Remember this as you’re telling your organizations story this week and this fall. If you need help, give us a shout.
STORY is about principals, not rules.
STORY is about eternal, universal forms, not formulas.
STORY is about archetypes, not stereotypes.
STORY is about thoroughness, not shortcuts.
STORY is about the realities, not the mysteries – of writing.
STORY is about mastering the art, not second guessing the marketplace.
STORY is about respect, not disdain for the audience.
STORY is about originality, not duplication.
Portnoy Media Group uses the influence of social networks to expand your organization's voice and tell your story. We connect people with your mission and enable your brand to be shared, discovered, and connected. Work with us as we empower your organization to dramatically extend your online presence and increase donations.
This great animation from David Shiyang Liu is based on one of the greatest storytellers of our time, Ira Glass. Check out his work here.
I found it inspiring and encouraging to keep moving, create good work and close the gap from taste to creative narrative.
Be encouraged and build your story – keep going, your organization will be better for it!
I’m super thrilled to announce that we’re launching my first book – The Non-profit Narrative
My goal for the book is to end up in the center of three topics.
This book shows how non-profits can thrive by telling great stories.
- Learn what it takes to communicate a narrative in the digital space that gets results.
- Acquire and cultivate your audience at the same time.
- Further your organizations communication with engagement, connection and more donors.
I’m really excited to share this information and study with you very soon.
Sign up for our email list to be the first to be sent a chapter from the book before anyone else!
And check out the book page – The Non-profit Narrative
This is how to ask for money – give vision to your tribe!
This concept is simple (Tell your Story) but it’s not easy. Every September, I look forward to hearing Scott Harrison tell me all the really incredible things that friends of charity:water have been doing over the last year. Seeing peers, families and kids get exited about making an impact in a community half way around the world is incredible – plus it doesn’t hurt when cute kids are putting on a lemonade stand for water projects either.
Conventional (or entrenched) wisdom would say that we need to make sure there’s a regular appeal letter, a response device and we need to wait 3 weeks to see how it does. Get some data returned and then look how else we can “engage” our print audience.
Can you imagine if charity:water did that?
I can’t – it would be against their DNA. They’ve never been a conventional charity, YAY!
Check out their website (it changes during this campaign- because it’s how they got started, they’re using every piece of communication to reinforce their position)
This design is so simple and extremely intentional. It’s pretty but the primary function of the webpage is quick connection and helping site visitors become participants in water projects.
But that’s them…. and you work at a more conventional charity and to mix it up too much could be disastrous.. What can we learn? Here’s a couple of tips.
Tell your story
Don’t just tell the stories of those your impacting make sure your organization doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. It’s crucial to share your impact but make sure you’re consistently sharing with your audiences about why you’re active and why you’ve chosen this work versus others.
Film, Film, Film
Hire/partner with a filmmaker – and I don’t mean the guy down the street with a camera. I mean a professional that works withclients all the time. I’ve found that the best filmmakers to collaborate with have big dreams and don’t feel that client work is their endgame. They are pushing themselves and their company to be bigger, as a result, they are always learning and a position of learning means that they’ll have a careful eye on how to make your next film project. (PS if you’re nervous about it, I’ve got a great list of companies that I enjoy working with – just email me dan@portnoymediagroup.com)
A Clear Ask
One of the new trends is to kind of ask or soft ask. (Have a response device in a mailer but don’t draw attention to it.) It’s confusing. Ask your tribe or don’t. Give them information and thank them, tell them a story or an update but when it’s time to ask don’t “shuffle your feet”. “Do or do not. There is no try?”- Yoda Don’t apologize for raising money to save someones life! When you pause or don’t ask with confidence it can communicate a lot of extra negatives. Either you’re being a good steward with your funds and you can ask with confidence for the ability to carry on this work or you’ve abused this relationship and you’re unsure if this should continue.
Adjust Across Platforms
The web needs to reflect your campaigns. This sounds simple, and it is, but too many times the website is taking a backseat to the agency running a print campaign. remember, you can get more data in 30 minutes from a facebook post (with a vibrant community) than you will on how a mailer responded. (it’s easier for charity:water – to my knowledge they don’t have a regular mailing list, just email)
Community
How are you building it around your project. You have to show the peer to peer influence – don’t just give me some stats – that’s lame. Show me how a human was impacted and made an adjustment in their life for your cause. That will help your community know that this is the kind of action you’re looking for. Read Dan and Chip Heath’s book “Switch” they call it: Highlighting the bright spots.
