No Stories to Tell

CMS Wire ran an article today that I found very interesting. "Content Strategy: When You Have No Story to Tell" highlights the very real concept that, as people with emotional ties and connections and a fondness for said ties and connections, we want to understand things more than just a factual level. We want to know the hows and whys and reasons behind it all. We respond to stories that make sense, that inspire us, that make us want or need or strive.

The following web sites are a few of my favorite storytelling sites.

Kiva

Site: http://www.kiva.org/

The Story: Kiva helps concerned people make microloans to hard working entrepreneurs in 3rd world nations in order to help them build better lives.

What It Does Right: With community service or good deeds site like this, stories practically write themselves. But with donations and charitable contributions struggling in this economy, sites with the most compelling stories will get the most charity. Kiva does it right by ...

• Showing pictures of the recipients.
• Giving biographical information about the recipients. ("Baatarsuren Batbold is 21 years old and lives with his parents in Hovd province in central Mongolia. They live together in a ger, a traditional Mongolian nomadic housing tent.")
• Telling lenders exactly what's needed.
• Giving specific financial data.
• Displaying and linking to other lenders.
  

White House

Site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/

The Story: The President gives you a look inside his politics, his life, and his beliefs.

What It Does Right: Regardless of your political orientation, it's clear that our current President has fully embraced that Internet and understands its potential to reach people. The last time technology did something so striking was on September 26, 1960. The general election presidential debate was shown via television, and it changed the course of how presidents are elected.

• Be transparent.
• Include lots of pictures and video.
• Provide multiple ways to interact and make feedback easy to give.
  

Pottery Barn

Site: http://www.potterybarn.com/

The Story: You deserve to feel warm and comfy and cozy in your wonderful home filled with wonderfully warm and comfy and cozy Pottery Barn items.

What It Does Right: Pottery Barn sells home furnishings for a specific type of customer. It's focus is on contemporary design that emphasizes hearth and home.

• Images have soft lighting and neutral colors.
• Typography focuses on hand-writing, which emphasizes the old-fashioned (values) and hand-made (quality).
• Items are arranged in full sets that emphasizes the home and family.
• Item descriptions are full of evocative words like "rich", "timeworn", and "lush".
• Lots of options to share items with other friends, so they can feel warm and comfy and cozy, too.