Who is telling your story? You can get online and on the radio and do it yourself–every day–as part of the  Vocalo.org/FM 89.5 Daily Thread, says editorial producer Dan Weissmann.

You’ll have a chance to share the personal stories behind your organization’s mission, which can help build your brand and highlight the issues your group is tackling.

“I would say the best way to use Vocalo is the same way to use blogging and social media as a way to project yourself out into the world,” says Weissman. The  online and broadcast station provide direct access to audiences, he says.

Each day, Vocalo has a daily thread where they collect stories based on topics in the news. If you think you have a story that would fit the daily thread conversation, then by all means, send it in. Unlike submitting a press release, contacting the editor or reporter of a news outlet, Vocalo participants can immediately share the narratives behind the work they do.

“If you think of telling your story to the public as part of what your organization does, this can be an excellent medium for doing that, because it’s open, direct and local,” said Weissmann. However, he cautions that you will do better by submitting stories that focus on a personal narrative which may involve your organization rather than stories that feature a “hard sell” of your mission.

“The more authentic it is, the more interesting it’s going to be to the other person,” said Weissmann. “The more you present yourself as a real person, the more people will trust you and listen to you. And this is a place to put your voice out there.”

Ready to take the plunge? Then there are a few things you need to do before getting on the air.

1. Don’t think you need fancy recording equipment to get your stories on tape. Your cellphone or landline will do fine, says Weissman.
2. Call the station’s hotline number (1-888-635-1112), follow the message and conduct your interview. (For more information, click here)
3. Vocalo also offers free training and open studios to participants looking to be a part of the station and Vocalo will help with mastering basic skills for a good interview and recording sound.

You can also find Vocalo–a project of WBEZ–on the Web, Facebook, and of course Twitter. General questions or comments: info@vocalo.org or 312-893-2978.

At Vocalo, "your phone is a microphone." Broadcast your stories to the world! Or anyway, Chicagoland.