Ditch the Text
How much text on the charity:water homepage is above the fold? Not that much. Bold statements and a video. This short film will do more than 3 pages of text could ever do to communicate a story. Now look at your website. I run into a lot of NPO’s trying to communicate everything that they do all at the same time. That’s not story telling, it’s asking people to drink from a fire hose and how long would you hang around if that’s all you could do. It’s not connection – it’s offensive. Don’t be offensive.. but you know that already.
Congratulations to Scott Harrison and the team at charity:water for hitting another homerun. I admire your work and you’re all top shelf in my book.
Breaking this information down and getting it working for your organization is what Portnoy Media does best. So if this is feeling like a lot and you’re interested in telling your story better and developing community around your brand – give us a shout. Nonprofits, over 40% of your annual revenue is less than 120 days away!!
Office Number 626.487.9823
This past weekend was a big weekend for movie theaters and for Warner Brothers with the triumphant return of “Harry Potter” to theaters for its final installment. The lobby was packed with costumed patrons all saying goodbye in their own way to characters that they’ve come to know and love over the last 14 years. (“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was published on June 30, 1997.)
I’ve read the books and seen the movies and enjoyed them all thoroughly.
As I sat in the dark theater this weekend, surrounded by a myriad of ages and ethnicities, I started to think about the series, the business, the franchise and what made it work. Next I thought about my clients. What principles could we glean from this success? How could these principles be used to cultivate community?
Here’s a few takeaways:
The Content is Remarkable
Bottom Line – It’s a good story. It’s THE story; the hero’s journey is the foundation of every story and what draws us in. J.K. Rowling created a rich, dynamic world for readers to enter. There’s a spinoff series around every corner; she can tell you the story of characters going back 100 years. She looks to connect us to the humanity in the story. We wrestle with the unknown, we feel uneasy when our characters do and we shed a tear in a Starbucks when Dobby dies (maybe that last one was just me). Point is, it’s worth talking about. It’s a great experience and it’s rewarding. There’s intrinsic value to it. Now how many nonprofits are creating remarkable content? Nonprofits that have great value and with great stories to tell – true stories! Stories of the hero’s journey, of life change and of impact. Takeaway: Make the best content you can.
Rabid Fans Spread Rabidly
The engagement and the worldwide spread of Harry Potter is a phenomeon. It’s part art and part science. We know that to tell a good story that it must have certain pieces (science) and it must weave eloquently (art). Rowling’s blending of the two is nothing short of genius. She gives us the story we want but not in the way that we want it. This is the mark of a great storyteller. Spending a few hours with Harry Potter, using our imaginations and joining his friends on an adventure is a great experience. When I was handed the books I was told, “Hurry to the 3rd book, it gets amazing!” and when I finished it, I was having a great time reading. I was having a great time reading?!?!?! It’s not all that often, I read a lot and most of it is to stay informed about issues or a new strategy, but this was pure pleasure and glorious. I wanted to share this experience with others and tell my sphere about this positive experience. Takeaway: Make sure your donor experience is positive!
J.K. Rowling Has a Formula
As each story starts, Harry is introduced to a new concept and sees that the world is bigger than he thought – just like growing up. She starts each story in August just days before Harry’s birthday (a big event in any kid’s life) and every year she introduces a new mode of transportation, a new creature and fills in the gaps on the evil in the world. The truth is: for every similarity she also breaks her rules but always to further the story. This formula gives us tracks to run on, we can get comfortable and then she uses that comfort against us when she’s breaking the rule. Yet we’re not upset. It’s entertaining and it’s great storytelling. Takeaway: Be informative about how your community works but don’t be afraid to push the envelope.
