52 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG MARCH/APRIL 2019 DAY­TO­DAY PR TOOLKIT Ami Neiberger­Miller The Power of Storytelling Ways to make sure your ministry’s story gets heard Ami owns Steppingstone LLC, an independent public relations and design practice that assists nonprofits in sharing their stories. Email her at ami@ steppingstonellc.com Y ou may have grown up captivated by bedtime stories as a child, but stories still hold power over us throughout our lives. Story- telling can be a powerful tool in sharing the story of your ministry with volunteers, sup- porters, the media, influencers, and the public. But how do you put together a compelling story? First, you start with a person. If people can under- stand how your ministry has touched one person, they can understand how you help dozens, hundreds, or thousands. You need a protago- nist—a leading character. Think of a person you saw who was touched, changed, or moved through your ministry—some- one whose life was transformed through connecting with you. Tell a story about this per- son. Talk about how she got involved in your ministry. Talk about what she brought into your ministry. The person might be a client you served, a volunteer who was deeply affected by an experience, or even yourself. Next, you add a place. Every great story happens somewhere. Your ministry is the stage. Be descriptive. Talk about the place, the smells, the temperature, and the feel of the place. These details should not overburden the story; rather, they should add small tinges of memorable details for the listeners or readers. Get to the point. Talk about a moment when a reality hit, change happened, or a real- ization was made. Talk about the hopeful small step, the giant leap forward, or the quiet moment of reflection. Make that the focal point. Be conversational. A story should flow easily on the eyes or the ears. The audience will pay attention more easily if you keep words simple and clear. Use data to fill out the details. If numbers or statistics can be used to illustrate how widespread a problem is, a trend you are describing, or how impactful a ministry is, add them to the story. Know your audience. Know the audience you are sharing your story with. The church congregation “missions moment,” the Rotary Club speech, the volunteer orienta- tion pep talk, and the pitch to a reporter are each different environments and audiences. Tailor the story for listen­ ers. Trim or expand to fill time limits. Adjust details to the interests of the audience. That doesn’t mean you are dishonest; simply choose the most relevant parts of the story for the audi- ence to hear.