Storytelling
Stories are an impactful communication tool because they can convey rich insights that capture people’s attention. Utilizing the power of stories to amplify the impact of academic research and the work of NPOs as well as Corporate Social Investment, is the focus of our niche communications consultancy.
It is tempting for organisations to over rely on data to translate the impact of their work. While data is relevant and necessary to educate; stories are about the human experience of the statistical issue. Compelling stories are relatable, increases reach and engagement with your target audience. Stories are a powerful communication tool within your overall marketing strategy. Stories help boost SEO and they can be repurposed across channels. Our offering is not a one size fits all approach and we work with you to unearth the goldmine of stories that best amplify and translate your work.
How Does Storytelling Relate to your Marketing and Communications plan?
Marketing is the overarching strategic discipline under which communications falls. Communications is one aspect of marketing and storytelling is a tool that can be used in communications to amplify your work in a compelling manner and to achieve specific aims. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal, and it’s likely that your organisation has plenty of stories just waiting to be tapped into!
What is story?
It is said that stories make us human because they ultimately create community.
Compelling stories are entertaining, they inform and educate as well as flow in an organized manner. Stories, are easier to process because the human experience is foregrounded and in addition, they are condensed, memorable, and can convey a variety of emotions.
Storytelling is the skilful process of using fact and narrative to communicate a clear message to your audience.
There are a few different types of story objectives determined by the target audience and the kind of reaction you’re hoping to stir up in them! The call to action varies and can include the call to donate money, subscribe to a newsletter, attend an event or if the objective is to foster community or collaboration, you might just encourage your audience to share the story on their social media accounts.
Provoke action
This is the kind of story that describes how a successful action or programmatic objective was achieved and explains how readers might be able to support the same kind of change.
Tell people about the work and the journey
This is a story that features genuine struggles and gains made. It details a learning journey for the win. For example, adapting to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Convey knowledge or educate
Organisations operate at the coalface of societal challenges and are experts in their field. Similarly, academic research can find answers to things that are unknown and contributes to developing a better understanding.Stories can convey important trends and thought leadership.
Foster community or collaboration
Story campaigns centred around a theme can be a story that illuminates how your work transforms and moves readers to discuss and share your story with others.
Our human rights centred approach
The human rights frame is inclusive and highlights people’s values and experiences. It is about strengths-based messaging and asset framing. For example, the message of the story is focused on the benefit of the organisations work for all instead of the story’s focus being on the donors contribution towards making the work possible. When people the organisation serve are centred in stories it is important not to define them by their circumstances but to rather highlight their strengths and what they offer. That’s because in a human rights narrative approach, people featured in stories have agency and are more than victims or consumers. A human rights centred approach to storytelling underscores our common humanity, human dignity, equality and respect and stories guided by these values affirms, among others, values of cooperation, non-discrimination, unity and solidarity.