Up the Ante
Building on the formula, the stakes get bigger every time. We see characters die in the “The Sorcerers’ Stone” but they were villains so we don’t feel too terrible. It’s what good does, it triumphs over evil and the minions are left holding the bag. By the time the fourth book gets started and we’re introduced to even more characters, we think we’ve got it figured out but then tragedy. A character dies. Not a distant relative or a story from years past. Cedric Diggory is murdered right in front of Harry Potter. When I read this part is was so abrupt that that I was looking for more exposition on the circumstance. The death of characters continues throughout the books. Characters we’ve come to care about, characters with influence. But this is how life is, no certainty and when conveying your story it’s important to up the tension. It’s crucial to show that the act of donating or volunteering will make a difference but you must ACT – and do it now! It’s also important here to note that the story of “Boy who Cried Wolf” is a very important fundraising lesson. Donor fatigue is all too real in today’s world and we need to be mindful and thank our donors as often as possible.. besides, I’ve never heard someone complain because they just keep getting thanks for their work with a nonprofit. Takeaway: Use tension to create urgency in your story. What time of year is this most appropriate? Remember to say “Thanks”, often.
It Takes Time
It’s easy for us to look at the Harry Potter franchise and say, “It’s obvious this would be a hit.” I don’t think the editor of the first book was thinking that this series would bring in over $21 Billion, spawn a theme park and become a household name. After the fourth installment – some would say the second – it was obvious that this series was going to be big. The big lesson here is that consistency will pay your bills in the tough months as long as the tyranny of the urgent doesn’t distract. So publish on Facebook, update your Twitter profile. Do it often and don’t miss your email updates. You’re making deposits into an emotional bank account for your brand. Takeaway: Winning on the web is a splash for some but most involves daily farming. Be consistent!
Helping organizations be creative in the telling of their story is our specialty. (It’s also one of my more favorite things to do!) We love getting to the heart of what your organization is about and then giving you, and your team, the tools to make a major impact. If your organization needs a boost in how you’re communicating online – Give us a shout on our contact page!
It’s very obvious to me that I’m getting old. The annual trek to Austin is something that I’m beginning to have a love/hate relationship with.
Great people and great info make the time there really worth attending and it would seem that each year the brands are getting smarter and smarter to court the influence of the tastemakers by bringing out the big guns.
This year went above and beyond. CNN, Pepsi, AOL and Samsung all went to the wall with big offerings. Overall the actual panels and speaking was great – however I thought the panels this year were lacking. During the conference I asked around to see if it was just me or a greater problem. Turns out it wasn’t me, I asked around and we all had the same feeling – many panel speakers seemed unprepared or out of sync with each other, like there was zero prep time.
Highlights and Tips:
Apps, Apps, Apps
I don’t know what the square footage of the Austin Convention Center Exhibition area was but 90% of the booths were hocking an app. It makes sense because Apple has paid out over $2 Billion to developers but none of them really stood out to me. App Developers – How are you standing out?? The secret is not by offering a drawing for an iPad2 (everyone’s doing it!)
Print is not dead
The irony that the largest techie conference uses as much paper as they do is disturbing. Big kudos to the crew at Square Space for their brilliant food truck and use of GREAT print. It was effective and drew me in. Loved it!
Print is still white noise
Making a flyer about your website, new app or product is just silly. Mediocre print is sadly not going anywhere but covered any square inch of space available around the convention center. Interestingly the only people I saw paying attention to the massive flyer covered areas were the people covering them.
Ze Frank blew my doors off!
It’s great find out that the word is bigger than I thought and I’ve got a long way to go. I find it challenging and exciting. Ze walked through several recent projects including Young Me, Now Me and The Chillout Story. I was entranced by his humanity crossed with technology storytelling. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a fan of Ze since “The Show” but to hear how these emotion laden one-offs are impacting masses and showing true connection are exquisitely beautiful.
The Mentoring Sessions in Film should be adopted by Interactive
It was invaluable to bounce ideas off of leading filmmakers and executives. I wish this was also done by the interactive side of things. Please SXSW make that happen for next year!
Ditch the Parties and hang out at the lobby bar.
This is the best piece of advice I can give you and I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one thinking it. Most nights I was trying to catch up with a fair amount of people and it was great to just hang out in one place and not have to yell over the thumping bass. The bonus was one night finding Guy Kawasaki and Pam Slim at the next table – I knew it was a good idea!
Talking to 3 different continents during Beth Kanters’ session!
