How do you craft a compelling nonprofit story in 60 seconds or less?

1 Know your audience

The first step to telling a good story is to know who you're telling it to. Different audiences may have different interests, motivations, and questions about your nonprofit. For example, a potential donor may want to know how their money will make a difference, while a potential volunteer may want to know how they can get involved. To tailor your story to your audience, you need to do some research and analysis. Find out what they care about, what they need, and what they expect from you. Then, use this information to craft a message that resonates with them and shows them the value of your nonprofit.

2 Choose a structure

When crafting a story for your nonprofit, choosing a structure is an essential step. One of the most common and effective structures is the problem-solution-impact structure. This consists of three parts: introducing the problem or challenge your nonprofit addresses, explaining how it solves the problem or meets the challenge, and demonstrating the results and outcomes of your solution. To illustrate the severity and urgency of the problem, you can use facts, statistics, or anecdotes. To showcase your approach and expertise, you can highlight your mission, vision, values, programs, or activities. And to show your impact and success, you can use numbers, stories, or testimonials. By using this structure, you can create a clear and compelling narrative that conveys why your nonprofit matters and how it makes a difference.

3 Use emotions

The third step is to use emotions in your story. Emotions are powerful motivators of human behavior and decision making, and they can make a story more memorable, relatable, and persuasive. To use emotions effectively, consider two aspects: how do you want your audience to feel and how do you make them feel that way? Depending on your goal and message, you may want to evoke different emotions in your audience, such as curiosity, inspiration, anger, sadness, hope, or gratitude. To elicit these emotions, you can use sensory details, vivid language, metaphors, humor, suspense, or contrast. By using emotions in your story, you can create a strong connection with your audience and motivate them to take action.