our storiesfinding and telling stories that make a difference for our organizationswith Teresa Decker

One year ago…

stories…

• Help us understand the world; collections of narratives that bring meaning

• Past, present and future

• From interviews to our favorite songs, stories help explain who we are and build identity

― Jonah Sachs, Winning the Story Wars

“Each of us is a hero in our own personal myths.”

a good story• Easy to understand and focused

message

• Has someone in mind as the audience

• Makes you curious, think, feel or do

• Is personal and real

• Beginning, middle and end?

who is your brand?

• Your brand as a person

• You are the brand mentor, not the hero

• Yoda vs Luke Skywalker

Jonathan Sachs | Winning the Story Wars

1. brand archetypes

• Archetypes are characters in stories seen throughout time

• Remember brands are like people; and people are characters

• Nurturer, Artist, Connector, Traditionalist, Dreamer, Motivator, etc.

40 Design | forty.co

2. brand value examples Compassion

TruthJustice

PlayfulnessPerfection

BeautySimplicity WholenessUniqueness

Competence Efficiency

OrderImaginationInnovation

Health Change

Love Prosperity

KnowledgeCreativityOptimismCourage

Relationships

Dignity

brand heroes

• Who? Someone living or experiencing your brand values

• Doesn’t have to embody every value

• When people tell their story it builds a platform to tell our organizations’ story

Our brand values are expressed through the heroes of our stories.

brand journalism

• We’ve all become “news” organizations

• Content creation (reporter) and curation (editor)

• Think like a journalist for your brand

― Larry Light, Ad Age

“Brand journalism creates an evolving brand story. It is the best way to attract

and interest consumers with a continuing flow of valuable, relevant, integrated and engaging content -- advertising, articles,

blog posts, social media, live events, videos and social media..”

“cover” your beat• Be curious, be

brave

• Have your questions ready

• Leave your desk

• Ask your “sources”

• Study your craft

• Stay practical, think “micro stories”

• Stuck? News cycle driven, seasonal, goal or action driven, uniqueness

sources

• People on the ground

• Have a pulse of the organization

• The friendliest/most helpful people

Nonprofit Hub | Lori Jacobwith

questions: sources • Who have you met lately that made you

love your job or feel proud to work here?

• What brought them to us?

• How are we helping?

• What’s your favorite thing about her?

• What do you think that he would say about us?

Nonprofit Hub | Lori Jacobwith

questions: heroes• What does that mean?

• Why do think that is?

• Simplify. How would you explain this to your grandmother?

• Reflecting back “So it sounds like you are saying…”

story killers

• Curse of Knowledge - Your expertise is getting in the way

• Vanity - Me, me, me, me

• Drowning in data - Spitting out numbers

Studying our craft

curiosity: blogPhilanthropy 831 Blog | Community Foundation

Santa Cruz County

simplicity: twitterA Day In The Life

NPR’s Michele Martin | Women in Tech

authentic: user generated content

Story Corps |Themes

impactful: annual reportOpportunity Fund | Data done right

sensory: videoStorytellers for Good & Eat Grub | Pulls you in

feeling & emotion: instagramHumans of NY | Imagery and words

joy, humor, sadness, anger, concern, empathy, empowerment, inspiration

feeling & emotion: instagramGrandma Betty 33 | Imagery and words

joy, humor, sadness, anger, concern, empathy, empowerment, inspiration

go cover your beat!• Humans of NY

model

• Pair up - someone you don’t know

• One compelling quote

• One compelling photo

starter questions• What’s an example of the problem or work your

organization does?

• Why is it meaningful?

• Why is that important to you? Why is this important to our community?

• What’s the toughest part about your job?

• What about your work makes you smile?

• Five years from today what do you hope people will say about your work? Your organization?

Who’s Brave?Email me now with your quote and photo here!

Send both to teresa@tersearuizdecker.com

Amy Mascarenas

"Our clients are super generous. You really get to

know them. We have to build that trust."Amy Mascarenas,

El Pajaro CDC

By Michelle Luedtke

tools to explore

• Canva, easel.ly, Haiku deck, and Stocksy

• Square Space

• Soundcloud, Stellar, Adobe Voice, Hyperlapse and Animoto,

• Oldies but goodies: Calendar, Audacity, iMovie, Keynote, Flickr Creative Commons, Pixlr

• Non-profit tech for good, nonprofit hub, socialbrite

www.teresaruizdecker.comteresa@teresaruizdecker.com