The most powerful way to connect people to your mission is by telling a story that causes the listener to feel something. Your organization is already filled with these kinds of stories, but when you share them, do your listeners take action? Do they make another gift? Volunteer again? Or bring others into your organization as new guests and donors? Learn from Master Storyteller, Lori L. Jacobwith, whose stories and coaching has already helped nonprofit organizations raise more than $200 million from individual donors. Lori will share tools and strategies to help you engage your team (yes you have a team!) to identify and share powerful stories so you retain more donors AND raise more money. Lori L. Jacobwith has a passion for the positive. Her strategies & tools have helped organizations to collectively raise more than $200 million from individual donors over the past decade. She has coached and trained thousands across North America to raise more money and powerfully share their stories. Lori is the founder of the Ignited Online Fundraising Community, the author of Nine Steps to a Successful Fundraising Campaign and the “must-read” fundraising coaching blog: Withism’s From Lori: Boldness, Clarity and Wisdom for Fundraising Professionals.

1. How to Find & Tell Stories that
Cause Donors to Give Again
Presented by:

2. Lori L. Jacobwith
•
LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Master storyteller, trainer & coach

3. Lori L. Jacobwith
•
•
LJacobwith
LJacobwith
Master storyteller, trainer & coach
25+ years in social profit sector

4. Lori L. Jacobwith
•
•
LJacobwith
25+ years in social profit sector
•
LJacobwith
Master storyteller, trainer & coach
Measurable: Since 2001 I’ve helped
organizations raise $200 million
from individual donors.
And counting.

5. Lori L. Jacobwith
•
•
LJacobwith
25+ years in social profit sector
•
LJacobwith
Master storyteller, trainer & coach
Measurable: Since 2001 I’ve helped
organizations raise $200 million
from individual donors.
And counting.
•
Coached more than 3000
organizations and as many stories.

6. Author of the Only
Step-by-Step Storytelling System
www.lorijacobwith.com/storytellingsystem

7. What We Will Cover
 What is storytelling

8. What We Will Cover
 What is storytelling
 Why tell stories?

9. What We Will Cover
 What is storytelling
 Why tell stories?
 What donors want

10. What We Will Cover
 What is storytelling
 Why tell stories?
 What donors want
 Where to find great stories

11. What We Will Cover
 What is storytelling
 Why tell stories?
 What donors want
 Where to find great stories
 A framework to help craft
your story

12. What do you want
supporters to do?

13. Information Deluges Us

14. How can you stand out?

15. There is a secret to
cutting through the
clutter of day to day
noise…

16. Your Impact on Real People

17. Storytelling: A Narrative Account
…of real or imagined events.
~ Source: National Storytelling Association

18. What Storytelling is Not
You are not a
newspaper or news
reporter that shares
objective and careful
stories.

19. Storytelling
At its core, storytelling is
the art of using language,
vocalization, and/or
physical movement and
gesture to reveal the
elements and images of a
story to a specific, live
audience.
~ Source: National Storytelling Association

20. What action do supporters take
when you share your stories?

21. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they
support a cause:
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good

22. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they
support a cause:
To make a difference
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good

23. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they
support a cause:
To make a difference
To feel personally connected to
something greater than themselves
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good

24. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they
support a cause:
To make a difference
To feel personally connected to
something greater than themselves
To feel useful
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good

25. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people want when they
support a cause:
To make a difference
To feel personally connected to
something greater than themselves
To feel useful
To get the warm glow of giving
~ Katya Andresen, Network for Good

26. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
An appeal to give (more) money
There needs to be more of what people want in
their experience with us.

27. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:

28. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:
A tax receipt

29. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures

30. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes

31. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
An appeal to give (more) money

32. Great Gaping Disconnect
What people get when they
support a cause:
A tax receipt
Statistics, facts & figures
A newsletter…sometimes
An appeal to give (more) money
There needs to be more of what people want in
their experience with us.

33. Startling Statistic

34. Startling Statistic
Nearly 50% of donors
stop giving for reasons
connected to
“a failure to
communicate.”
~ Penelope Burk & Cygnus Applied Research

35. Who Do You Want to Retain?
Source: Agents of Good.org

36. Regular Feedback
& Reinforcement

37. Why are stories so important*?
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story

38. Why are stories so important*?
• We “THINK” in story
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story

39. Why are stories so important*?
• We “THINK” in story
• Every decision we make is
based on the story we tell
ourselves.
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story

40. Why are stories so important*?
• We “THINK” in story
• Every decision we make is
based on the story we tell
ourselves.
• If we don’t feel something
we can’t make a decision
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story

41. Why are stories so important*?
• Facts: Wake up the brain.
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story

42. Why are stories so important*?
• Facts: Wake up the brain.
• Stories: Allow us to experience
the facts.
*From Lisa Cron: Wired for Story

43. Knowledge Alone Does Not
Cause People to Take Action

44. Stories of Your Impact
…create
unforgettable
emotional
connections

45. Mission Moments
Lori’s Definition:
“Any short, inspirational, example of
how your organization is making an
impact.”

46. Mission Moments
Lori’s Definition:
“Any short, inspirational, example of
how your organization is making an
impact.”
 Must be an example of a real
person.

47. Mission Moments
Lori’s Definition:
“Any short, inspirational, example of
how your organization is making an
impact.”
 Must be an example of a real
person.
 Could be a client, staff person,
volunteer and certainly can be a
board member.

