Why a scale of one is best for your stories
- Sun, July 24 2011
- Filed under: Marketing essentials
Last week, I presented at the Social Media for Nonprofits conference on the lessons that fundraisers can glean from new brain research. I spoke about how critical it is to give your social media presence a pulse and to tell stories through one relatable person. We connect best on a scale of one - one person, one animal, one flower - because our brains are wired to empathize on that level. We care more about one soul than an undifferentiated mass.
After the session, Mark Frautschi - a scientist with expertise in organizational culture - reminded me of another important reason to stick to a scale of one: working memory. As Mark explained to me:
Working memory (the number of new thoughts a human can hold at one time) is key here. Focusing on something with a heartbeat reduces the number of new ideas the target audience must bear in mind at any one time. This avoids mental overload, which is a barrier to giving.
Yet another reason to tell your story through one heartbeat: it’s not only easier to connect, it’s easier to remember.