As I sat down to my desk and stretched my hands over the keyboard to begin tapping out compelling direct marketing messages, a high-pitched alarm sounded and bright white light began flashing—it was the fire alarm. An annoying disruption to the day, what happened next was a vivid illustration of one … [Read more...]
Use your (five) senses
Vivid language that strikes at a donor’s senses goes a lot further than run-of-the-mill cliches. You may have read an earlier blog entry about the power of storytelling to light up listener’s brains. However, there was one aspect that I didn’t delve into—the language of storytelling. To be truly … [Read more...]
Take them on a journey
A story without twists and turns is boring. If there were no obstacles, every romantic comedy, adventure film, mystery, or drama would be about ten minutes long. Your story should have some twists, turns, and obstacles, too. I’m not talking about manufacturing drama, but giving some insight into … [Read more...]
Why tell stories?
Stories are one of the best ways to make your organization part of a donor’s life. Neuroscience has shown that when people hear or read stories told in evocative terms, those stories activate corresponding parts of a listener’s brain. When you read about a juicy plum, a crunchy carrot, or gooey … [Read more...]
Amy Scanlon Consulting Is Now Story Smart, LLC
For years, I’ve operated under my own name as Amy Scanlon Consulting. It’s been nice to see my name gain recognition over the years. However, Amy Scanlon Consulting didn’t really communicate the essence of my work. As a nonprofit professional, I’ve developed a focus on and expertise in storytelling … [Read more...]