48. Mission Moments
http://bit.ly/MissionMomentsFromLori

49. Where to find stories?

50. Where to find stories?
We take for granted:

51. Where to find stories?
We take for granted:
1. People understand what kind
of impact examples you are
looking for.

52. Where to find stories?
We take for granted:
1. People understand what kind
of impact examples you are
looking for.
2. People know how to tell a
story.

53. Where to find stories?
Remember:
Most people don’t know
HOW to do what you
are asking.

54. Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:

55. Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
1. Who do you ask for mission
moment examples?

56. Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
1. Who do you ask for mission
moment examples?
2. What questions do you ask?

57. Finding Powerful Stories
Important factors:
1. Who do you ask for mission
moment examples?
2. What questions do you ask?
3. Where do you ask the
questions?

58. 1. Who to Ask?

59. Who to Ask?
Let’s make a list…

60. 2. What do you ask them?

61. Finding Powerful Stories
 Open-ended questions.

62. Finding Powerful Stories
 Open-ended questions.
 Ask questions that gets “at”
a story but doesn’t feel like you are
putting the person on the spot.

63. Finding Powerful Stories
 Open-ended questions.
 Ask questions that gets “at”
a story but doesn’t feel like you are
putting the person on the spot.
 The responsibility to “find” the story is yours.
Ask more questions to glean the “nuggets” to
build the story.

64. Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:

65. Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
1. Who have you met at our organization
that inspires you?

66. Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
1. Who have you met at our organization
that inspires you?
2. What is your own “mission moment”
that makes you want to be a part of
our organization?

67. Help Identify Mission moments
Ask Questions:
1. Who have you met at our organization
that inspires you?
2. What is your own “mission moment”
that makes you want to be a part of
our organization?
3. Add your own.

69. 3. Where to Ask the Questions?

70. Where to Ask the Questions?

71. Turning a Mission Moment
into a Story

72. Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
Boring2Brilliant.com

73. Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your
listener can visualize.
Boring2Brilliant.com

74. Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your
listener can visualize.
• Use words that emotionally
connect the listener to your work
and the person you’re speaking
about. No jargon.
Boring2Brilliant.com

75. Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your
listener can visualize.
Boring2Brilliant.com
• Use words that emotionally
connect the listener to your work
and the person you’re speaking
about. No jargon.
• Share specific examples of YOUR work and how it
makes a difference in the life of a real person

76. Lori’s Storytelling Criteria
• Tell a story about an actual person
using name/age/descriptors so your
listener can visualize.
Boring2Brilliant.com
• Use words that emotionally
connect the listener to your work
and the person you’re speaking
about. No jargon.
• Share specific examples of YOUR work and how it
makes a difference in the life of a real person
• The story must be short – 2 minutes or less.

77. Before and After

78. Storytelling: How Do We Do This?

79. Lori’s 6-Step Process
1. Identify one
person.

80. Lori’s 6-Step Process
2. Learn & jot down
as much about
them as you can.

81. Lori’s 6-Step Process
2. Learn & jot down
as much about
them as you can.
3. Write down all of
the exact results.

82. Lori’s 6-Step Process
4. Make a list of
transformations
due to your
involvement and
their results.

83. Lori’s 6-Step Process
5. Circle the
words that
stand out and
are emotionally
connecting.

84. Emotionally connecting words
• Abandoned
• Blessed
The placement of
emotionally engaging
words and phrases, is key
to creating a powerful story.
• Emotionally bruised
• Spiritually & physically broken
• Weary
• More?

85. Lori’s 6-Step Process
6. Now fit the
story into the
framework &
practice telling
your story.

86. Lori’s 6-Step Process
6. Now fit the
story into the
framework &
practice telling
your story.
Often.

89. Even Shorter

90. Using the Same Story Again

91. Storytelling & Board Members
http://bit.ly/BoardMembersStorytelling
[This link is case sensitive]

92. People will forget what you said. People will
forget what you did. But people will never
forget how you made them feel.
~ Maya Angelou

93. Lots of Ways To Stay Connected
Free Weekly BLOG:
WITHISM’S FROM LORI:
Boldness, clarity and wisdom
for fundraising professionals
making a difference
Available at:
Amazon.com
LJacobwith
@LJacobwith
Download - Free
Resources page:
LoriJacobwith.com

94. Steps to Creating a
Storytelling Culture

95. Steps to Creating a
Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings,
discussions, events by sharing a story.

96. Steps to Creating a
Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings,
discussions, events by sharing a story.
2. Ask board members, staff, donors &
others for examples of people that have
inspired them from your organization.

97. Steps to Creating a
Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings,
discussions, events by sharing a story.
2. Ask board members, staff, donors &
others for examples of people that have
inspired them from your organization.
3. Make it fun, safe & easy to “learn” HOW
to share a powerful client example.

98. Steps to Creating a
Storytelling Culture
1. Infuse your mission into all meetings,
discussions, events by sharing a story.
2. Ask board members, staff, donors &
others for examples of people that have
inspired them from your organization.
3. Make it fun, safe & easy to “learn” HOW
to share a powerful client example.
4. Include lots of written & told stories
via social media, website, donors visits

99. Moving Forward
Share:
One thing you learned
How will you create a
storytelling culture?

100. How to Find & Tell Stories that
Cause Donors to Give Again
Go forth and find &
share powerful stories
Questions?
Thank you!

101. Next Webinar:
The Reality of SEO
for Nonprofits
11/20 - 2:30pm EST
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