Donor-Driven Digital Storytelling
For the past ten years, I’ve worked as a frontline fundraiser for a variety of Jewish nonprofits. Regardless of where I worked, a large portion of my time was always focused on planning and executing an annual mega-event. Often we would book high-quality entertainment, and the best meeting space we could afford, to attract attendees. More than money, what we sought was the undivided attention of our audience, if only for a moment, to tell our story with a carefully crafted message. The CEO would speak, as would a Board member, and often someone who directly benefited from our work would be invited to share their thoughts. Invariably, part of telling our story would involve playing a professionally produced video of some kind.
Storytelling is so integral to fundraising, and I’ve participated in dozens of filming projects, on both sides of the camera, all meant to tell the story of a particular organization. Each cost thousands of dollars, and was usually commissioned for a specific fundraising event. Afterwards, the videos were barely used, if at all. While undoubtedly critical to evoking the emotions that motivate people to give, these videos took a significant chunk out of most events’ bottom lines. To be clear, videos can make for compelling content, but if a moment of undivided attention in which to share our story with an audience of people most likely to support our work is the goal, there are better, more cost-effective means of achieving this.
Donor-driven digital content can be a valuable way to engage new prospects while deepening your organization’s relationships with its most important supporters. If your organization has the budget to regularly produce high-quality video content, a YouTube channel can dramatically increase your brand’s visibility and authority, enhancing your ability to pursue your mission. If, like many nonprofits, your budget is limited, podcasting offers a way to produce high quality, binge-worthy content, without breaking the bank.
Forward-thinking nonprofits can use podcasts to connect directly with donors in an intimate setting and tell their organization’s story. Podcasts don’t have to be ongoing projects, with commitments to publishing weekly or monthly episodes, or multiple seasons worth of content. Nonprofit organizations in particular can benefit from producing limited series podcasts, no more than 10 episodes total in length, that provide a full picture of your work and your impact without requiring your staff to continuously research new, compelling stories.
Take a food bank, as a case example. A typical video for a food bank might feature two families, one stocking shelves and one shopping, and while this could successfully drive traffic to your website and work for your annual event, it doesn’t truly tell the story of the food bank, of who the families are, and how the food bank fits into their lives. The humanizing richness of the story is missing from the video, because video production is timely, and expensive. A limited series podcast, even with short episodes, could do more justice to the story, and tell more diverse stories than a single video can capture. Over time, this helps people connect more deeply with the food bank, and drive an increase in donations.
Your podcast probably won’t become the next viral sensation, but that’s not the goal. As a curated set of stories that represent your work and your mission, podcasts can be used to onboard new members of your community. Volunteers, staff, donors, or board members will benefit from a consistent introduction to the breadth and depth of work in which your organization is engaged. Good podcasts also beg to be shared with friends and family, and by giving your most faithful supporters a tangible way to share exactly what they’re so passionate about will help grow your community in the best, most organic way possible—person to person. Of course, there’s always a chance that your podcast could go viral, and share your story with the world.
You’re probably already familiar with, and maybe even thinking about, stories which represent your organization’s work that would make for a meaningful podcast. Maybe you’re already making a podcast, way to go! If not, it’s not too late to start. Low-budget tools exist that allow anyone to record, edit, and publish a podcast from their smartphone, but to produce the best quality content, the kind you’ll be proud to share with donors, you’ll want to work with a content producer who gets you, and understand how sound, music, and the human voice come together to create a compelling storytelling experience.
