Mission driven means believing in what’s personal

When you have a moment, take a quick inventory of your current communication materials — brochure, postcard, poster, website, annual report — and ask yourself two questions:

1. Do these tell a unique story about my organization?
2. Does the story reveal what we believe in?

Belief systems can be viewed as being “too personal.” But then, what else would it be? Powerful stories are personal. People will care about what other people care about. Your mission becomes clear and compelling only if it’s rooted in a human struggle, the courage to take risks and faith in the choices you’ve made along the way. Which brings me to a third question:

3. How can we get someone to share our beliefs?

Your personal story is always a good place to start.

Take advantage of our October Special Offer
Reduced rate on October storytelling workshops
$45 per person and $30 for each guest you bring.
(regular rate $75)

Don’t Let Words Get in the Way
While words are important-when we are most moved, when we are touched to our very core-words often seem inadequate. Communicating without words makes your message universal. If you can clearly convey your story without speaking, it will resonate with audiences of diverse cultures and backgrounds who might otherwise be hindered by language barriers. It’s the first step to developing the essence of your story. It can also lead to a memorable campaign that maintains the same level of impact across all media: print, online, video, or live.
Key take-away: Create a strong framework for your story centered on the characters and their motivations to reveal a clear, basic message that can engage a wider audience.
Teaching Artist: Gregg Steigmeyer
Thursday, October 11, 2012 – REGISTER

The Power of Symbols
Symbols have been used to inspire change throughout history. They have embodied powerful ideas, stories, people and societies. This session uses the graphic arts to stir creative thinking about your organization’s identity and develop your own visual language that translates your story into compelling and memorable images.
Key take-away: Are the colors and pictures in your communications effectively delivering the intended message?
Teaching Artist: Lindsay Obermeyer
Thursday, October 18, 2012 – REGISTER

See you in October!

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