Performance Coaching/Marketing Workshop:
Get Your Story Straight: Tell Your Story Powerfully on the Page and on the Stage!

In this competitive fundraising arena, it's not enough for an organization's leadership to simply convey the facts to secure the support of volunteers and contributors. In most cases, facts and figures have already been spelled out.

But what makes the difference between getting a yes or a no? The answer isn't mysterious, but it also isn't easy to execute.

Both volunteers and contributors need to feel moved to act, to get it deep in their bones why the organization's mission merits investing their resources. A strong emotional appeal strengthens an organization's chances to rise above the crowd and gain the attention, respect and support it deserves. This is true whether they're speaking to a single person or a roomful, whether they're writing a fundraising letter, website copy, press release or article.

This program coaches nonprofit professionals on how to tell their organization's story with skill, persuasiveness and confidence. It sets in motion the emotions that drive action.

What Program Participants Receive

Participants come away with a way to tell their organizations' story with greater persuasion and ultimately better results.

They will be coached to:

• Clarify, organize and refine their message for targeted focus-both on the stage and on the page.
• Explore ways to personalize their organization's story so they can share it from the heart.
• Balance factual content with the drama of storytelling to amplify their points.
• Inject emotional connections and theatrical techniques into their stories to engage their audiences while tapping into their natural styles and strengths.
• Take advantage of powerful "nonverbals" - vocal delivery, eye contact, silence, and use of space - for maximum attention and connection.
• Ensure the written story aligns with the spoken version in a way that retains its effectiveness.
• Learn editing tricks and techniques to adapt the story they tell on stage for the page.
• Leverage what they've created for multiple uses - website, email, articles, marketing materials, and more.

Note: Andrea and Barbara can offer Part One and Part Two as individual programs or combined as a two-part program, depending on the interest, logistics, and resources available.

Part One: This half-day program begins with an introduction to concepts followed by specific information on how to develop the story, edit it for various purposes, and deliver it in front of a group.

We would break out into smaller groups/round tables in which each participant would have a chance to develop and share his/her story and get feedback from his/her peers. A couple of participants will then be coached in front of the group.

Participants leave with an understanding of the power of delivering an effective story and specifically their own organization's story. They will receive feedback on its effectiveness from peers and guidance on how to leverage it for marketing uses.

Note: Part One is designed to accommodate as many participants as wish to attend and can be set up as be a prerequisite for Part Two.

Part Two: This half-day interactive session reinforces the key concepts explained in Part One, followed by individual coaching for all participants.

The group of 10 will split into two groups of 5; one group works with Andrea on presentation skills while the other works with Barbara on writing skills. Then the groups will switch.

Participants leave with greater skill and confidence delivering their story and a specific plan on how to leverage it for their selected media.

Content Components

The following outlines the three major components of this two-part program, introduced in Part One and reinforced interactively in Part Two.

1. Story Development for the Stage and the Page
   • Decide which details of the organization's story need to be told.
   • Identify an open and close for presenting the story, including techniques to capture the audience's attention and set up a call to action.
   • Set the scene with descriptions/information and develop the characters while identifying who the organization helps.
   • Define a key obstacle the organization faces: what the problem is, how it meets that problem, why that's important.
   • Resolve the storyline and make a clear point that moves the audience.
2. Presentation Skills
   • Model how an organization's story can be told effectively.
   • Work with the participants to identify and refine their natural speaking styles.
   • Provide specific, individual coaching on how to "live" the story, not just tell it, through emotional and theatrical/speaking techniques.
   • Apply these techniques to each participant's situation in an interactive practice setting.
3. Writing Skills
   • Take the story prepared for the stage and brainstorm where it needs to be told in print-website copy, fundraising letter, article, etc.
   • Have each participant select one format to work on and craft a piece.
   • In Part Two, provide each participant with individual coaching on how to strengthen his/her organization's story to inspire action.
   • Facilitate interaction among participants; their feedback is an important piece of the learning in the small-group session.

Andrea Beaulieu
Andrea is a certified coach, author, and award-winning consultant. As founder of Andrea Beaulieu Creates, LLC, Andrea has served dozens of clients in several industries, and worked as the contracted executive director for two nonprofit organizations, and the interim executive director for two others. She is a professional speaker and has been a performing artist for more than 30 years, acting in numerous productions and singing before millions. She traveled with the international organization, Up With People, singing and dancing at the Super Bowl X halftime show, the Indianapolis 500, and Bob Hope's Birthday Party. She is currently represented by Dani's Talent Agency in Phoenix. She is the author of Ah Ha! 100 Flashes of Insight and Inspiration from Your Authentic Voice and Finding Your Authentic Voice: Seven Practices to Free the Real You and Experience Love, Happiness and Fulfillment. She created the Your Authentic Voice® Intuition and Creativity System, which is at the heart of these books.

What Clients Have Said:

"Andrea's focused and personalized coaching helped me learn to tell stories with greater clarity and visual impact. I learned to paint pictures with my words, gestures and facial expressions." - Cindie Hubiak, CPA, President and CEO, Arizona Society of CPAs, Phoenix, Arizona

"I felt great speaking at my latest fundraising event because Andrea really taught me to just be me. She coached me to zero in on the essence of my message and deliver it with clarity, passion and humor. I felt so supported. She is the BEST coach on this planet!" - Pam Gaber, Chief Executive Officer, Gabriel's Angels, Phoenix, Arizona

"Andrea's performance coaching helped me to take a good story and make it great. Her insight and suggestions helped me tap into the essence of the message and deliver it with maximum impact." - Michelle May, M.D., Am I Hungry, Phoenix, Arizona

Barbara McNichol
Barbara brings three decades of writing and editing experience to helping professionals add power to their pen. Before founding Barbara McNichol Editorial in 1996, she worked in corporate and small business environments. Today, she specializes in editing marketing materials and nonfiction manuscripts.

Barbara has created a word choice guide called Word Trippers: The Ultimate Source for Choosing the Perfect Word When It Really Matters, available at www.Wordtrippers.com. Her website is www.BarbaraMcNichol.com

What Clients Have Said:

"Barbara has an ability to capture your voice and content to produce a quality manuscript you're thrilled with. A class act." - Sam Horn, America's Intrigue Expert and speaker, author, consultant of POP! and Tongue Fu!

"More than a great editor, Barbara surpasses all expectations. A super professional, dedicated, caring-lovely to work with." - Robert Shemin, #3 New York Times author, How Come That Idiot's Rich and I'm Not?

"Barbara advanced the quality of my book to make it a persuasive compelling call to action!" - Dr. Phil Johnson, author, Soulwise: How to Create a Conspiracy of Hope, Health, and Harmony

Contact Andrea at Andrea@AndreaBeaulieu.com or 602-769-3674 to learn how you can move forward and make a difference with clarity, confidence and a new creative spirit!