Gayle Thorsen (pictured at left) is back with another great article to share with us here at Step By Step Fundraising!  Over the past year, Gayle has been kind enough to share with us her recent articles from her blog ImpactMax.  

Gayle has been in the nonprofit communications world for more than 25 years, the last 12 as the communications head for two large foundations:The Minneapolis Foundation and The McKnight Foundation.

Take a few minutes to visit ImpactMax and read all the terrific articles Gayle has posted there. It will be time very well spent!  Thanks, Gayle!

Blogs vs. Facebook for Nonprofits

Over the past few months, I’ve helped a couple nonprofit clients who are ready to move into social media decide whether to go with a blog or Facebook. (I’ll talk about Twitter strategies in a future post. It’s kind of a different animal.)

In parts I & II of this article, I have listed six different goals that should be set at a community-wide non-profit summit meeting.  These goals so far are:

1. Make a thorough introduction of each group and person that goes beyond the casual niceties of most meetings.
2. Launch a brainstorming session that lists the problems facing your community.
3. Actively seek out opportunities for collaborative projects between groups with similar missions.
4. Look for ways that the non-profits can combine services in order to save money.
5. Thoroughly review and compare all the groups fundraising calendars to eliminate unnecessary conflict and competition.
6. Create a unified front of the non-profit community in your area, so the public knows all groups are on the same page.

Now for the conclusion of this list.

7. This leads me to the seventh goal that should come out of this summit. That is, the groups should agree to help support each other in mission-based ways. For instance, if a family is involved with one non-profit, and the director of that non-profit thinks that the family could benefit from the services of another non-profit, he should definitely make a referral to the family. Or more directly, if a client of one group has a question that would best be answered by another non-profit director, the client should be referred there.

If employees at all non-profits were to act like this, there would be a greater sense of cooperation, and people would get the help that they needed but didn’t know how to ask for. If you think that this goal should already be in practice, I agree with you, but sadly, in many cases, non-profits operate almost exclusively in their own little circle and don’t poke their noses out very far or very often.

As I mentioned in goal number six above, your community will eventually pick up on this cooperative spirit and will support your efforts at unification and cooperation. And that, overall, will benefit everyone.

8. The eighth goal I suggest you shoot for at a non-profit summit goes all the way back to the initial introduction I talked about in goal number one. And that is, after all this working together, sharing resources, and demonstrating solidarity, the leaders of the non-profits should use the summit to establish an active and dynamic networking infrastructure.

Whenever one executive director is having a problem of some professional sort, he or she should be able to pick up the phone and get the help that is needed. Ideas for new fundraisers or new projects should be bounced around back and forth like a pinball among the groups in this new “coalition”.

This kind of relationship building is free and easy to build. After all, everyone in this “group” is a non-profit professional. Even if the missions of the various organizations are different, the individual people probably all have a lot in common. And, the more the leaders of these non-profits talk to one another, the more likely they will be to want to work together on collaborative projects or to share cost-saving services.

9. I know I said I’d give you eight different goals you should have at a non-profit summit, but here’s a bonus one. Make sure that you plan to meet again, as a group, soon. Don’t let all the good will and progress you established at the first meeting fade away.

Overtime, directors find new jobs, board members resign, and challenges within the community itself change. If you want to maintain a lasting and unified front of non-profit organizations that are aware of each other, build on each other’s strengths, and work as a cohesive unit within the community, then you will have to work at it continually.

Don’t let the group leave that first meeting at the VFW hall without a commitment to meet again on a certain date in the not too distant future.

Photo by: gsqi

Today I had one of those “proud parent” moments. A photo of my six year old daughter in her swim cap, Speedo race suit, and goggles was splashed across the front page of the sports section in our local paper.

The paper had done a large story on our youth swim team. My daughter just happened to score the front page. She was thrilled.

But, honestly, the best part was the article. It was well-written and very positive about the team, the coaches, and the growing number of swimmers. After I read it for the twelfth time, I tried to imagine how a parent who didn’t have kids on the team would react to it. Would they consider having their kids give the swim team a shot? How beneficial, I wondered, would this article be for our club?

That got me thinking about all the things we, as a team, should do now that we’ve got this great piece of PR in our pocket. This is a big deal!  We should be very excited and take every advantage of this good luck.

So, I jotted a few things down and then suddenly realized that this would make a great blog post. Now, keep in mind, this advice is geared specifically toward a youth swim team, but you all are smart people. You can extrapolate and insert your own non-profit’s situation into my list below.

