Storytelling is a critical part of any chamber’s marketing arsenal, but it should also be an effective part of your advocacy at all levels.
When you say the word “advocacy” and tell your members you are advocating for them, most people tune out—especially in today’s hot-button climate. Political actions turn people off—that is, until they need assistance or their business is impacted by possible legislation or ordinances.
Storytelling is persuasive. Have you noticed how many candidates use it when running for office? They don’t speak in generalities on a bad economy or rising crime numbers. Instead, they tell stories of specific people who have reached out to them and tell their stories. This technique is effective because it brings the realities of bad policy or struggles to life. And they can use it to show how life will be different. They do this because it’s effective.
Your chamber should be using storytelling in its advocacy as well. Storytelling is an effective:
- persuasion tool when speaking to policymakers
- communications device to help members/the community understand the importance of and remember the work being done by the chamber
- means of prompting businesses, leaders, and decision-makers rally behind pro-business measures
Advocacy is most effective when it follows the principles of great storytelling—creating a narrative that resonates, inspires, and drives action. There are several components that all great storytelling has in common whether you’re George Lucas or a Chamber Pro.
The Elements of a Great Advocacy Story
1. A Relatable Protagonist (Your Business Community)
Every great story has a hero—position your members as the protagonists of your advocacy efforts. It’s easy to tell the story from the chamber’s perspective but that won’t move people to action. You want someone they can identify with and feel for. Be specific about who they are so your story will be relatable.
Example: A small business owner struggling with a regulation that will make it hard for him to turn a profit is much more effective and will be remembered longer than merely stating, “Issue 1 is bad for business.”
When it comes to voting, people will hear both sides and it will be hard to keep those sides straight but when you tell an effective story about someone they can identify with, they’ll remember it.
2. A Clear Conflict (The Policy Challenge or Business Struggle)
Conflict drives engagement—explain the obstacle in simple, relatable terms. Even Seinfeld (a show about nothing) had friction in every episode. Explaining the conflict and what’s at stake is important. You wouldn’t need to advocate for business if there was never any conflict or disagreement.
Example: Rising permit fees threaten small businesses.
3. A Compelling Resolution (The Chamber’s Advocacy Solution)
Show what success looks like—how chamber action leads to positive change. For your storytelling to be effective, you don’t want to leave people hanging. When there’s a resolution share it. If it’s an ongoing issue, paint what the resolution would be if your advocacy is successful (with their support).
Use storytelling techniques in both developing stories (those you’re currently advocating for) and historic advocacy (like how you advocated for businesses during COVID or a rough economic patch), will ensure people see your past and future efforts.
Example: A past advocacy win that resulted in real benefits for businesses. Or employing an if, then scenario for things you’re working on such as “If Measure 1 passes, zoning will become more efficient and that means more growth.”
Now that you know the basics of storytelling, let’s go into more advanced tips to help you put it all together.
Storytelling Tips to Strengthen Chamber Advocacy
Use Emotion Over Data
Statistics matter, but personal stories stick.
Example: Instead of saying “60% of businesses struggle with compliance,” tell the story of one business that nearly closed due to bureaucracy.
Employ the Power of Contrast
Show “before and after” scenarios to illustrate advocacy impact.
Example: “Before our lobbying efforts, business owners faced months of delays. Now, permits are approved in weeks.”
Make Policymakers the Hero Too
Frame advocacy asks in a way that lets decision-makers see themselves as the ones making a positive change.
Example: “By supporting this initiative, you’ll be the champion of small businesses in our community.”
Implementing Storytelling in Chamber Advocacy
Gathering and Using Member Stories
Storytelling in advocacy isn’t about making things up. “Joe the plumber” should be a real person. You may be advocating for the larger business community but when you’re telling stories, it’s important to be truthful. That way, there’s a real person behind the agenda. If you don’t want to use their real name for privacy reasons, be transparent about it and explain that “Joe” is an amalgam of several plumbing businesses you’re advocating for that are all facing the same issues.
While the chamber is the voice of business because of your ability to amplify the voices of your members, that doesn’t mean your voice is enough. Compile interviews, testimonials, and/or video snippets of impacted members to make your case even more compelling.
Storytelling in Public Speaking and on Social Media
Storytelling is not something you turn on in front of a camera. You want to consistently use storytelling techniques across all areas of your communication including in presentations to city councils, speaking with representatives, in your newsletter, and on social media. It doesn’t have to be something you only do in person. Video storytelling in social campaigns can help you gain traction in larger circles.
Telling Stories Consistently to Build Momentum
Again, storytelling should be a part of your communication, marketing, and advocacy strategies.
Remember advocacy isn’t one-and-done. You may feel like you gave an emotional plea at the last council meeting, but ongoing storytelling keeps the message alive and helps you build momentum.
Example: Creating an annual “Business Impact Report” with stories of advocacy wins.
Are you using stories or bullet points when presenting advocacy issues? Advocacy is about people (and their stories) not just policies. When chambers start seeing it that way, their members won’t turn away from hearing about advocacy efforts and board members won’t deny the importance of advocating. After all, when we tell better stories, we build stronger support, and when we build stronger support, we create real change.
