Storytelling for good: An example from the Red Cross
What would you say to your loved ones if you only had three minutes? The International Committee for the Red Cross took this question and wrote a great example of nonprofit/activist storytelling from the International Committee of the Red Cross. Here are some things I noticed that you may use in your next storytelling venture, whether you are in ministry, the nonprofit world, or an activist in some other arena.
Less can be more, if you edit well
In each of the stories, the author walks the tightrope of giving the reader enough to get the emotional heart of the story, but leaving enough gaps so that the reader’s mind is engaged in filling them in, resulting in a more compelling narrative.
Individuals (in their individuality) matters
We sometimes have a tendency to abstract away the specifics of this person, or this interaction. The texture and the details make it stick better
There is no call to action, and that’s ok
Some of your stories will end in a call to take action, to donate, to make a life change, but not all of them will. The truth is also that before someone makes the step to take action, they need to emotionally resonate with your cause, believe that your approach can make a difference, believe that they can help, and feel like they need to help now. Take some time to build your case, to build trust and connection before you make the ask.
There may be other things in this story that you can take from it (and if you do, I’d be happy to hear them in the comments) but I hope you’ll consider these three points the next time you have to tell a story for good.