A packed house for Beth’s session on engaging free agents and the best part was talking in real time with new friends in Lebanon and Egypt at the same time. It’s so important for free agents and nonprofits to team up and Beth does an amazing job of making that point. Don’t be a fortress nonprofit and get her book!
Experience SXSW as a team!
I was very fortunate to be with 3 great guys from Out:think Group. I work with these guys everyday and it was great to spend some time with these extremely talented guys without due dates hanging over our heads.
Get some Coulhaus!
I can’t talk enough about this food truck! Just ask Tiffany, we talk about them at least once a week. They’ve got the BEST ice cream sandwiches and Firefox showed how smart they were by bringing them to launch their Firefox Mobile Party. Thanks Firefox!!
Breakfast Tacos and Thunderbird Coffee
Part of my annual trip of SXSW is to see my friend Carrie Graham and hear about all the cool work she’s doing with Mosaic church. This year she took me out for some breakfast tacos and Thunderbird Coffee. The next time you’re in Austin check them out – thank me later.
That’s SXSW for 2011 for me! See you next year!
In a few hours I’m sharing the stage with Mark Horvath (@Hardlynormal) to talk with homeless service agencies in attendance about how new/social media tools are at their disposal for greater connectivity, greater awareness and greater fundraising.
Mark has had HUGE success in rallying support to his cause of InvisiblePeople.tv It’s raw, real and unedited. His mode of using social media with shock and awe is well suited to his personality and you can’t argue the results he gets with over 50,000 views a month on his YouTube channel.
As Mark and I started talking about what to share with our group this morning it was interesting to hear him talk about entry points into social media for these agencies. Because Mark understands the principles of communication in this new mode, he knows that how he uses the medium and interacts with so many on a daily basis won’t work with the same kind of success for a 100 year old shelter in Kansas City, MO.
For Example: One of my favorite videos from Mark
This video is as raw as it gets. Barry talks frankly about what he’s living in, what his life is about and his hope for the future. His life hits me like a truck. Living in tunnels under Las Vegas, Barry’s struggles are so much more urgent than anything I have happening in my life.
This video is a small part in the narrative that InvisiblePeople.tv and Mark are telling. Mark’s a crusader and gives glimpses into the vast spectrum of lives that are intersecting with homelessness. Families in cheap hotels, women couch surfing, a man living in Central Park. Their stories make up the multiple faces of homelessness and Mark is campaigning for change. His tactics blitzkreig our lives, slap us around and ask if we’re going to let it continue. The drum that he’s been banging has attracted the attention of Google, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times and dozens of news outlets.
He’s had success but if you did the exact same thing, there would be some ripples and in the end you’d be referred to as, “Oh, you’re doing things just like InvisiblePeople.tv!”
What can we learn?
- Mark’s style fits his organization and personality – find yours and tell your story.
- There was a need and Mark got started helping – he “shipped it“. There have been adjustments and refinements along the way to make sure that he’s connecting. Even to the point of starting WeAreVisible.com because his tribe told him that was needed.
- This didn’t exist 3 years ago – a new market/community around an idea.
- A great example of acquisition – he can go to this community for help/resources. The housing of @LostAwareness by @Skip1 is a great move from the community – Check out the video
In the next post (Part II) I’ll sum up what we talked about in our session at The National Alliance to End Family Homelessness Conference and profile an organization that’s in the digital space that uses the same principles but it looks different. Here’s a hint.
Wikipedia released a whole bunch of info on their ongoing campaign to raise funs from within the community. Â The infographic from David McCandless is fantastic because of the quick info communicated. Â (McCandless calls the success “Gore” but I think it’s more effective because they’ve humanized the ask.) What’s the biggest takeaway?
Guilt should never be a tool used to raise money!
Does it work? Â Sure – for the short term. Â You can even argue that guilt raises more money that gratitude but do you want to associate your brand with a negative emotion?
Imagine you’re at a party. The mood is great and the music is rolling. Quality conversation is happening all around you and connections are being made. Â The witty banter of friends carries light on the air. Then a loud interrupting announcement is made that everyone must now play board games and only board games. The announcer goes on to tell you that those who don’t play board games will really be a hindrance to everyone else. Â The vibe shifts. No longer is the merry conversation free-for-all acceptable and now it just gets weird. The audience starts asking, “Aren’t we adults here?” and “Why am I being pushed around like this?”.
