Is Your YMCA Content Engaging Enough? Pt. 1

By: Callie Gooch | Friday, July 9, 2021 | Marketing

When trying to convey a message, the easiest way for your audience to digest it mentally is to put it in the form of a story. It just makes sense to your brain...beginning/middle/end. This holds true for building content for your website as well. It helps to clarify what you are trying to say, engage your reader, and get the desired end result. Which in this case, is member acquisition and retention. In part 1 we will be reviewing the ‘beginning’ stages of your story. 

Taking a page from “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller, we can break down the ‘story’ into some basic parts to simplify the creation of your narrative. It begins with the ‘Character.’ For a YMCA, this refers to an existing or potential member. Your job is to find out what they want or need. Defining the situation of your Character will assist in developing your marketing strategy. Your target audience may feel out of shape, unhealthy, looking for a sense of community, and finally motivated to do something to make themselves feel better but don’t know how to get started. 

These defining factors are called the ‘Villain’. The Villain is oppressive and constant, and your Character just wants to make it stop. Your job as content writer is to point out these Villains in a relatable way, thereby engaging your Character in what they see as their story, their problems, their issues. 

Pose these as questions like “do you want to get in shape this year..” or “are you struggling with your weight…” or “do you need help sticking to a workout routine…?” or “do you want to feel part of a community…” Chances are the answers will be “YES!” 

This is where the YMCA comes in, as a ‘Guide’ to help show the way to a solution. As a Guide, there are two main ideas to emote; Empathy and Authority. By showing empathy, you say ‘we understand your frustration, because we have been there, seen it, done it, and bought the t-shirt.’ 

Your Character will feel comforted knowing that as a Guide, you get what they are going through, know how difficult their circumstances are, and recognize what they need to help them succeed in defeating the Villain. 

Support your sympathetic stance by including pictures of your members working out, swimming, participating in classes so your Character can say to themselves “..hey, they are just like me!” 

Next up in part 2, we will be creating content for the ‘middle’ of your story.