One of the things that I want you to think about when you think about marketing messages is also digital storytelling. Digital storytelling is a really, really good way to get your message across and to do all of those four ways to engage an audience. We don’t have time in this session, obviously, to talk a lot about digital storytelling. This is about introducing you to digital storytelling and how you can actually use that in your key marketing message mix. So you know, good stories people compel people to change. 

We’ve seen it time and time again. Digital storytelling is about video storytelling, using images and memes, etc. visual ways to connect to people with your story. If you’re not already doing digital storytelling, you really need to be looking at this as a way to communicate your key marketing messages.

And again, these are ways that we communicate, and this is why we tell stories. This is such a great overview. We tell stories to teach, to inspire, to educate, to connect, to entertain, to share information, and to learn. They’re not always stories about give, give, give, help, help, help. So when you look at how you’re telling stories, consider all of those ways that you can tell stories. 

You know, there’s actually stories that you can develop today. Ask a client or a user to share a story about their experience with your service. Ask a staff member to tell about, to tell them, when I say them, your audience, about their experience when somebody came in and asked for help, and how much they changed and lightened their load and how it changed their life. Ask a sponsor to tell a story about why they contribute. Ask a volunteer to tell a story about why they volunteer and what they get from it. 

There are so many stories that you can start sharing now that all help you support your key marketing messages. Remember, it always has to come back to that. What are the key marketing messages for those personas? What are the stories you can tell that link to those key marketing messages, and reinforce them?