I attended a church service over the Easter weekend. My aunt and uncle are missionaries to Kenya, Africa. He’s been doing this for years. Because a lot of people struggle in starting a movement that gains any traction whatsoever, I asked him the secret of how to get people who don’t believe in your cause to start coming together and taking part and then branching out. “The secret,” he said, “it takes a long time.” So if you are prepared to get your movement of the narrative art media going forward, be prepared to keep pushing forward in times of plenty and in times of want. You will get there.

But, I want to give you some hope today. No one seems to have any money in this economy and some of us are wondering where our next paycheck is coming from. Is there any money out there at all? Here is how I know there is money out there.

At the church service we attended, my uncle had a video of an African preacher. They meet outside under a tree for a  church service. He had asked my uncle if they could build a church. This was not for comfort–even though they sometimes don’t meet when it rains. But, they want this building because in a large part, if there is a building people place a great deal of importance on it. He said, “We want it to be a large building, because we believe there will be a lot of people who will want to come and benefit from it.”

In talking with this gentleman, they did not know where he would come up with the $10,000 to get the money for the building. “Do you think we could raise the money to build it?” My uncle said, “I don’t know, but I can ask.”

On Easter Sunday, they played the video of the pastor, and took up a special building offering in hopes to raise the $10,000. There were three services. Did the people think this would be worth donating their money to. We went to the 2nd service and they announced that after the first service, they raised $13,000. I talked with the pastor last night and they ended up raising $27,000 for all three services.

My uncle had not made preparation for what to do with all the excess. God had met his need.

So, what does all this have to do with the narrative art industry. The simple truth is this. People have money. And they will easily part with it. But you need to have a couple of things in place to accomplish this. You have to  have:

1) A Powerful Visionary Story
Your narrative art story has the power to touch and change lives.
If there was no story about the vision of a new church and many people flocking to the church, no one would give.

2) A Need that is Bigger Than Yourself

No one may want your narrative art, but if they see that your narrative art will benefit others in someway, they will give.
No one in the church needed a church in Africa. Probably 99% of them will never set one step inside the building. They would not benefit from it at all other than knowing they were a part of something bigger.

3) An Offer

If you have not asked for any money, you certainly won’t get it.
How are people supposed to give money if they don’t know a need exists? Make an offer and ask for money.

4) Make it easy for them to give.

During a church service people are already to give for their tithes and offerings. They are already in a mindset to give. They pass a plate right in front of you and they give whatever they want to fulfill the mission of the church. There is probably not an easier time to get money than when people have their wallets open ready to give.

BONUS: Notice what you DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE.

*) You do not have to have a product.

You only have to have the promise of a product. There is no building built. There is no foundation laid. There is nothing. Just a promise to deliver. That’s it.

I hope this story will prove to you that there is money out there, and you can get some of it. Go make it happen.