have been kidnapped would get a
better response or click through rate,
maybe likes on Facebook than boys
in asylum.
Does this mean people care more for
girls than boys? Or is this a scenario
that has been created by the pushing
an agenda to create a perceived reality
that causes us to think that some
stories need our attention more than
others?
In communication, you must tell
a story that appeals to everyone
otherwise they will not care about
it. If your target audience does not
care for your story, this in turn would
translate to a reduction in funding,
closed programs and ultimately this
will affect millions of lives.
The risk lies in the diluting of
issues so much that they become
throw away stories, devoid of
meaning, relevance and impact.
The organizations outside the
development community understand
little of the jargon and in fact always
aim to cut through the clutter to see
where the benefit is.
People also do not want to read
complex stories that make them
wonder or feel guilty to have taken
a shower in the morning while
somebody somewhere didn’t get even
a drop of water in the past two days.
Therefore, these stories need to be
written in such a way that inspire
people to want to be part of the cause
without overselling the help mafia
and warrior.
life to the point that they almost
experience the same emotion as that
of the person in the story.
This makes a distant feature appear
close and tangible to connect the
two people without them ever
even meeting. Good and effective
stories inspire people to care about
social causes through an emotional
resonance.
A good story breaks down an
abstract scenario into a simple one
encouraging understanding. This is
a basic marketing principle. Some
of the best narrati ves are told in the
simplest ways. Large multinational
brands have mastered the art of ‘less
is more’.
Good marketers also embed their
values into their stories to ensure
they are aligned with the values of
their target audiences to remove the
complexity in narration. Also, there
are no big brands that end their
commercials by out rightly asking
people to buy their products!
Online communication breaks
barriers and allows marketers to have
a two-way conversation with their
audiences and bypass the middleman.
Donor funded agencies can use
this medium to educate, change
misconceptions and get feedback
or ideas on how to improve their
impact.
‘‘I believe the role of
communication in
development work is
to help the voiceless
have a voice and give
communities a chance
to portray themselves
in a way that makes
them feel and look
comfortable enough
to tell their own
stories. ’’
This also provides a medium to
encourage participation and achieve
social impact by positioning people to
get involved in finding solutions and
achieve meaningful goals, and rally
people to take action.
Stories still remain the most
effective way for the development
world to communicate about their
work and their successes. The most
important thing would be to do
so without overselling the reliance
on fundraising to the point that it
negatively impacts a potential donor.
The marketing and social media
efforts especially should provide a
shift in the way the campaigns are
delivered. They should instead sell
the emotional appeal and answer the
question, ‘what’s in it for me’ as a
donor.
The stories should highlight
individuals and communities in
a holistic way, that is educational
and in a way that truly signifies the
sustainable development agenda.
Effective marketing and good
communication in the field of
development are inseparable. A
lasting effect and a good story should
be the real desired outcome.
Communication through stories
should promote a human connection,
build relationships and help the
audience understand another person’s
Diana Obath is a Public Relations
and Communications Specialist. You
can commune with her via mail on:
[email protected].