Spotlight on Business & Arts NL's Narrative Marketing Launch Event
Conversation, inspiration and ideas flowed at the launch event for Business & Arts NL's new Narrative Marketing Initiative on October 9 at Alt Hotel in downtown St. John's.
A roomful of people gathered as keynote speaker Dave Sullivan (marketing specialist/writer) and panellists Christine Hennebury (storyteller, creativity coach and consultant), Jenn Brown (Executive Director of the St. John's International Women's Film Festival) and Ife Alaba (Director of Occupy All Spaces and multi-faceted creative) shared how storytelling shapes culture, builds community and moves organizations forward.
Dave Sullivan addresses the crowd at the kick-off event for the Narrative Marketing Initiative at Alt Hotel in St. John’s on October 9.
At Business & Arts NL we believe that the arts, in all their forms, thrive not just because of creativity — but because of the stories that connect that creativity to people, to communities and to the “why” behind the work. That’s the heart of our latest initiative: a year-long journey designed to help artists and arts organizations confidently communicate what they do, why they do it and the value they bring.
“A story is information with feelings attached," shared panel leader Christine Hennebury.
"Everyone has a different story, but we all experience the same kinds of feelings — this is the common ground we can build on through storytelling.”
Ife Alaba and Jenn Brown share ideas at the Narrative Marketing Initiative kick-off.
Stories, said Ife Alaba, help build community and help us understand each other. Transparency, she added, is key to building trust. When you’re preparing to tell a story, she shared, make sure you’re really listening and “that you’re hearing the same thing that is being said” so that you can properly relay the story.
As executive director of the hugely successful St. John's International Women's Film Festival, Jenn Brown stressed the importance of community support.
"We have been able to grow because of our community - we want to feel owned by the members we serve," she said.
Messaging is stronger, she shared, when it comes from the mouths of the community you serve, which is why it's crucial to seek outside perspectives to champion you, noting that sincerity resonates. While most people feel like they're in “fake it till you make it” mode, she added, it's important to celebrate your successes and centre the successes of the people you’ve served.
A key takeaway from the event was this: It’s not enough to just tell people what you do — tell them why you do it, and help them see themselves in your story. As Dave Sullivan prompted participants to ask: “How do I take what’s true to me and make that connect to someone else in the world?”
Sullivan also stressed the importance of the audience and focusing on who's receiving the message, noting "If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one."
“Never forget, you’re talking to human beings," he added. "Look for the common denominator between the work you’ve done and those human beings.”
As part of the Narrative Marketing Initiative, Business & Arts NL will also host a series of workshops, led by marketing experts, to help arts organizations strengthen their communications and storytelling strategies. These include: Narrative Marketing at the Grassroots Level, How Narratives Drive Governance, Building Narrative into the Heart of Marketing Strategy, and Storytelling for Fundraising. (In the spring, non-profit arts organizations will also be able to apply for support to hire professionals such as photographers, videographers or copywriters to put their narrative marketing plans into action.)
Marketing can feel daunting, whether or not you're in the creative sector. The Narrative Marketing Initiative builds on what artists already do well — tell stories — and combines it with practical tools to help them connect with audiences, funders and communities in meaningful ways.
Whether you're an artist just starting to think about your message, or an arts organization looking to elevate how you connect with your audience, we invite you to join us.
Lynn Panting, Program Coordinator with Business & Arts NL, addresses the crowd.