Charity storytelling

How your charity can use storytelling to boost engagement

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Amongst all the fundraising, charity drives, and general day-to-day jobs, it can be easy to forget what makes each charity so special. At the heart of everything you do is a good story. It could be the story of why you were founded, or the stories of the people you help every day. Whichever it is, you have something valuable worth sharing.

 

These stories are a great way to connect with donors and boost engagement. People want to hear what you’re about and what you’re achieving. But not every charity remembers this. So here’s why you shouldn’t let it escape your mind – and how you can use storytelling for the benefit of your cause.

 

Why storytelling works

People love stories. Not just in the sense that they like TV, films, or books. It’s more that people love connecting with these stories. In one study, participants watched a short film where the characters were just shapes moving across the screen. But because of our innate draw towards stories, they couldn’t help but give character and meaning to them.

 

We can’t help but build an emotional bond towards these characters we see. And this extends to what people want in other aspects of their lives, including the brands they give custom too. In another study, it was found that customers who were fully connected to a business were 52% more valuable than people who were simply “satisfied”.

 

How can this work for your charity? Well you would want to tell the stories of people you help. Consider user-generated content. That is content focused not on you, but those who “use” your service. Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to find user-generated content authentic than brand-created content.

 

You also want people to feel connected to your beneficiaries because people are more likely to give to a cause that helps someone they know. So let people know who you’re helping! The greater the connection you can build between them and your audience, the more money you can raise.

 

How to use storytelling

Next you need to think about how to use your storytelling. And there are a few methods you can use to get it out to your audience. Let’s take a look at just a few…

 

Blogs/case studies

Why not start on your own website? Case studies and testimonials work great because it’s not just you tooting your own horn. It’s social proof – other people showing why you’re a good charity to donate to.

 

Newsletter

In a similar vein, you can use your newsletter to get these stories out. If you don’t have one, now might be the time to start.

 

Social media

Social media is a fantastic way to reach new audiences. Most platforms are built around a platform of discoverability, showing users new content they think they’ll like. If you can tune into what matters to your audience, you can make sure your stories reach their eyeballs.

 

When it gets there, you don’t want it to just be you talking about how great you are. You want to show stories that get people’s attention and have the potential to go viral.

 

Without realising it, you might be sitting on a wealth of invaluable content. The stories around what you do can work so well along with the rest of your marketing efforts. What’s going to be important is ensuring you have the tools and technology to follow those stories, beneficiaries, and donors.

 

Make sure your charity is equipped with what you need. CHARiotWeb is an EPoS solution designed specifically for the charity sector. When you bring in new donors with your storytelling, make sure their customer experience is as streamlined as possible. To find out more, get in touch on 01204 706000.