Photo Credit: Storyay Inc. | Storyay Team (Chris, Lance and Sara)
Raise a Dream is delighted to share the journey and feature a community spotlight story of one of our Raise a Dream community dream-raisers—the Storyay team!
You’ve likely heard Raise a Dream say things like, “It takes a team to raise your dream,” or “Teamwork is what makes the big dreams work,” or “If it's not fun, it won’t get done.” Storyay has the dream team, a big vision, and a project that can make a positive difference for children and families.
You Are Probably Wondering… What is Storyay?
As a children’s author myself, I am passionate about nurturing literacy, reducing screen time, and creating interactive learning experiences.
Let’s dive into that.More...
Brady with Storyay
Every Child Deserves a Story That’s Truly Theirs.
At Storyay, every story is personal. The Storyay "written just for you" format puts your child at the heart of every tale, crafting an experience that is truly unique to them. Each story is designed with high-quality writing and beautiful illustrations to keep kids engaged and inspired.
You can see examples in the video below. Sara, one of the Storyay team members, was featured on CHCH Morning Live show:
Here’s How Storyay Works:
A Storyay is never meant for passive observation, but rather active participation. At their launch, Storyay offers fully customized and personalized stories that allow a child to choose the narrator they most connect with. From there, Storyay weaves a child’s favourite things throughout the story, making them feel as if the narrator is truly speaking to them and them alone. Because the magic in receiving letters in the mail always surprises and delights kids (of all different ages), the Storyay stories arrive as personal keepsakes that can be read over and over and again and again.
Sharing your WHY is important, and media is a great way to help you achieve this, as Storyay continues to do. With launches of any kind, media can help you further your message, build brand awareness, and get in front of new audiences.
I love this article about Storyay in The Globe and Mail. Take a quick read HERE.
A great way to learn about crowdfunding is to follow one! Our colleague Victoria Bennett, founder of The Crowdfunding Hub (who is heading up the Storyay crowdfunding campaign with the Storyay team), tells us that following different crowdfunding campaigns helps you learn about the many different approaches that dream-raisers take to bring projects to life.
3 Ways to Support Storyay AND Learn About Crowdfunding:
#1: Support Storyay by backing any of the perks.
By directly supporting the crowdfund, you will receive the updates that the team does inside their Kickstarter campaign. This can help you learn the importance of creating a sense of community in your campaign. Here’s the link to their campaign on Kickstarter.
At the top of their page, you will find a video that is engaging, fun, and builds excitement and curiosity. The video is an important part of any crowdfunding campaign. Take note of the variety of perks, the use of images to show what the perks are, and the team’s energy and excitement. I particularly love the last few seconds of the video where team member Lance sneaks another peek inside the Storyay box. The video ends with the viewer smiling!
#2: Ensure you are following Storyay on social media.
Storyay is using social media to communicate to their prospective audience. They have used some really innovative engagement activities like a Storyay time-limited contest, teaser posts, and countdown posts. You will also notice their posts being shared and building engagement (likes and comments). One of the wonderful aspects of crowdfunding and social media is that you can build YOUR community.
If it resonates, please consider sharing a Storyay social media post with your audience or engaging on one of the posts that really speaks to you.
Social Channels:
Storyay - Box Cover
#3: Share the Storyay Kickstarter campaign in your community.
You can share one of Storyay’s social media posts or create your own. Make sure you tag Storyay, Raise a Dream, and Charmaine Hammond so we can help amplify your post.
As you embark on raising your dreams and bringing your projects to life, here are a few final tips:
Ask for help… In our experience, when you ask for help (such as feedback on your project, helping to get the word out, backing your launch or project campaign), most people are happy to find a way to help. Remember, when you don’t ask, the answer is always no (a mentor taught me that many years ago). But… What if the answer is a YES? When you ask for help, it creates a cycle of reciprocity and lights the path for others to do the same.
Remember, your WHY and your PASSION for your project are like your GPS (Getting Positioned for Success); they keep you on track and moving forward!
Build your team and community. It takes a team to raise a dream.
Have fun!