pieces on social media.

  • Migrant Justice features moving, documentary-style videos that highlight the stories of farmworkers. Eye-opening and real — and inspires action.

It’s Time to Tell Better, More Authentic Stories. Here’s How to Get Started.

Moving those first few words of your story from inside your mind into the external world, on the screen, typed out for the world to see – it can be the hardest part of crafting a good story.

Here are a few tips for getting your storytelling juices flowing.

  1. Remember Why Your Audience Cares
    Remind yourself why your audience is engaged with your nonprofit in the first place. What value does your organization bring to them? The answer to that question is where your story begins. Look for stories that naturally remind your audience of the good you’re doing for the cause they care deeply about and how their involvement is directly tied to the positive outcomes you’re striving to achieve.

  2. Highlight Stories from the Communities You Impact
    Your organization exists to create impact. Every life you touch, change you make, community you support – these impacts are stories that deserve to be told.

  3. Don’t Confuse Marketing Messages with Stories
    Your marketing messages are about you and your organization. But the stories you tell are ultimately about the audiences you serve. Use your marketing messages to highlight and amplify those stories, not to serve as stories themselves.

  4. Recognize that Vignettes are not Stories
    Stories have narrative arcs. They are complete thoughts that, as described above, have a beginning, middle, and end. Vignettes, on the other hand, reflect a perspective or moment in time. While they can be powerful examples of your mission in action, they often fall short of creating the same impact as a fully composed story.

  5. Explore Stories That You Find Meaningful
    If it’s interesting and meaningful to you, chances are your audience will feel the same. Especially for nonprofits, it’s important to use stories as a device for showcasing not only results and impact but meaningful progress that inspires your audience, notably donors, to continue to invest time, energy, and dollars with your organization.

  6. Don’t Let Limited Resources Stop You from Telling Your Story
    The beautiful thing about storytelling is that anyone can do it. Yes, it takes effort and requires time. It may even stretch you beyond your comfort zone. If these or other obstacles seem to stand in your way, start small. Crafting a compelling donor ask or updating the About page on your website is the perfect place to start.

The Secret to Telling a Great Story is to Start

There’s no such thing as a perfect story. Get started and make messy progress – the trick is to get that first word on the screen and go from there.

If you’re interested in creating a culture of storytelling at your organization, we’re here to help. We’d love to hear your story and work with you to bring it to life. Contact us to get your story started.

Join Us for a Free ‘Science of Storytelling’ Webinar on July 26

Beam Consulting is excited to announce its free webinar on The Science of Storytelling for Nonprofits. Join Amanda Forr and Dani Beam on July 26 from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST /9:00 am – 10:30 am PST, where we’ll discuss the power of storytelling and provide tips for how your nonprofit organization can start telling more authentic, impactful stories.

About The Author

Amanda Forr, the founder of Element A, has built a career dedicated to the idea that carefully chosen words are meaningful and can drive progress. As a writer, editor, and strategist, Amanda transforms research and data findings into actionable insights and strategic plans. She also tells stories, bringing voices and perspectives to light in authentic and insightful ways.

Dani Beam
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