As human creatures, we are all drawn to stories. For many of us this began when we were very young, with tales about Sleeping Beauty and Noah and the Ark. But it still continues today. Now we find our stories on news shows, in movies and in magazines. We know the whole story behind celebrities or current events, but how well do we know the stories of those around us?It may not seem like this has anything to do with planning your event. But it does in many ways, two of which I want to highlight today: publicity and community.
At the Faith & Environment Conference that I attended this past week (it was amazing), one of the seminars was "Church Communications," led by Ken Garfield. He is the director of communications at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C., but for many years before that he served as the faith editor at the Charlotte Observer. Garfield is a story guy.
The seminar focused on effective communications across all platforms--email blasts, print newsletters, bulletin announcements, etc. And throughout, he emphasized the importance of telling a story. This is already commonly used when trying to create awareness of a social issue or cause, just think of all those special offering inserts around the holidays. But this approach is also useful when publicizing a meeting or an event. Garfield used the example of a widows support group that recently formed at the church. In a recent newsletter, he printed the words of the group's founder: "We are adding a hopefully new persona, that of strong and courageous women who have grown closer to God."
These words say so much more than, "Show up, Wednesday, 3 o'clock." Instead of beating meeting times and places into people's heads, let the stories reach their hearts. Get former participants to tell you in their words why the event meant so much to them last year, or talk about how a group is changing people's lives. If you don't feel you are the best storyteller, find someone on your planning team or in your office who is.
A second dynamic of stories is in building communities. Sharing stories about who we are helps us to learn about one another on a new level. If someone asks, "What's important to you?" you will likely list a number of general things: family, the church, your friends. But if you tell a story that is close to your heart, those generic things take on life.
Furthermore, stories are important not just to individuals, but also to groups and organizations. David Carr, who leads a professional development program at Montreat College, offers a program for groups interested in strenghtening their stories. He writes, "What are the stories about your team, your organization, your efforts, your vision that touch the hearts of your customers and want to have them keep coming back?" Stories set you apart from others, and they also make us a community.
What can stories do for you? Do you really know the people you work or worship with? Do you know their stories? What does the story of your group look like, and how are you at telling it? Who else is telling your story?
Cat is the Sales Associate at Montreat Conference Center. She loves helping people plan the perfect Montreat Experience and would love to hear from you about how this blog can help you.
Cat can be reached at catw@montreat.org.
Cat can be reached at catw@montreat.org.
Comments