So here you go:

15 Things to do Right After Your Group Gets Some Good Press

1. Send a thank you letter to the author and photographer of the newspaper article right away.  Emphatically tell them how great the article was and encourage them to visit again anytime. Try to develop that friendship with the paper/reporter for future coverage. If you don’t think it would be over the top, you could send them a team hat or t-shirt as a token of your appreciation. Remember, this is a local paper; it doesn’t hurt to take care of your friends.

2. Purchase as many extra copies of the paper as are available. Go overboard. Newspapers are cheap. You’ll use them!

3. Send out an email to the entire team with a link to the online version of the article if it’s available. In your message, ask your people to forward the email to their family and friends. You want this to be widely distributed. Actually tell your community that you hope this article will help grow the team.

4. If the article did not appear in an online version of the newspaper, call and ask the reporter if he/she will email you a copy that you could use for emailing promotion. If that won’t/can’t work, then re-type the article yourself. Just remember to give all the credit:  the paper’s name, the reporter’s name, and the date in your re-typed version.

5. Purchase the actual photos used in the articles. (This could be a little more expensive, but it will be worth it.) You want to get the digital files/rights if you can. This way, you can use them on your website. Don’t forget to give printed credit to the paper/photographer below the pictures. Let the paper know you want to use the photos, so they are aware. They can even give you advice on how to use the pictures without breaking any copyright laws.

6. Write an informative blurb about the article.  Be sure to include a web link to the original piece and place it on your organization’s website.

7. Put the same blurb (with the web link) on your organization’s Facebook page. If you don’t have an organizational Facebook page, make one. This publicity is a great excuse to hop on the Facebook express.

8. Make photocopies of the full article (you might have to cut and paste a little bit and then re-size on the copy machine) to distribute a hard copy to everyone on the team as a keepsake.

9. Ask someone you know who has some graphic design skills to make a digital file of the entire article that can be saved as a JPEG or a PDF. This will be a great promotional piece to use in the future.

10. Cut out a few copies of the article and go around to area schools. Ask the principal if you can staple a copy up on a prominent bulletin board, somewhere that will be noticed by parents and students walking by.  Future team members!

11. Send out a copy of the article to other media outlets in the area, but not direct competition with the paper (to be respectful). I’m thinking that a local radio or television station might be interested in interviewing the coaches or even a few swimmers, based on the piece in the paper. You’re a hot property now, play it for all it’s worth!

12. Use the article as leverage for fundraising within your community. The organization was just recognized very nicely in the paper. It’s social proof that you are doing well. Use that in your next fundraising appeal.

13. Make sure someone in your organization is continually sending new information about your organization to the reporter. I think that reports about individual accomplishments would be especially interesting to them. They wrote in general about the team the first time. Now, send them news of outstanding swimmers and their record setting accomplishments. It’s a good option for the paper to do a follow-up piece.

14. If your team or organization has any local supporters, such as businesses that have purchased ad space or banners or have donated items for an auction, you should send them copies of the article, framed or at least nicely laid out. They want to take pride as team sponsors. Don’t forget to include them in your celebration of the piece. This will help keep them interested in donating to you going forward. Don’t forget to tell them how helpful their donations and sponsorships are to your success.

15. If you don’t have any business sponsors, use this piece to go get some. People/businesses want to donate to winners. This article proves you are just that.  It will also will make the asking process much easier.

Any other thoughts?

Ok, can you think of any other really smart things to do with good press? Please share your thoughts in our comment section!  Thanks!

Photo by: ahisgett

Non-profits are always trying to find creative and inexpensive ways to market their organizations more effectively. Sometimes, you are aiming to promote a specific event, like a fundraiser or a membership drive, while in other situations, you are aiming a bit broader, and just hope to get your organization’s name out there in a positive fashion.

After all, you never know who may see your banner somewhere and be hit with the sudden urge to make an impromptu donation. It’s happened to me more than once.

While there are many traditional means to advertise, such as print, radio, and TV spots, these can really impact the bottom line in a negative way. So, it makes sense, then, to look for outlets that will really catch people’s attention, but do so without breaking the bank.

One avenue that I liked to explore in my days of non-profit managing was the “large community event”. First of all, these events were great because they came with a built-in audience. I didn’t have to spend any money or do any work in order to get these people together.

Second, with large community events, people are already in a good mood. They are pre-disposed to being open to what they see and hear. Not many people go to a parade or concert if they are in a lousy mood to begin with.

Third, by being a presence at these kinds of events, you start to develop a good reputation in your city/town for being “involved”. Even though you are technically helping your organization, you still are perceived as being a “team player”.

