For an Emotional Connection, Turn the Stats into a Story.

Recently, our CEO and chief optimist, Jon Budington, was preparing for a trip to New York. When he checked the weather, to know what to pack, he was presented with the graphic below.

He determined that it might rain, and it might be sunny, and it would be pretty toasty but also, maybe cool? He wasn’t sure what to wear, at what part of the day, and when it would rain. So he pondered it for a while and turned the forecast into a short narrative. Instead of facts and icons, a mini-story. Clearer, more valuable, and more impactful.

No doubt you have many facts and figures you need to present to your donors and prospective donors. And it’s probably safe to assume that you put them into charts and graphs and lists and include them in your endowment or impact reports. But it would also be fair to say that they’re not particularly inviting. Or interesting. And they certainly have no emotional impact.

That same data, though, is part of a larger narrative. About donations, investments, and impact. Where those funds went. Who they helped. And what that aid meant to the beneficiaries. It’s powerful, memorable, and moving. And it inspires people to take action.

Like give. Or give again.

And it’s what storytelling is all about.

The human brain is hardwired to embrace stories, not facts. Gathering those stories, curating them, tagging and sharing them is why we built our storytelling software, Mythos. What can make your life easier can also make your reports more engaging.

Your donors and prospective donors deserve nothing less.