--- title: Build Your Story | KLA --- ⏱ Still there? Tap anywhere to keep going. ![Kim Lundgren Associates](https://www.kimlundgrenassociates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/KLA%20Logo.png?width=400&name=KLA%20Logo.png) Be a Storyteller for Change # Your plan won't move people. But your story will. In the next 5 minutes, you'll build the foundation of a story that gets your audience to actually listen — and act. Answer 6 quick prompts. We'll assemble them into a story you can use Monday morning. Build My Story → Short on time? Email me the framework to try later. Step 1 of 6 · The Hero ## Who is the primary audience for your plan or initiative? Pick the ONE group you most need to move to action right now. 💡 Pro Tip "Trying to talk to everyone means moving no one. The most effective engagement campaigns identify a single primary audience and tailor every message to them." Adapted from IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum / EPA Public Participation Guide Elected officials / city or town council Department heads or internal staff Business owners or local employers A specific community segment Pick this if you're trying to reach residents — then name which residents (e.g. renters in the Eastside, seniors on fixed income, parents of school-age kids). Other **Who specifically?** Be as concrete as possible. **Tell us who.** Next → Step 2 of 6 · The Problem ## What problem does your plan solve for them? Pick the closest match — then say it in your audience's own words. 💡 Pro Tip "Concrete and specific beats abstract every time. 'Rents are climbing faster than wages' moves people. 'Housing affordability challenges' doesn't." Adapted from Chip & Dan Heath, "Made to Stick" **Cost** — they can't afford something they need (housing, energy, transit, taxes) **Access** — they can't get to or use what they need (transit, services, opportunity) **Safety** — they don't feel safe (traffic, environment, health, neighborhood) **Voice** — decisions get made about them, not with them **Clarity** — they don't know what to do or what's happening **Trust** — past promises weren't kept and they're done waiting Other **What's the problem?** **Now say it the way your audience would say it.** Describe the *pain* — not the fix. Next → Step 3 of 6 · The Answer ## What does your plan actually DO for them? Plain language. No jargon. Like you're explaining it to a neighbor over coffee. 💡 Pro Tip "Government plans fail not because the policies are wrong, but because nobody outside city hall can understand them. Plain language doubles your reach." Adapted from the U.S. Plain Writing Act / plainlanguage.gov **Fill in the blanks:** Our *[plan / program / project]* helps *[your audience]* *[outcome]* by *[how it works]*. 1–2 sentences. Keep it to a neighbor-at-the-coffee-shop level. Next → Step 4 of 6 · The Change ## If your plan does what you say, what shifts will that cause with your audience? Pick the shift that matters most for them. 💡 Pro Tip "People don't engage with plans. They engage with becoming a better version of themselves. Show them who they get to be on the other side." Adapted from Donald Miller, "Building a StoryBrand" + identity-based change research (James Clear, BJ Fogg) Before After Skeptical→Genuinely engaged Overwhelmed→Clear on exactly what to do Passive→An active participant who feels ownership Disconnected→Heard, valued, and represented Uncertain→Confident in the path forward Reactive→Proactive and ahead of the problem ✏️ My own version **Your transformation:** → Next → Step 5 of 6 · The Vision ## If this audience's problem gets solved, what does that unlock for your whole community? Follow the ripple. When their problem is solved, what changes for everyone else? 💡 Pro Tip "MLK didn't say 'I have a strategic plan.' He said 'I have a dream.' Sensory, specific pictures of the future move people. Targets and metrics don't." **Fill in the blanks:** When *[your audience]* *[outcome]*, the whole community can *[do, feel, or experience something new]*. ✓ "When renters aren't priced out, the whole community keeps its teachers, its shop owners, and its soccer coaches." ✗ "We'll reduce housing displacement by 15% by 2030." Next → Step 6 of 6 · The Ask Okay — so now you're clear on who you're talking to, and what problem you're solving for them. *(Hint: that's how you get them to the table.)* So now — what do you want them to **do?** ## What do you want them to do FIRST? Pick the smallest, lowest-barrier step. 💡 Pro Tip "Your first ask cannot be 'come to a 4-hour visioning session' — that's how you only ever hear from the same five people. To reach beyond the choir, start with a 5-minute ask." Adapted from Katie Patrick (Behavior Design) + BJ Fogg Behavior Model **Take a 3-question micro-survey or quick poll** Under 2 minutes. Their easiest yes. **Sign up for project updates** Email or text. Keeps the relationship going. **Drop a pin on a map / one-click feedback** "Where should a new bus stop go?" — digital, fun, fast. **Visit a 1-page fact sheet or 90-second video** Zero commitment — just a click. **Stop by a drop-in open house** No agenda, no required time slot. Other **What's your first ask?** **Now say it specifically.** Name the thing. The link. The timeline. **Important:** One ask is a transaction. A sequence of asks is a relationship. Plan asks #2 and #3 before you launch ask #1. See My Story → Here's Your Story ## You've got the building blocks. Assembled from your answers. Yours to refine, share, and test with real people. ← Tweak an answer Email it to me → Last step ## Where should we send it? Your story, a one-page framework, and a few examples from real communities. **First name *** **Last name *** **Email *** **Organization *** ← Back Send me my story → No spam. You're also signing up for KLA's occasional newsletter on storytelling, planning impact, and community engagement. Opt out any time. Your story is on its way. ✨ Check your inbox in the next few minutes. Then go test it on a real person — the magic comes from refining based on what lands. While you're here Catch Kim's session — **"Nobody Cares About Your Plan (Yet)"** — for more on putting this framework into practice. Or explore **KLA's ActionReady** program to bring this work to your community. Start over Framework Shortcut ## Take the framework with you. Too busy to build your story here? Drop your email — we'll send you the Build Your Story framework plus two examples from real communities. **First name** **Last name** **Email** **Organization** ← Back Send me the framework → No spam. You're also signing up for KLA's occasional newsletter on storytelling, planning, and community engagement. Opt out any time. ↩ Reset