Copywriting
Fundraising appeals, materials and cases for support
Brand ads, newsletters, annual reports and video scripts
Thought leadership blog posts, articles and reports
Internal communications
Website and social content
Any other written output with the intention to do social good
The Magic 8 Storytelling Questions for Copywriting
Whatever the writing project, we’ll kick off the project by working through these questions to help make sure we get the outcome that best meets the brief.
What's the story?
(the brief, in a sentence if possible)
Summarising the brief in a sentence might be tough to do. But it's worth having a stab to help clarify the project's purpose. This isn't an attempt to write the final copy; it's a short overview of the reason for the brief and its objectives.
Who are we telling it to?
What do we know about them?
Stories are all powerful. But different people respond to different stories in different ways. To make our audience leap out of their chair and say, YES, THAT'S IT! I HAD NO IDEA! BUT NOW I DO, AND I'M INSPIRED TO ACT!, we need to know who they are and what makes them tick.
Why should they care?
What's in it for them?
Non-profit and social impact briefs often (rightly) focus on the people the organisation set out to support. But if we want our message to land, we also mustn't lose sight of the supporter – or other relevant audiences. What will this story do for them based on their beliefs, values and motivations?
Why should they believe us?
What's our credibility in this space?
Storytelling for social good should be rooted in truth and authenticity. Perhaps our audience is already convinced, but they might also need more proof about your organisation and the project to ensure this message gets over the line.
What do we want them to feel, do and think after hearing this story?
The holy trinity of marketing communications! Good storytelling triggers an emotional response and change in behaviour. The best storytelling causes people to change how they think about something. Which feelings, actions and thoughts are right for this brief?
Whose story is this?
How are they represented?
Who are the characters in our story? Who is affected by it? How can we make sure everyone is included and represented fairly and equitably? How will this story help overturn bias, prejudice and discrimination against marginalised groups?
Who else is telling a similar story?
Why is ours different?
Chances are, more than one organisation is telling stories about this type of project or cause. What distinguishes ours? Why should people take action in response to our story instead of (or as well as) other brands' stories?
Why are we telling it now?
Have we told it before? What's new?
Why is this story timely? Are we responding to a particular event or trend? Is there an urgent need driving it? If the message is broadly familiar to our audience, how are we freshening it up to keep it relevant and inspiring?