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Key Takeaways

• Specificity is the bridge to connection. The more detailed and human your story is, the more likely a donor is to see their own life reflected in your mission.

• Break the “preciousness” barrier. When we make our work our entire identity, we become too afraid of judgment to tell the honest stories that actually drive action.

• Use the “and what else” technique. Great stories aren’t found on the surface. Asking clarifying questions helps peel back the layers to find the emotional core of a problem.

• Stop being beige. Neutral, generic messaging protects you from criticism, but it also prevents you from being remembered or supported.

Many nonprofit leaders feel a heavy weight when they sit down to write. They know the work they do is vital, but when they try to put it into words, it comes out sounding like a corporate brochure. There is a visceral gap between the heart-pounding impact they see in the field and the dry, safe language they use in their donor appeals. This tension often comes from a place of fear: the fear that if we are too human, we won’t be taken seriously.

Who Is Dayna Del Val?

Dayna Del Val is a speaker, coach, and former CEO who understands this tension intimately. After leading The Arts Partnership for 13 years, she transitioned into a career focused on helping leaders “rediscover their spark.” She specializes in helping people peel back the layers of their professional identity to find the authentic stories that build trust. Her perspective is shaped by over a decade of rallying communities around the arts and her own personal journey through high-profile leadership transitions.

Specificity Is the Secret to Scale

Most leaders believe that to reach a broad audience, they need to keep their stories general. They think that by removing specific names, locations, or unique struggles, they make the story more relatable to more people. Dayna argues the exact opposite is true.

The Universal Power of the Detail

When you tell a story that is intensely specific, you trigger a psychological response called narrative transportation. This is the moment where a listener stops being a passive observer and starts seeing themselves inside the story.

“The more specific your story is, the more universal it can become,” Dayna explains. Even if your donor hasn’t experienced the exact situation you are describing, a specific detail allows them to connect it to a similar feeling in their own life. A story about a specific “rainbow dot in a red state” might remind a donor of being a single mother in a judgmental community. The topics are different, but the emotional truth is identical.

How to apply this:

1. Identify one specific person your organization helped this week.

2. Focus on a single, concrete detail, like a specific item they used or a phrase they said.

3. Describe the emotional turning point without trying to make it sound “professional.”

Breaking the Preciousness Barrier

One of the biggest hurdles to great storytelling is the feeling that the work is too precious. When your work is your entire identity, any criticism of the mission feels like a criticism of you. This leads to “beige” messaging, which is safe, neutral, and ultimately forgettable.

Protecting the Work by Being Vulnerable

Dayna notes that making the work less precious actually makes it more effective. When you separate your identity from the results, you gain the freedom to be honest about the challenges. Donors don’t want to fund a perfect machine; they want to fund a human effort that is making a real difference.

“Sometimes this work starts to feel really precious. And it’s not precious. It’s important. It’s meaningful. But it is not precious,” says Dayna. By lowering the stakes of your own ego, you can tell stories that are raw, honest, and far more compelling to a board or a major donor.

The “And What Else” Strategy

We often stop at the first answer a client or staff member gives us. If you ask why a program is important and they say “because it helps kids,” you haven’t found the story yet. You’ve only found the headline.

Peeling Back the Layers

Dayna utilizes a technique from Michael Bungay Stanier called the awe question: “And what else?” This simple prompt forces the storyteller to go past the surface-level friction and find the actual heart of the matter.

“The ‘and what else’ allows us to actually get to the fact,” Dayna shares. It moves the conversation from abstract goals to concrete human moments. It might reveal that a “transportation problem” is actually a story about a father who just wants to be able to see his son’s basketball game. That is the story that moves a donor to act.

Putting It Into Practice

Transitioning from generic messaging to specific storytelling doesn’t require a total overhaul of your marketing department. It requires a shift in how you listen. This week, try to disrupt your routine. Instead of looking for “success metrics,” look for “human moments.”

When you find a story that feels a little bit scary to tell—one that feels too specific or a bit too raw—that is usually the one you should lead with. Remember that your audience isn’t thinking about you; they are thinking about how your mission intersects with their own values. Give them a specific story to hold onto, and they will follow you toward the impact you’re trying to create.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is specific storytelling better than general messaging?

General messaging describes the “what,” but specific storytelling reveals the “why.” Specific details trigger emotional responses and allow donors to connect their own life experiences to your mission, leading to higher engagement and trust.

How do I overcome the fear of judgment when sharing personal stories?

Start with small, low-stakes stories to build your “honesty muscle.” Recognize that most people are consumed with their own lives and challenges; they are looking for connection, not perfection. Honesty is almost always met with support rather than judgment.

What is the “and what else” technique?

It is a coaching tool used to uncover deeper insights. By asking “and what else?” after an initial answer, you encourage the person to move past rehearsed responses and share the more meaningful, emotional details of their experience.

How do I know if my work has become “too precious”?

If you find yourself unable to accept critical feedback or if you are constantly polishing your message to avoid any perceived weakness, your work may have become tied to your identity. This often leads to safe but ineffective communications.

The Tellwell Connection

At Tellwell, we believe that clarity is kind. We often see mission-driven organizations struggle to find the words for the incredible work they do. Our approach is to act as a strategic guide, helping you peel back the layers of your organization to find the human-first stories that drive action. Whether through film, brand strategy, or messaging frameworks, we focus on moving people from awareness to action by grounding everything in the truth of your impact.

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