This is HIS Story Podcast

Episode 11 - Christian Organization Digital Story Telling

January 26, 2022 Todd Turner, Creative Digital Guide Season 1 Episode 11
This is HIS Story Podcast
Episode 11 - Christian Organization Digital Story Telling
Show Notes Transcript

Today we dive into what makes Story telling different for Christian organizations and churches? What sets us apart from the world and best practices of story telling for businesses?

Donald Millar's Story Brand and Sinek's Golden Circle (Why, How, What) is wonderful ideas and principles but do they work "out of the box" for Christians who have the Gospel as their WHY?

Donors relate to a WHY. They just don't give to every non-profit out of obedience. What does "our stories" and our "story telling" have to do with motivation and our integrity?

Join in today's discussion as we look into Christin Non Profits and how we tell our ministry stories online. 

We also praise The Bucket Ministry not only for the amazing work they are doing across the globe but because of their story telling on their website. Great work (Which I have ZERO to do with.) Very well done story telling in the Christian Non Profit Space.

Welcome to the, This is HIS Story Podcast. The executive director

and pastor guide to sowing and reaping online givers.

Welcome to episode 11, Christian organization,

digital storytelling a few of us out here in the Christian nonprofit space were telling our client and coaching them about storytelling long before.

Donald Miller Story brand came out boy,

but he sure did make it a thing. I guess,

part of that is just because those of us who are working within organizations.

We don't have time to write the Books and always show our findings.

Maybe we get to rub elbows a little bit with people at conferences.

This but consultant like I am.

Now we have time, we have time for the podcast,

and the books, and the things. And so we get to share our knowledge and our experience.

Is that a lot better rate than those of you who are in it?

So thank goodness for Donald Miller. I'm glad he did what he did.

He was just probably ten years later than some of us were already doing it.

But anyway, you know, many organizations started changing their fundraising

and marketing methods based on this.

Storytelling idea, right?

And since I really focus on the digital side,

I started thinking about those three things that really come out of that.

And that one is, you know, is your organization,

even telling your story, right? I mean,

it does your name, say what you do is your Communications telling it,

it's the website. That's one thing.

And then to have you, even learned and developed the art of telling a story.

So even if you weren't doing it, hopefully the idea Made you want to do it?

And then have you learned the art of doing it?

Because you just don't one day,

snap your finger and then you're a good Storyteller.

And then what I feel, the third one is my specialty and that is how you tell your story.

It's really interesting, especially in the Christian

world and of the the complexity of some of our organizations.

And I'm going to throw in churches, but it's true with other.

Ization, we do a lot of things.

We're not very simple minded.

Like I've churches were just about coming to your our service.

We'd probably quote unquote Market differently,

but we're marketing something different.

We're not only marketing, Jesus. We're not only marketing,

you know, the gospel message. We're not only marketing our time,

and our building, and our pastor,

and our sermons, and hopefully,

we're also marketing. Missions and programs and Outreach.

And so, it's really tough will say with organizations.

A lot of organizations really do. Keep it simple and they keep the bullseye the bullseye,

but as organizations get bigger and the Lord lays opportunities out in front of people,

it gets complicated and it gets complicated to tell the story.

So, The other issue too,

is we also being Christians. It's hard to be braggadocious

when we see things as God LED or God ordained.

And then it's hard to say. Well, we this we that we that list,

you know, so it makes it difficult to speak from a place of.

Hey, look at look at us but yet that's part of Storytelling,

right? I mean we can always tell a And give God the glory,

which he deserves, but God is doing something through your organization and your church,

and it's not the one down the street. He's doing something else through them.

And so, you have to tell a story and tell your God story from a humble place,

but it has to be accurate representation of what you do.

And it has to, in this case if we're telling stories for Donors.

Then we have to tell the story where they are part of the story by their gift.

Alright. Hope I haven't lost. You hear the like already already have a little bit cuz this is,

this is very complex, right? This is why people bring me in as sometimes I come into organizations.

And I just see that they're not doing a good job,

telling their story and they even ask me sometimes like well,

you know, what should we be doing? What should we be marketing?

I think sometimes quite frankly organizations.

Come to me. And they're,

they're looking for a tactic.

They're looking for. Whoa. What are we not doing that?

The big boys are or you know what? We re focusing

and I normally I mean I'm going to tell you I'm going to say 90% of the time.

I normally start with the mistake of how their branding themselves

because how can I tell them what to go do when they're not doing,

what they're doing very well? Is I look at them.

I told them. The story thousand times. It's on my master class and my webinars.

Once again, I always go to the founder or the executive director.

I hear their passion story and then I go and look and see what,

what is broken that why is that passionate?

Or not coming out. That's level one of what I do.

