Storytelling is Not Just for Fairytales

​Once upon a time there was a strange and mysterious village. It stood isolated atop a large hill. It seemed scary, aloof, and detached from the rest of the kingdom.
 
But within this village was a magical place. It was a land full of possibility and service. It believed in redemption. Its work changed people’s lives.
 
This land’s influence in the overall kingdom was vast and far-reaching and its mayor and villagers were hardworking. But nobody had heard of this strange and mysterious land. Nobody in the kingdom knew that the help they were receiving was because of this mysterious land. Why?
 
Because the mayor and the villagers never talked about it.
 
Does this fairytale sound like your organization? You do good work that could benefit the community, and nobody knows about it? If yes, then you need to bring your org back into reality through a communications plan that is rooted in storytelling and anchored with key messages.
 
A good comms plan goes beyond branding or a slogan. It involves how your leadership, employees, and community partners talk about yourselves and the work you do. Using very specific, unifying, and powerful language to communicate about your values and work can serve as a safe harbor in times of crisis and help shape public policy to benefit your community.
 
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
•     If a stranger asks you what your work involves, could you describe it in one sentence, using simple language without using your job title or agency name?
•       If you had 30 seconds in an elevator and a stranger asked what you do, could you describe it in an impactful way they would really understand?
•       Could you tell me what you do without telling me what your job is?
•       Would everyone in your organization say the same thing?
 
If you answered no to any or all these questions, consider developing a comms plan that includes effective messaging about your org and the community it serves.