440. Storytelling for Good (Part 2) - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

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It’s no secret that we believe in the power of storytelling to do more good in the world. We’re wrapping up our Storytelling for Good Friday series with more of the most frequently asked questions we get about marketing from folks in our community. We’re diving into the importance of storytelling for your mission, tools to unlock your inner storyteller and create a culture that values storytelling. Join us to get on a path toward a better - more inspiring - way to work🔍

💡Learn

Mindsets needed for storytelling
How to incorporate storytelling into your orgs everyday operations
The importance of building your storybank

“Over time you realize we are all storytellers. It is a superpower that we want to help you unlock.”

— Jon McCoy, CFRE, Co-Founder and CEO, We Are For Good

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Episode Highlights

Evolution of storytelling in the sector (1:40)
#AMA Question 1: “How do you prep for interviews? How do you get people to go deeper?” (4:30)
#AMA Question 2: “How do I balance what my ED/Board expects with what the storyteller expects?” (15:00)
Case Study (20:00)
Storytelling for Good: We Are For Good Premium Course (24:00)

Powerful Quotes

“There was this linear formula that we used to talk. It was very much the hero’s journey, and all my stories started to sound the same. The way that we are watching storytelling evolve to be more human and get into the nexus of seeing someone, the evolution of it is so exciting.” -Becky

“We don’t want you to feel stuck in the linear formula. There is such an opportunity here to be creative.” -Becky

“I never felt like I was a storyteller. It felt like something I needed to learn and grow into. Now, look back, and I see, it does take putting yourself out there and just starting wherever you're at.” -Jon

“Interviewing and storytelling is like a muscle. You get better and better at it the more you flex it.” -Becky

"As you're prepping for interviews, do not let it be transactional. You have a human soul that is giving you their time and has agreed to share their story. What a gift.” -Jon

“Threading and finding a through-line is incredibly kind. When you bring it back around later on it shows that you heard them. You build more trust and connection. When you get to the end of that interview, leave some time to ask how it felt and share next steps.” -Becky

Preparing for Interviews

Know your org’s values (this will help you connect on a deeper level)
Know enough to be dangerous (find collision points of organizational values, their personal story, experiences, values, etc.)
Create safety in the space - psychological + a comfortable environment
Create space for CONNECTION before and after the interview

Don’t jump right in with a heavy question
Find something to connect on - and build trust/right out of the gate

Ask good questions… but be an even better listener
Find ways to see a throughline in a conversation. When you can pull a convo full circle those threads are where the magic happens
Stories of philanthropy take people to a different headspace. Don’t ask about the big flashy moments - ask about the most meaningful or formative moments