How can a small non-profit organization get media attention?
06:51, 7 June 2010
.. Posted in Communication, Outreach and General Mngmt.. Link
I read and respond to LinkedIn's Answers > Nonprofits section every now and again, and this question was asked recently:
How can a small non-profit organization get media attention?
Here was my answer, assuming the small non-profit has no money to pay for any marketing or advertising activities:
- Email and fax the local traditional media (newspapers, radio, TV) regularly regarding what your organization is doing. This can be in the form of a traditional press release or just a few paragraphs with key details and a URL for more information.
- Email and fax local television stations the night before or the morning of something that is happening at your organization that would look great on video (something with smiles and lots of movement, something with lots of color, etc.) and make a nice 20 second piece on the evening news.
- Know every local radio station public affairs/news talk program there is in your area and pitch someone from your organization to talk on that program about some relevant social issue or something in the news.
- Email and fax statements in conjunction with national and international days, national days and nation whatever weeks. You can see a list of International Days and Weeks as designated by the United Nations.
- Call reporters who do a story that you think your organization would have been great to be interviewed for and let them know you are available in the future.
- Consider writing an editorial or opinion piece in conjunction with some local or national event and how it relates to the work your nonprofit does.
- Invite the press to your public events, or to observe your organization undertaking activities in support of its mission
- Do a training for paid staff and volunteers on how to talk about the organization. Do followup orientations to make sure the messages are up-to-date.
- Return every call from a any press person or blogger within minutes, not hours, days or weeks, and get them the information they need as quickly as possible
- Encourage volunteers to blog about their experience with your organization on their online profiles on LinkedIn, FaceBook, MySpace, Change.org, etc.
- Make sure you are publishing interesting, timely information regularly to your web site, your blog, your FaceBook page, your MySpace page, etc.
Also see
- Basic Press Outreach for Mission-Based Organizations (nonprofits, NGOs, civil society, public sector agencies, etc.)
- Outreach Via the Internet for Nonprofit Organizations (It's a lot more than just getting a World Wide Web site or a FaceBook profile)
Your organization's strategy for press coverage needs to go beyond trying to land one big story; you want the press to know that you are THE organization to contact whenever they are doing a story on a subject that relates to your organization's work, and that you are a reliable source for information and stories. Therefore, don't think that every press release is going to result in press coverage -- it's not. But sustaining regular press contacts will build recognition of your organization among reporters, and the result will be ongoing payoffs down the road. As coverage for your organization is generated, you won't just be reaching new audiences -- you will also be reaching current volunteers, supporters (including donors) and clients, reminding them of what your organization is doing and what they have chosen to be a part of.