This is the exact same scenario that organizations put their audiences through when they push for what they want. Â Don’t let your organization be the strange one at the party making all the rules and excluding folks from being a part of what you do. Organizations define “the online party” by setting the house rules. If you set the rules one way, you’ve got to follow through other wise it hurts your rep. Â The online reputation of your organization comes from your donors but also from those who your programs serve. Bait and switch works in the short term too, but again, is that the conscious choice you want to be making?
I’m often asked about attrition rates when it comes to donors. Â For example: In an email campaign if the attrition rate is less than 1% for all messages common thought is that you’re not emailing enough. Traditional marketing dictates that organizations push their donors to leave. Constantly piling on more and more to the donors plate. Â I would argue that as a donor I would like to engage in the ritual of story and be taken along a journey with an organization year over year. (Traditional offerings are not allowed!) Â This is why charity:water dominates September with their birthday campaign. By participating you’re adding to the story, you’re truly joining their mission. The raise millions online annually with a soft ask.
So what can we learn from this? (and there is a ton of data here, take a look)
- Banner ads are fickle – there’s not a standard approach to making a great pitch. This is great evidence that money can be better spent on anything than these. If you decide to use banner ads they have to constantly be tweaked to get your message right. Their average response ranges from .11% to just under 3% – not any better than direct mail. The fun part for Wikipedia – this doesn’t cost them anything. Your organization doesn’t have this same luxury.
- Give your donors a positive intangible, allow them the opportunity to get involved and show momentum.
- Thank them along the way? Â Of course but that’s not the driving factor to raise money. It’s the driving factor to building a community and with a community you can move mountains!
- Make the connection personal – “I only know one person at Wikipedia, he happens to be the founder.”
URM Board members Stan Gerlach and David Dow pose with Andy Bales (center) at the AFP awards
Los Angeles – The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals held their National Philanthropy Day Awards yesterday at the Beverly Hilton. Â Hosted by Leeza Gibbons, these awards highlighted the best in LA for philanthropy.
From the LA Chapter AFP Website:
National Philanthropy Day® (NPD) is one day set aside each year for the purpose of recognizing the great contribution philanthropy makes to our society and to honor individuals, businesses and support organizations that are active in the philanthropic community. NPD was founded by Los Angeles philanthropist and attorney Doug Freeman. The first NPD awards luncheon was held in cities across the country in 1986, after President Ronald Reagan proclaimed November 15 as National Philanthropy Day. Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch penned the music and lyrics for “Now, More Than Ever,†the anthem for the event. Since then, NPD is celebrated in all fifty states and Canada. NPD offers an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of charitable giving and the spirit that makes such generosity possible.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Los Angeles Chapter (GLAC), a nonprofit organization that provides education and support to promote ethical and effective fundraising practices, will honor the following people and organizations at the National Philanthropy Day® awards luncheon.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT BY A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
presented by The Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation
Will be awarded at the event.
Finalists
Disability Legal Rights Center
Goodwill Industries of Southern California
Runner Up – The Harmony Project
Mar Vista Family Center
Para Los Niños
Salvation Army of Southern California
Winner – Union Rescue Mission
As the winner was being announced by Matthew Zarcufsky, he sited that URM had stepped up to meet the need of the greater Los Angeles area and increased services 45% in this economy.  He also sited this summers need to raise 2.8 Million Dollars in less than 40 days to keep Hope Gardens, URM’s women and children center, from closing it’s doors. The team at URM rallied their community and raised 3.8 Million dollars in just 37 days through seven different mediums!  The outpouring from the community was so great through bloggers and people sharing info on facebook and Twitter. It even prompted Hope Gardens volunteer and  NCIS star Pauley Perrette to join Twitter and lead a rally cry for the ladies. Thanks Pauley!!
Portnoy Media Group is proud to tell the URM story in the digital medium and be part of the team that helped make that a reality. Lead by a strong team at URM and joined by direct mail legends Grizzard Communications and the brilliant filmmaking of Chronicle Project
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