Tips for a good story
Tips for a good story
Stories are the way to turn readers into donors. Research shows that our brains do not respond to numbers and statistics. Rather that we empathise with well-told stories and this motivates us to act. The good news: non-profits have the best stories in the world!
Here are some tips to help you tell your story even better.
1. Be specific
Talk about one project. Tell one story. And tell it well. The more specific you can be about what you need money for, the faster donors will be inspired to give. What difference will my 15 euros make to someone else’s life?
2. Use emotion
People give from emotion. Touch your donor, touch his or her heart by telling a moving story about real people. This does not work with emotionless and business-like texts, full of statistics and large numbers.
3. Involve the reader
Write about your donor. Write about how his or her donation helps real people. Help your donor solve a problem.
4. Write in the first person
Use ‘I’ and ‘my’ instead of ‘we’ and ‘our’.
5. The letter is all about your donor
Tip: count the number of times ‘you’ is used in the letter. Then count all the ‘us’, ‘we’, ‘our organisation’ and ‘I’ in your letter. Is your donor the focal point of the letter?
6. Talk about people, not statistics
People give out of emotion. As soon as numbers or difficult terms come into play, the rational hemisphere goes to work. And the response decreases. “People give to people to help people.” (General fundraising wisdom)
7. Tell a story
People love stories. And the good news: as a fundraiser, you have the best stories to tell.
8. Ask questions
By asking questions you involve the reader in your story. “Did you know that every minute a child becomes seriously ill from malaria?”
9. Give the reader a good deal
People like a good deal, even when it comes to fundraising. Show that their 15 euros not only buys school supplies, but also a future, a new life.
And much more…
