How was California and Storytelling Conference?
John
this isnt awkward at all
california is awesome. suits me just fine. sunshine, rose, palm trees, beach…
Jen
California was sunny and breezy and glorious
And the storytelling conference was awesome. Such a great community/family feel there
Beate
Were there really a thousand people there?
John
yah they had over 1,000 people. great crowd of enthusiastic learners!
gone form 250 to over 1000 in – what? 5 years?
Simon
Any surfing?
John
only on the web
Jen
Surfing? No, but lots of boats and planes
(air force town)
what’s happening in oslo and dublin?
Beate
Mittens and hats mostly
John
im really not ready for winter.
Beate
okay so you had fun but did you actually learn anything new?
Jen
One amazing thing about this conference was the dedication to donor care AND self care
John
i learned that comic sans could be the new courier
Beate
Crap
?
Jen
the workshops were all about tactics and practical stuff you can use right now
but the plenaries were all about caring for you as a person: imposter syndrome, writing your own manifesto, vulnerability (particularly keen on that one)
Beate
what kind of tactics?
Jen
Tammy Zonker did a session about “what is the story your calendar is telling you”
about how we plan our time…
Beate
I feel like in the last ten years you haven’t been able to go to a conference without bumping into storytelling left and right. What’s left now that we’re kind of done with the buzz?
Jen
Ugh. I get a version of this question a lot. “Aren’t we “post storytelling”?
I do think some people feel that way… And until I see charities really telling stories well, that donors see themselves in, I’ll keep banging this drum
John
there is certainly more to our work than just storytelling. i agree beate. just like there is more to our work than an obsession with digital…
Beate
Well tell me what the core is, what are people doing wrong – what aren’t they doing – and what should they do to tell their stories right?
John
agree with Jen. it’s like #donorlove…
people ask if we are past that now… um…. NO
Jen
Part of it is structural. We say “time to do the year end appeal” let’s look at last year’s, “swap in a new story” and make it 5% cheaper and increase the target by 10%
Instead of saying “what’s the right story, right now, and who is the right voice for that story”
John
or – this is why we need THIS donor right now…
this is what we need them to do… this is why they might care…
all of this is hard work that goes against the grain of our check box-y society
Beate
And since Direct Mail is dead, that should happen only on digital platforms, right?
John
rrrriiigggghhhhhhtttttt
Beate
haha
Jen
it all won’t matter when AI controls us and we pay in cryptocurrency
Beate
oh god
Simon
Its just always looking for something new because we get bored. But our donors dont get bored if its good.
Jen
i say that all the time, quoting you, simon. no one complains about good fundraising, it works. donors complain about crap fundraising.
Beate
yeah, it’s like how we throw out perfectly good stories because we’re sick of them. But most of our donors did NOT see that facebookpost you put out three months ago
?
John
as i was talking about in San Diego… a good offer is potentially more important than a good story…
everyone is running around looking for great stories but
Beate
What do you mean by “a good offer”?
John
not sure what the story needs to do to make it a GOOD story
like – simplisitically… you $1 today will buy 3 meals for a family that needs it
$100 will send a kid to camp this summer
donor sized problems and fixes
Jen
(an offer that is made 1000000x better with a story) — john and I throw down on this issue
i agree with donor sized problems and solutions — but a good offer sits too close to “an elevator pitch” to me and makes me feel yucky inside
John
it’s not really a throw down. i’m trying to keep people focused on what makes for great and effective direct response.
Beate
hahahaha
?
Jen
disagree
Beate
shots fired
Jen
Jen Love: see? throwdown
Beate
Didn’t mean to start a fight?
John
it’s not a pitch. I’m giving the donor what they need to help.
Jen
done right, it’s perfect. in the wrong hands, it’s “orgsplaining”
John
most orgs have zero idea what a good offer is or how to express it…
Beate
Moving on: Was there any talk at storytelling about how the way we communicate with our supporters might be changing?
Simon
Do they talk about different mediums?
Or is it just people raving about stories for 2 days?
Im jealous because i wasnt there
Jen
Like we hear around the world, multi channel, integration…sharing stories in different places and voices
Beate
Simon and I not being at storytelling
John
yah – our pal Reuban talked about orgs can use video
i talked about direct mail and some digital
Jen
and there are more sessions on events too than at other conferences
so people are understanding “live storytelling” in ways that I don’t experience at other conferences
Simon
Storytelling at events?
Jen
Yep. A couple of sessions dedicated ENTIRELY to event storytelling
Simon
What does that look like?
Who is the M Night Shyamalan of nonprofit stories?
Jen
Our gal Shanon Doolittle is the expert on this, and her approach is to make sure that at every event there are natural, authentic stories being told and how that experience carries through the event follow-up, stewardship and future solicitation.
Beate
what does that mean? What’s an example of that well done?
Jen
Mark Rovner always surprises me when I hear what he’s going to say and then how he actually creates the session experience…which I guess is kinda M Night
Mark was the one a few years ago who did a whole session on “the backstory”
The day after the US election when Trump won, he asked us all to write a backstory in a paragraph or less that explained The Donald.
so is this working? is this what we wanted from this experiment?
John
lol
Jen
i feel like me and john blabbed and fought
so i guess, that’s on brand
Beate
Feel like we’re still warming up a bit
?
Simon
I think we are finding our feet but im finding you guys interesting
Beate
haha
Okay but seriously before we all pack up – mediums – is anything changing in the way we connect with our audiences?
Is everyone starting a podcast now?
John
God.
Jen
Definitely not starting a podcast
Simon
Podcasts are peaking
John
me neither.
people hardly know how to use the channels they SHOULD be using to talk to their audiences…
i guess it’s easier to give up and go do something else?
Jen
I wish we could shift the overall conversation from channel to authenticity
i don’t give a fuck what channel you are using
but try to be real, open and authentic and you’ll raise money and be a happier fundraiser
Simon
As a podcaster I can confirm they are dumb. But also they really suit me and others sometimes depending on what we are doing. I like listening to them in planes
But i never listen to them at home
Beate
Are they though? My parents aren’t listening to podcasts yet, I’d say it’s about time for the late adopters which frankly are most of our donors
not that i’m advocating you should shift your fundraising budget into podcasting
Simon
Totes Jen. Medium is not the motivator
I mean peaking for people doing them
Its like everyone is starting one. But novelty will wear off
But audience will grow for remaining consistent podcasts
Jen
Your podcast is authentic and lovely. More like that please
Simon
Authentic = unprofessional and unedited
And thank you
❤️
Beate
podcasting and digital is the future. I think that’s a good wrap-up!
Simon
….
John
authentic = i’m showing up to be seen and i want people to see me. that is fundamentally out of line with how most people are online and offline
Simon
Whats next after digital?
Beate
My guess: No-one wants to give you their data.
John
offline
Simon
Whats next after offline?
Jen
authentic = i’m showing up to be seen and i want people to see me. that is fundamentally out of line with how most people are online and offline
Jen
AI
Simon
Or any kind of intelligence
Jen
YES!
oh goddess yes
what’s next is intelligence
Beate
LOBSTER FACT: Apparantly they pee out of their faces.
Simon
Like Jen
Jen
Every time! No matter the lobster fact
Beate
that is neither kind nor intelligent
Jen
Title of your sex tape?
Beate
hahahaha?
100 %
Okay, anyone have any closing remarks or funnies before we call it a night / day?
Simon
I love you all
Jen
I’m here for all this
Beate
❤️
John
i need a sandwich
Beate
bye.
Beate
Alright, everyone’s here, let’s awkwardly get the conversation topic started!