Fourth, the cost to participate in these large community events is usually pretty cheap. I’m sure there are exceptions to this, however, in my small town, the sponsoring organizations of the events usually wanted to encourage other non-profits to be involved, if only because it made the event look “fuller” and more vital. In some ways, we were doing them a favor by being there. So, I never found myself spending too much of the company money at these events.

Last, I always found that large community events were great opportunities for me to network with other non-profits in the area. In a small town, you’re bound to bump into your peers over and over again. I often deepened my connections with other non-profit leaders and gained valuable information, such as dates of their upcoming fundraisers, which helped me plan my own fundraising calendar.

Here Are a Few Great Ideas I’ve Seen Used Effectively by Nonprofits:

1.Goodie Bags

Provide the actual bags that are used for people to collect things like brochures, free-bee gifts, or even something like eggs at an Easter Egg hunt. These kind of events always draws huge crowds of young families- a highly desirable demographic. There is a very informative article in the Step by Step archives that talks about cloth grocery bags, which are even more permanent than the plastic bags, and they are much better environmentally, as well. With your logo and website information printed on the bags, this makes a long-lasting impression.

2. Bottled Water

Pass out free bottled waters with personalized labels during community events like parades or carnivals. Yes, there’s a little cost up front, but on a hot day, you’ll get all sorts of parade-goers loving you!

3. End of School Year Party

There is a local theater group in my community that has turned the last day of school, which is usually a half-day, into a huge party under our town pavilion. A local pizzeria and ice cream shop donate pizza and ice cream for the day and the non-profit sells both scoops and slices for 50 cents each. This has become an excellent tradition with hundreds of kids and adults in attendance.

4. Concerts/Festivals

For the past four years, there has been a large Christian music festival in my community. The concerts draw thousands of people each summer. Since so many of the attendees were from out of town, this wasn’t exactly the event where I would push student enrollment at the Christian School I was in charge of. However, I still saw the value in making our name and presence known. So the concert organizers allowed us to be the only sponsor of the children’s play area at the festival. We got to put up a huge sign right at the entrance, and we were very successful in raising our profile.

5. Service Projects

Get heavily involved in a city-wide clean-up day to help reclaim a park or an abandoned lot. If there isn’t such an event, create one and the exposure will be terrific. The local newspaper will give you all sorts of free publicity.

6. Red Cross Blood Drive

Offer to host a Red Cross blood drive at your facility, if feasible. It will get people into your building and asking questions about you, as well as doing something good.

7. Own a Holiday

Take a holiday that isn’t being celebrated widely in your community and create a huge celebration. When I was running a Christian elementary school, our town’s National Day of Prayer had a poor turn-out. As a school, we offered to take the day over and really turned it into a special event with hundreds of people aware of what we were doing.

Conclusion

As you can see, none of these ideas is targeted for a specific event like a fundraiser or for registration. Rather, these events are designed to just make people aware that your organization is out there in the community- doing good and being good.

If you are able to make a good impression with people who are not involved directly with your group, it is possible that they may respond favorably to you in a future fundraising activity. You never know how or when good will toward your group will occur. You just have to do all you can to make people aware of who you are and what your mission is.

In a time when many non-profit organizations are examining their budgets closely and looking anywhere to cut expenses, it is not uncommon that allocations for advertising and marketing are slashed. This may cause some to worry that existing customers will fall out of touch and potential new ones will never hear of you in the first place. This will lead to a dramatic loss of income and could cripple the organization.

However, in my experience working for non-profits, I have come to believe the opposite. I argue that marketing and advertising budgets should get cut in tough times. Of course, if your revenue stream is strong, by all means, use it for promotion. However, if your organization is like many others, you have no choice but to get creative in your strategies.

There are a number of strategies available that you can use to save money in marketing, yet still get your message out. With this article, I will focus specifically on some of the tools available on the Internet to accomplish this goal for you.

Web Sites

A custom-built website from a professional designer can be very expensive. For all of the bells and whistles, you’re looking at several thousand dollars, depending on the company. Fortunately, there are a number of options that will allow you to establish a professional web presence either for free or for much less than you’d get on the open market.

My favorite is WordPress. WordPress is what this blog you’re currently reading is built in. Its sole purpose is to present Blogs (Web Logs). However, the application is very flexible and you can add many terrific components that will provide your site with interactivity, clean organization, SPAM filtering, a shopping cart, comment editing, calendar items, and much more. With WordPress you are able to update the site anytime you wish and it easily holds digital pictures, streaming video, and MP3 music files.

Additionally, there are many sites on the Internet that offer free templates for your use. These templates can be very attractive and will give your site a modern feel.

