1. Story Power – Strategies to help you increase fundraising income
Rob Woods, Bright Spot Fundraising
@woods_rob

2. What I’ll cover 1) What I wish I’d known 17 years ago
2) Three story strategies to help you improve your influencing results
3) A juicy opportunity

3. … but they’re not the only thing that helps donors decide to give.
Please note
Examples / stories are important…
… but they’re not the only thing that helps donors decide to give.

4. Too many conversations are nice but don’t lead anywhere
What’s the BIGGEST reason for so many conversations not leading to a next step?

5. The Curse of Knowledge
It causes you to say too much and say the wrong things

6. ‘To defeat the Curse of Knowledge, include more examples and stories’
The antidote?
‘To defeat the Curse of Knowledge, include more examples and stories’
It causes you to say too much and say the wrong things

8. Why do stories / examples help you influence?
Being able to convey what you mean through an example makes a big difference:
Why do stories / examples help you influence?

9. Why do stories help you influence?
Evidence
Memorable
Simplify. They make the complex easy to understand
Help people feel as well as think

10. 1) We connect emotionally

11. 1) We connect emotionally
Version 1 – Big picture, statistics
Version 2 – Focused on Rokia’s situation

12. 1) We connect emotionally
Version 1 – Big picture situation, statistics – average of $1.14 donated

13. 1) We connect emotionally
Version 1 – Big picture situation, statistics – average of $1.14 donated
Version 2 – Focused on Rokia’s situation – average of $2.38 donated

14. 2) It ignites drive / passion to do things differently

15. Fundraisers who read stories before starting work:
Raised more than twice the donations (23 compared to 9)
More than twice the value ($3,130 compared to $1,288)

16. First understand them, then what?
When it’s our turn to talk, what should we talk about?

17. What do people usually say (and write?)
What our charity does

18. What do people usually say (and write?)
What our charity does
A ‘case study’ to show WHY we do it

19. What do people usually say (and write?)
What our charity does
A case study to show WHY we do it

20. What two concepts most help someone want to give?.

21. The Law of contrast The problem. There is a problem I care about.
Impact. I believe your charity is able to solve it

23. The examples / stories are always there – the real question is how can you find them?

24. ‘A story / example for conversation is different from ‘Case Study’

25. Story / example to help your fundraising conversations =
Any real example, from within your charity or elsewhere, which helps a listener better understand or feel an idea

27. Strategy 1 – The story arc
Getting structure right make a big difference

28. For best story results:
Who
Problem
Action
Result

29. Uses of structure
1) Find all the parts – ask for them

30. Describing one of our scholarship students:
Who
Problem
Action
Result

31. Describing one of our scholarship students:
(Result)
Who
Problem
Action
Result

32. Strategy 1 – For full length stories, use this structure
Who
Problem
Action
Result

33. Strategy 2

34. Received gift of £100,000.

35. Received gift of £100,000.
‘It was really clear. The point I could tell she decided to make a gift was when I was giving the real examples…’ Stu Thomson

36. Spring 2017 – 2 x Million Partnerships won
Spring 2017 – 2 x Million Partnerships won. In both successful £1,000,000 pitches, I helped them increase the number of examples

37. Lots of stories? Strategy 1 is too long
Who
Problem
Action
Result

38. Strategy 2 – One sentence examples / Big Fat Claims
Find the essence!!
The 7/3/1 technique

39. Amnesty fundraiser said
Sapardurdy Khadzhiev just released in Turkmenistan

40. Strategy 3
Ben Swart, NSPCC

41. Strategy 3 – Create your own story bank

42. Strategy 4 – Use a prop
Tori Griffiths

43. Strategy 4 – Use a prop

44. Strategy 4 – use a prop

45. Most fundraisers do their best
Most fundraisers do their best. Why don’t more of them achieve their potential / raise more?
We have ambitious targets but little / no training
The effect of a one day conference / course doesn’t last
Only one person in your charity does this job – you don’t feel reassured to take action

46. Members Club

47. Bright Spot Members Club
Personal Fundraising Power – Influence Building Momentum

48. Bright Spot Members Club
Personal Fundraising Power – Influencing donors and Building Momentum
Exclusive monthly bundles

49. Bright Spot Members Club
Personal Fundraising Power
Exclusive monthly bundles
The Fundraiser’s Edge audio interviews with world class fundraisers

50. Bright Spot Members Club
Personal Fundraising Power
Exclusive monthly bundles
The Fundraiser’s Edge audio interviews with world class fundraisers
Webinars - Live Q and A with Rob

51. Bright Spot Members Club
Personal Fundraising Power
Exclusive monthly bundles
The Fundraiser’s Edge audio interviews with world class fundraisers
Webinars - Live Q and A with Rob
Like-minded Community, to help you solve problems

52. ‘If you’re not delighted with the value you’re getting I will happily send your charity a gift of £75’

53. Options Mastery Programmes - Diamond level £3,500 plus vat
- Platinum level £2,500 plus vat
- Mastery level £1,897 plus vat

54. Options Mastery Programmes - Diamond level £3,500 plus vat
- Platinum level £2,500 plus vat
- Mastery level £1,897 plus vat
Coaching
- With me £300 plus vat / hour

55. Options Mastery Programmes - Diamond level £3,500 plus vat
- Platinum level £2,500 plus vat
- Mastery level £1,897 plus vat
Coaching
- With me £300 plus vat / hour
Members Club
£29.97 plus vat / month

56. ‘If you’re not delighted with the value you’re getting I will happily send your charity a gift of £75’

57. 5 influence strategies 1) The story arc structure to maximise impact
2) Find the essence – One sentence examples
3) Build your own story bank

58. Thank you, and best of luck with your stories and conversations