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Telling the Right Story for Your Online Campaign

Lawrence Grodeska June 11, 2013

Use Twitter Hashtag #npweb

Part

Of:

Sponsored by:

Protecting and Preserving the

Institutional Memories of

Nonprofits Since 1993

www.cjwconsulting.com

(866) 598-0430

info@cjwconsulting.com

Part

Of:

Sponsored by: Part

Of:

Coming this June

Sponsored by:

Today’s Speaker

Lawrence Grodeska Director of Nonprofit Community

Change.org

Hosting:

Cheri J Weissman, CJW Consulting & Services, Inc. Assisting with chat questions: Jamie Maloney, 4Good

Part

Of:

Agenda:

• Why are stories important?

• Elements of a good story

–Narrative

–Presentation

• What’s your story?

• Storytime

• Tips & tools

Why are stories so

important?

Narrative

Elements of a good story

A story follows the journey of

someone who wants something

badly and is having difficulty

getting it.

A character having a problem

creates sympathy.

A character seeking a solution

creates empathy.

Stakes or implications up the

ante for empathy.

Presentation

Elements of a good story

3 principles of visual communications

1) Humans are visual first, verbal second.

2) Our actions are based more on

emotions than rational thought.

3) Visuals most effectively evoke emotion

and inspire people to take action.

Seeing is Believing: A Guide to Visual Storytelling Best Practices, 2013 Resource Media

The medium is the message

Objective Channel

Educate video, infographic, petition

Engage / action

video, image, petition, sms, email

Fundraise email, social media

Brand / credibility

video, infographic, press, petition

What’s your story?

Define your goals

• What is the outcome you want for this

campaign?

Know your audience

• Whose hearts and minds do you need

to win over?

Choose your tactics

Objective Channel

Educate video, infographic, petition

Engage / action

video, image, petition, sms, email

Fundraise email, social media

Brand / credibility

video, infographic, press, petition

Pick your character

• Remember:

– Interest

– Sympathy (problem)

– Empathy (solution)

– Stakes

• People power your

story!

Tell your story!

• Vet your stories to be credible

• Circulate story among peers or

colleagues for feedback

• Build education into continuum of action

• Share your success along the way

Storytime

ForestEthics Enbridge

campaign

Problem: Planned pipeline from Alberta's Tar Sands to the coast

would introduce mega-tankers into pristine waters for

the first time. Huge threat to wildlife, thousands of rivers

and streams, and Canada’s fisheries.

Objectives, audience & tactics

• Long term objective: stop the pipeline – Short term: Create online action opportunities for

supporters to create offline change

• Audience: environmentalists and concerned citizens

• Tools and tactics: – Petitions

– Targeted actions

– Signup, donation & thank you pages

Campaign story

Characters:

• Wildlife

• Activists

Problem:

habitat & democracy are threatened

Solution:

listen to public & stop the pipeline

Stakes:

loss of wildlife, government overreach

Actions

Government response

“ Unfortunately, there are environmental and other radical groups that would seek to block this opportunity to diversify our trade(…) These groups threaten to hijack our regulatory system to achieve their radical ideological agenda. They seek to exploit any loophole they can find, stacking public hearings with bodies to ensure that delays kill good projects…” – Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources

Shift story narrative

Fundraising asks

Rallies & news events

Tips & Tools

Storytelling takes time

• Listen!

• Record and store your stories

• Evaluate your success over time

• Experiment

• Don’t be afraid to fail

Visual presentation

• Test images

• Combine images & text (LOLcats)

• Make images with your message

• Use authentic images from your campaign

• Choose subjects to maximize connection (eyes)

• First impressions matter, invest in good images

Storytelling tools

• Storify.com

• Vine app

• Google maps (victories)

• QuickMeme.com

• visual.ly

• Zeega.com

• Youtube editor

What are YOU changing?

Web: Change.org/organizations

Social: @ChangeOrgs

/ChangeOrgs

@lsgrodeska

Email: Lawrence@change.org