Marketing with Photography: Telling Your Story

When it comes to marketing, photography is an often overlooked key factor.

How is that? Well, the human eye is naturally attracted to visual imagery.

While we’ve talked to you about social media, email, and video marketing—there’s a key factor we may have overlooked.

Want to engage with your audience on social media? Tell your stories with photographs!

How Can Photography Help?

Look for photogenic moments in your organization and at your events, and use these on social media.

Don’t post photos that have no story to them. If you’re gonna photograph people, make sure they’re standing in front of whatever your organization has accomplished (a habitat house, a food drive).

Don’t post every photograph you take. If you take 100 photos, a handful of them will be amazing photos. The rest can be saved for your archives, but less is definitely more.

As for pictures of your staff doing nothing—sure, your social media fans may know your staff, but if they’re not captivating your audience, don’t use them.

Telling Stories with Photography

So how can you tell stories with visuals?

According to John Haydon, the best way to tell stories is by using the very concept of storytelling: every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

A classic story will show progression, action, or change.

Haydon says there are four ways to select share-worthy images:

1. Show Action: Photographs that show action are storytelling images. 
2. Show Relationships: Photos with relationships are great at telling stories. If you’re photographing a dog adoption, and you see a happy dog with their happy owner—the story tells itself.
3. Show Problems: When you show a problem, you’re telling a story. And this story inspires viewers to take part and become the happy ending. 
4. Show Results: Photos that show the attainment of a goal tell the story from the finish line. Sometimes that's simply showing someone with a before and after of a medical procedure.

While you’re planning your storytelling photographs, start planning your Form 990 return. With the fast and easy e-filing at ExpressTaxExempt, you’ll never have to worry about confusing tax forms. If you have any questions about e-filing, call our support experts at 704.839.2321.

So ask yourself, what are your best photographable moments? How can you use these to share your stories?

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Tales from the Nonprofit

There’s nothing better than a good story - except maybe food and a good story. But even without the food, a story has it’s own worth. A great story can stir emotions, create a call to action, or simply entertain. For nonprofits and charities, a story can inspire to give. Of course we don’t mean just any story, but a story of the work done by your organization that has influenced or helped others within the community.

As much work as your organization accomplishes, there’s probably a story or fascinating experience for every staff member or volunteer. Ironically, the most challenging part of sharing these stories is first finding them. Here are some ways to boost your organization’s storytelling to share with donors.

Be Specific

• You need to know exactly what kind of story you’re looking to share from your programs - broadly asking for any story will give you just that. And your staff member or volunteer may have numerous unique experiences within the nonprofit per day. Help them select the best choice by requesting for a specific story.

Stories at Staff Meetings

• Can’t make rounds to everyone? Take a few minutes during regular staff meetings and ask your members to share a special, impressionable, or surprising moment from the previous week. The entire story doesn’t have to be told at that very moment - just a minute or two. You can meet up with the member later to gather details. This will allow you to get great stories straight from the source rather than spending the day randomly going from person to person.

Strategic Listening

• Another way to find great stories is to simply listen to what is going on around you. And no, we don’t mean eavesdropping, or what we affectionately refer to in our office as “ear hustling,” but instead to pay close attention to the many conversations you have with your staff and volunteers each day. Listen well and strategically ask questions that reveal further information.

Story Submission

• Maybe the problem isn’t coming up with stories, but rather what to do with them. With so much to do, your staff can’t possibly drop everything to express a worthy experience. A paper or online form can allow anyone to quickly submit their story. You can find online resources about creating forms.

Show Them the Way

• A great way to get others to openly express themselves is for you to openly express yourself. Share your own stories of the donors you speak with, the people you’ve helped, or any thoughtful, impressionable moments. Not only does it add value to the relationships of those working around you, but it also establishes connections to those who graciously fund your programs.

Getting your organization’s message and efforts known by the masses is a team effort, but sharing more stories can lead to more donations, allowing you to make even more of an impact in our world.

So while your nonprofit or charity is out changing the world, let us help you with our tax-exempt returns and extension forms made easy. With ExpressTaxExempt, you can e-file your 990 forms and extensions faster and more accurately than with paper filing. With our easy, online interview process, we lead you from start to finish with helpful prompts and step-by-step instructions to e-file your annual tax-exempt return.

Link up with our live support team in Rock Hill, South Carolina, for questions or further assistance. We’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (704) 839-2321. Or contact us 24/7 at support@expresstaxexempt.com.

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