But something else I'm doing at the exact same time

as I'm looking and seeing how what is it that you do?

Exactly. And What Makes You unique at

what you're doing and I look at how are your telling that story

and then I'm looking at all the place is you're telling our you're consistent about it,

right? So there's a lot that I'm doing.

So let me let me tell you a little thing I've learned and it was big even bigger than Donald Miller.

Our story brand was, is it as Sonic seen excitement,

kind of sign. It si. NE K.

He did the Ted Talk on the why,

how what Golden Circle? Now,

if you've heard it great, you should,

and if you have it, you need to. But let me just for the sake of this discussion,

talk a lot about the three levels of the why,

how what why is the bullseye?

How is the next Circle? And what is the further?

Well, every organization knows

what they do is the products or the services that they sell in our case,

you know, who we serve and what we're serving.

Then there's the how of how you do it.

What makes you special, what sets you apart from the competition

or ever anybody else but the law by.

That's the the key Crux that most organizations that least sell things for sure.

Don't get very Very few organizations know why they do what they do,

and it can't be why to make money, right?

That's a result. But why is the purpose?

It's the calls or belief.

It's the very reason your organization or company exists.

Well, this is where it gets tricky for Christians because it's so easy for us to say,

our Y is the gospel or the spreading of the Gospel.

Or Spreading of good news or love.

But the reality is,

is that each organization has its own.

Why that should even be set apart from the Christian.

Why, and I feel like my personal opinion and their little son,

there will be people who disagree with what I'm thinking to say.

Sorry, East, Texas fixing to say. And that is We,

you can't just hang the banner of the Gospel on your organization.

You need a why story of why your organization was created,

how God prepared and gave you a unique opportunity to do,

whatever it is that you do. And this is problematic.

See, I've always taught people do what you say,

say what you do? No gimmicks always tell the truth.

But in, in that layer of marketing is this this?

Why story? Okay,

so I'm going to talk about an organization. I just discovered this week.

I'm embarrassed that I didn't know about them before

because they seem pretty big

and I think they're in the Dallas area that's called the bucket Ministry

and I've been looking at their website,

I, they're doing. A lot of things, right?

So I'm not here to bash them at all because I thought I would,

but doing what I do for a living.

It's so easy for my brain to look at somebody's website to I wish they did this,

or which they change that or whatever.

But these guys are doing a lot, right? So Kudos,

but here is why I'm mentioning the day,

they're up on my screen right now on.

I wish they would put it a bigger. Okay,

here it is. Here goes - here goes my critique,

that it even mean to do this. It's buried a little bit under their prey in the navigation

and then it drop downs and has a statement of faith,

but it has three non-negotiables.

Well, here's my argument. So if you're on the bucket Ministry and you listen to this,

take this advice. If you were saying our ministry has three non-negotiables.

Well, that's pretty big time. That's a, there's your uniqueness right there.

But I love that they have. Negotiable 's

and they're basically saying they make they have a bucket that actually last

for 20 years if it's clean and used right that cleans water,

you can buy and donate things like 50 bucks and it gives a family of 10.

I think clean water for 20 years and they're quite,

they want to collect data on that

because they want to see our people parting them out or they not using them or whatever.

So here's the three non-negotiables one.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be shared wherever our water.

Filter is distributed. Love it to recipient.

Data will be collected to better understand the scope

and severity of the communities need for clean,

water and three. Love this three.

Follow-up visitations will be conducted to monitor the maintenance of the recipients filter

as well as their spiritual journey with.

Jesus Christ will come on people.

This is great. They're not just selling buckets

or so in Jesus and they're telling you we're not just selling bucket.

We're selling Jesus. So the 3.0 she was I think ought to be way higher.

Maybe it is. Maybe I missed it. So if you're in the bucket,

ministry will have to write me

and tell me I'm wrong because their hero image on their homepage is amazing.

Sharing, God's love through the gift of Clean.

Safe, drinking water. Boom.

What a tagline? What attack? I'm the picture of a kid,

drinking dirty water, while somebody is giving them dirty water main,

but they found their hero money shot image and they say fine.

Your place in the story and helped us achieve this Mission.

Love it, totally love it. But I love it.

Donate trips. I mean, their websites really well done.

I mean, they're doing a really good job of telling a story showing a problem,

showing how to fix the problem, showing how you can be a part

of fixing that problem collecting email,

addresses. I mean, they're they're killing it.

They're doing a really, really good job. So, if you want to see somebody doing it,

right, they're doing a lot, right? Not perfect,

but I don't think anybody's perfect it. You'll never reach Perfection.

So don't want to be picking on them here. So this is so funny because it ties into something.

I wanted to say here in a minute. Hold the thought.

So, you know, how does, how does it play out fundraising and storytelling?

