I’ve spent more than 25 years as a storyteller, public narrative trainer, and – yes – a Pokémon voice actor. And as someone currently running for public office, I’m figuring out just how much our stories matter. I talk to nonprofit teams all the time who feel like their SMS program has hit a wall. The engagement is there. The connection isn’t.
Most SMS programs are built around moments. A campaign launch. A giving deadline. An event reminder. Then the moment passes and the cycle starts over.
That works. But programs built only around moments plateau. Open rates flatten. Supporters start to feel like a means to an end. The ones that keep growing are built around relationships.
Storytelling is what gets you there.
Your SMS Program Is More Than a Series of Campaigns
Running a storytelling campaign and making storytelling part of how you communicate are two different things. I’ve seen both, and the difference in results is significant.
A campaign collects a few stories, uses them once, and moves on. A program approach means storytelling shows up at every stage of the supporter journey. Not as an ask. As a signal that this is a program that listens.
That changes how people relate to your organization. They’re not just donors. They’re participants. And participants stick around.
4 Places Storytelling Actually Works in the Donor Journey
The teams I see doing this well aren’t running elaborate campaigns. They’re just weaving storytelling into what they’re already doing.
When Someone Joins Your List
Skip the soft ask. Instead, ask them to share why they signed up. It’s the earliest story you can collect, and it signals right away that this is a program interested in more than their donation.
In Between Campaigns
Quiet stretches are the best time for storytelling. No deadline, no urgency. A simple question often gets the most honest responses, and those become the material that makes your next campaign stronger.
During a Campaign
Sharing a supporter’s words mid-campaign, with permission, adds real credibility. It shows hesitant donors that others like them are already invested.
After Someone Gives
A follow-up that asks what motivated someone to give turns a receipt into a conversation.
But not every moment is the right moment. A storytelling prompt during a time-sensitive ask adds friction when you need action. And reaching out to cold or lapsed contacts before re-engaging them first will likely fall flat.
Context is everything.
How Consistent Storytelling Improves Donor Retention
Every story you collect makes the next message more credible. Every personal reply deepens a relationship. Every supporter who feels heard is more likely to give when you ask.
The programs with the strongest long-term engagement aren’t the ones with the biggest lists. They’re the ones where supporters feel like they’re part of something. Storytelling is how you build that. Not in one campaign, but over time.
One Change That Makes Your Nonprofit SMS Strategy Stronger
The teams doing this well aren’t reinventing their programs. They’ve just stopped treating storytelling as something they do when they need content and started building storytelling into how they communicate all year.
That means adding one question to your SMS welcome series. One check-in between campaigns. One follow-up after a donation. Each one is a small addition to what you’re already doing, but they create real moments of connection.
You already have the moments. All you need is one question to go with them.
Want help building your next storytelling campaign? We’d love to help you think it through!
