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Beyond the Donation podcast cover art for Episode 10 featuring Rob Burke, CMO at DonorDock, discussing nonprofit video storytelling.

Ep. 10 | Storytelling You Can See: The Power of Video, an interview with Rob Burke, CMO DonorDock

Our Guest: Rob Burke, CMO of DonorDock

About Rob: Rob is the Chief Marketing Officer of DonorDock, having spent the last two decades in the marketing world. He developed a passion for photography and video at an early age, which spurred his entrepreneurial venture using storytelling and helping companies share their vision.

(1:45) How nonprofits can leverage video for storytelling

(2:05) "If you are talking about yourself, it’s probably not the story. If you’re talking about the impact you’re making, the impact your customers are making, or the impact your community is making, that’s the story you should be telling.” - Rob Burke

(2:35) Budgeting for quantity and quality of video storytelling

(4:28) Other ways to share the story

(5:28) Determining and prioritizing what marketing channels to be on

[7:55] Donor Engagement Ebook

[9:50] AI & Storytelling

Rob’s Pro Tip: With storytelling effectively, every story has a binary action – a positive and a negative. If you can change from that in your story, that’s what you need to care about.

[16:38] Wrap-up point on the importance of demographics of your donor base

More About Rob Burke:

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To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

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How do nonprofits use storytelling to engage donors?

Use real people — one named beneficiary, one specific moment, one outcome — instead of statistics. Tell stories across every channel in sequence: a longer version on the blog, a condensed version in email, a one-sentence version in text. Donors respond to faces and moments far more reliably than to averages and totals. Stories turn data into meaning.

Last updated
April 25, 2026
What is the 'start with the person' storytelling strategy?

Open every story with a specific individual — their name, their situation, one sensory detail — instead of the organization's background. Research on donor psychology consistently shows that identifiable-victim stories outraise statistical appeals by large margins. "Maria, a 62-year-old grandmother in Cleveland…" outperforms "1,200 seniors served this year" every time.

Last updated
April 25, 2026
How many stories should a nonprofit collect each year?

Aim for one strong story per program per quarter, plus a running library of micro-stories — donor quotes, staff moments, beneficiary snapshots. Twelve strong stories per year is enough to power every appeal, newsletter, board report, and major donor meeting. Without a systematic collection process, storytelling becomes crisis-scrambling right before the next appeal.

Last updated
April 25, 2026
Who owns story collection at a nonprofit?

Shared ownership between program staff (who witness stories) and development staff (who use them). A simple system — a form in your CRM, a monthly 15-minute "story meeting," a shared folder for photos and quotes — produces more usable stories than leaving collection to whoever writes the next appeal. Make it a routine, not an emergency.

Last updated
April 25, 2026
Author
Elisha Ford
Content Writer
Last updated:
April 29, 2026
Written by
Elisha Ford
Content Writer

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