Well, let me say this. Nothing is better than having a member of

your organization having lunch with a donor,

nothing, right? I don't care what website,

email social media campaign,

whatever nothing's better than in-person.

It. Now, what's better than that,

coming armed with a powerful in hand presentation,

whether on an iPad, even a well,

well done, print pieces videos is so powerful.

And of course, you always want to leave something behind. So,

even if you set there with an iPad and played and an emotional amazing,

five minute video that had everybody in tears.

You still want to have a great print piece to leave behind but here's a problem.

Here's, here's the issue is even That's the best

and it's not always doable and it's not even practical for people who make it only.

Give $25 that same video that you're playing in your high donors

and better be playing somewhere else as well.

My argument would be if you had the time you would create different videos,

but most organizations don't even have the one down yet.

But what I find problematic is,

when the top of your pyramid is attacked one way,

and the bottom is attacked another way.

And then you have the same guy.

A who just had lunch with who he watched the whole video

and he's about ready to write a check

and put a comment in it and he wakes up the next morning

and you've sent him an email asking for $25.

It's like your left hand. Your right hand. Do not know what's going on.

So Perfection is getting all your channels,

aligned your business cards, your email,

your social media Linked In even your donor development team.

That's out. You're all on the same page. All telling the same story,

even though it may have different story. He's underneath you're telling the same

story and you're making sure everybody's getting hit the right to the right thing at the right time.

And it could get a little complex, which is why you need a marketing color.

But that's another story for another day. But it starts with this.

This is what I'm at. Now. We're going back to what I told you to hold the thought,

especially with the bucket Ministry. Do you even have your picture yet?

Can your organization be told an image of what who you're serving,

how? How you're doing it? This is why the gospel thing is a problem.

Besides the cross, you know,

which is our image for Christianity though.

It used to be a fish, but now to cross,

which the whole nother theological topic,

but it can't be that it just can't,

it can't be the cross. It has to be at the idea of the Cross.

Yes, but the cross, the physical symbol,

it just that can't be your symbol. Your symbol has to be.

What are you serving? Will you serving? Why are you serving them?

Is that in a picture. Are you lucky enough to put it in the video yet?

And do you have that tag line? That if your name,

doesn't say what you do? Does, it least your tagline like,

and I'm mostly talking to nonprofits right here,

but even churches, you know, what differentiates you,

what makes you unique? How you doing it?

Why you're doing it. What makes you unique?

And then how can Can people rally around that if they don't really understand it?

So a picture, a video a tagline. That's why I loved the bucket Ministries tagline

and their home page.

I mean, it was, it was pretty good. We look it up.

One more time for the didn't have it memorized. Here. It is

sharing God's love through the gift of Clean safe,

drinking water. It's just and then a big picture of the bucket Ministry.

Yeah. I still wish the bucket Ministry explained that it's clean water,

but that's another problem for another day. And that's not my problem.

The There's I'm sure they're killing it. So I want to know what a pick and I'm just,

this is Todd Turner nitpicking. That's what I do.

I've been I've been helping organizations do this for decades.

And so I'm here to say if your organization,

your church, if you're listening as a church,

is not telling your story. Well,

then it is worth the time and the effort to think that through and I would say this.

There's some of you who may have told your story five years ago,

but it's not that the story Changes,

but it does. But it does, it's not that your mission has changed

but your how could have changed you could add additional storage,

you can have better pictures nowadays you'd have different video.

And so sometimes it needs a revamp in an overhaul or at least just some lipstick put on the thing.

And so storytelling is important.

People remember stories. They don't remember facts and they can share.

Lori a lot easier than making them just wing

it and try to explain all the complexities of what you guys do.

So, you know, in my master class, I help explain all this.

For those of you who don't know anything about it, go to creative digital guide.com.

Take a look around at explain how you can get that.

But keep telling the story to keep telling the god story.

And remember, there's nothing wrong with fundraising.

And asking for gifts to do good.

Amazing things for people in need. It's biblical.

And I know there are people out there who shame us for asking,

or for begging or whatever, you know, I don't know paying,

so you good either. But sometimes you got to get down to a bag.

It happens when, when the people you're serving are in dire need.

I don't know about you, but I don't mind begging for him.

I mean, I wouldn't beg for a third jet,

but I have a problem bagging. If the bagging is helping the person who needs the money?

The most I don't mind. I don't.

So anyway, I don't listen to the haters

and you shouldn't either just keep keep on doing doing what you're doing.

I love the fact that the people I work with are literally working on telling her stories

and fundraising,

for their God's eyes missions and their God's eyes desires,

to help people and be the hands and feet of Jesus all around the globe.

Love it to you guys next time. Thank you for listening to today's episode of.

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