How to Hunt and Gather the Treasures of Fundraising and Communications – Stories

Stories are powerful. And donors, like all human beings, love them. And so do those other fine examples of humanity – development staff. But how do you go about hunting and gathering these stories? Four tips:

1) Carry around a state-of-the-art recorder, microphone and transcriber so you can nab those stories before they vanish. Or, like the rest of us, if you have a notebook and a pen, or a smart-phone, use it when you talk to the people you serve, partner with and advocate for. In the video below, ArtsRightsJustice documented people’s impressions of a gathering using an I-phone and about 30 seconds per person:

2) Events = action = great photos = stories. Snapshots strung together with a little bit of copy can make lovely, visual stories. The trick here is to plan ahead. Make sure a photographer, or a volunteer with an eye for good pictures, is tasked with taking pictures (and nothing else) at your event. Give them clear instructions: the kinds of pictures you want and who and what they should capture. A good ratio is 60% close-ups of people’s faces, hands, activities; 10% landscape/setting shots; 30% mid-range “action” shots involving 2 or more people. This gives you a good variety to choose from.

3) Want stories? Ask for them. You’re right, SurveyMonkey isn’t the answer here. But, an intern can call folks and “interview” them. You’ll usually get great quotes out of this. It’s best to have 5 questions prepared and enough practice/experience to know when to dig deeper, and when to stay silent.

4) If all else fails, and you need a fresh new story, think about telling your own. What inspired you to join this particular nonprofit and no other? What keeps you going? If you’re telling your story, make it truly yours with a personal anecdote.

And there you have it – a story or four. No rifles, bearskins or foraging on berries required.