Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

Angela Merritt Verdery, MSWSafe Harbor

Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

• What’s your story?• What do you want people to know about your

organization?• What do you want people to know about your

issue?• What’s the spirit/personality/tone that fits

your story?

Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

• Now… what’s your plan?– Who will carry out your plan?– How often will you share information?– What equipment might you need? – Who needs to “buy in” to your plan?– What do you need to learn to implement this

plan?

Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

• Get started!• How will you monitor it?• How will you make time for it? • Are there tools to make your job easier? – Website– Social media– Electronic newsletter

Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

• Hot Healthy Love Campaign (an example)– Stories on website– Videos on youtube (Safe Harbor RVA channel)– Posted stories on facebook and twitter– Started tumblr page– Traditional media coverage – Looking to add new elements this year

Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story:Starting and Shifting Conversations

• Think critically about your story• Plan how you will tell your story• Be creative in telling your story

What are your questions?