The Art of Volunteer Coordination
Telling impactful volunteer stories
Christian Berechree Operations Manager, HBNC
A little about me
Why storytelling?
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“Your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points.”
— Jonah Sachs, Author
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“Nothing sticks in your head better than a story. Stories can express the most complicated ideas in the most digestible ways.”
— Sam Balter, Sr. Marketing Manager of Podcasts, HubSpot
What is your core story?
More than a mission statement
• What is at the heart of what you do?
• What is your “why?”
• What do you want to make sure people know about your organisation?
• How would you explain it to your mum or neighbour?
• How would you explain it to a potential donor, or prospective volunteer?All stories should stem from this core story
• If there’s no connection to your purpose, why are you telling it?
• Pruning isn’t just for the garden!
Passion topics
What consistently generates buzz?
• Remember – you can’t tell every story!
• Listen to your audience and pay attention to what resonates.
• Social media is a great tool for this –what consistently gets reactions?
• Categorise into “passion topics” –this will help decide what you should spend your time and energy on.
People and purpose before product or programs
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
-Maya Angelou
• Strive for emotional resonance and connection in the stories you tell.
• Focusing on your people, rather than your programs or services, is the best way to do this.
• This can be a challenge, especially when funding is involved!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdkXa0AH5
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How we make the storytelling magic happen
Finding your voice and holding attention
• Who is your audience?
• What matters most to your audience? Remember –it might be different to what matters most to you (or your management committee!)
• Consider the power of a great opening line
• Strive for buy-in before hitting the call-to-action.
Why should anyone care? Again – it might be different to what you initially think!
• Be authentic. Readers can see through any attempt to be “trendy”. Find your voice and be proud of it!
• Kill your darlings!
Getting to the heart of the matter
Tips for interviewing volunteers
• If interviewing someone, dig deep. “Why?” is a much more interesting question than “Who, what, when or where?”
• Know what you want to get out of the conversation before you start – be prepared, but don’t be rigid.
• Allow things to flow, but always keep things on track.
• Make it feel like a conversation, but never forget it is an interview.
Remember
• Know your core story
• Put people first
• Know your audience
• Be authentic and intentional
• Strive for emotional resonance
Questions ?