The best part about WordPress is that it is free. There are two versions of it. The first is hosted on dedicated WordPress servers. There is no charge for this, but you are not able to place advertising on these pages, such as Google AdWords. The second option is to download the WordPress software and pay for it to be hosted on any server set up to interface with WordPress. (Call your local providers to see if they offer this service.). Again, there is no charge for the software, but the server will most likely charge you a monthly rate for hosting.

The only word of caution is that it may take a little while for you to feel comfortable navigating inside your new WordPress environment. There are FAQs and tutorials available to help you, and after some trial and error, you should be on your way.

Overall, there is very little a WordPress site can not do. For many organizations, this is a great solution.

There are other free blogging sites, like Google’s Blogger and LiveJournal. While many of these sites are fine and professional, I do not believe that they offer the extensive flexibility and adaptability that WordPress does.

Email Communications

Email has become, in recent years, a very effective and reliable means of communicating. However, when your email database grows very large, cutting and pasting a list of addresses into the BCC field gets to be cumbersome.

Fortunately, there are a number of pay services available that will allow you to organize your database, design visually attractive messages, and track the delivery route of each individual email after it is sent.

For a couple of years, I have been using Constant Contact and it costs approximately $20 per month. For this low price, I get an amazingly flexible service that I can use as often as I need. I am not a sophisticated web designer; in fact, I have two left thumbs when it comes to the keyboard and mouse. However, Constant Contact provides dozens of free templates that allow me to just plug in the text and images I need, and it does all the hard work for me.

It is simple to import my existing email database and then add or remove names afterwards, if necessary. Once the message is created and sent, customized reports tell me which messages made it to their assigned destinations and which ones bounced back. Furthermore, it will give me information about the failed ones. Perhaps the recipient’s email inbox was full or there was a typo in the address. I found that to be very helpful.

I have used Constant Contact for three different non-profits, and each time I have received great praise from my community. They loved getting important and topical information right in their email inbox and found the format very easy and enjoyable to read.

Merchandise, Apparel, and Online Shopping Cart

Only a few short years ago, a common problem for many non-profits who sold merchandise and apparel with their organization’s logo on them was the requirement to place a minimum order. This meant that non-profits with thin budgets had to make a gamble that they could actually sell the items and not get stuck sitting on inventory.

Now, there is a better option available. Although I have not personally used them myself, I have heard and read many positive reviews of Café Press. Here is one for you to judge for yourself. This service allows you to set up a web-based store and offer a wide range of items with your logo on them. Your customers buy the items online, and Café Press takes care of the shipping. The great part about this is that Café Press makes up the items only after an order is placed. Therefore, you will never over-order.

The prices at Café Press are a little on the high side, but remember, they are taking care of all the administration and saving you from carrying overhead. In the long run, you are probably coming out well ahead!

There are other options available such as contacting your local shops and comparing prices. CustomInk is another great choice that allows you to upload your logos and create artwork online. They will then ship the entire order to you to distribute or sell the items individually to your supporters.

Printing

One of the most common tools in marketing is the good old flier. Fairly easy to make, the flier is a staple of getting the word out in the local market. And even though the Internet has become the premier means of marketing a product, there is still a value in creating printed material.

However, paper prices have risen dramatically, and the cost of a substantial printing run can be prohibitive. Up until recently, organizations had to rely on just a handful of local printers to shop for a good quote. Now however, numerous websites have spring up that will allow you to submit the details of your printing job to a open bulletin board and printers from all over North America can bid on the project, both for cost and for delivery time.

For example, there is Print Industry and Print Local. I have used such a site before and have saved significantly by using printers half-way around the country. The bids are accompanied by a contact name and phone number. You have the ability to interview (over the phone) any of the bidders to get more details. Once you have made your selection, you can communicate with the printer, just as you could have if they were located right around the block. The finished product is shipped directly to your door.

If your print job is time sensitive, make sure to give yourself enough time to submit the details and interview printers. Also allow for shipping time. Remember to account for the shipping costs within the bid.

For specific printing recommendations, I have had excellent service with Overnight Prints. Another online service that offers a variety of printable items is Vista Print.

Get Some Free/Cheap Publicity

While any media outlet would love to sell you premium advertising space, the truth is that most of the time, even the non-profit rates they offer are expensive. I would urge you to purchase advertising space as a last resort, only if you have the money to do it. Don’t cut into the “flesh” of your budget just to run some ads.

The Press Release & Public Service Announcement
First of all, become an expert on writing a press release. You should be drafting these things and sending them to every media outlet in your geographical area as often as you have something happening. Here is an article from eHow.com, which will show you how to craft a professional looking press release. This can be added to a separate pubic service announcement, which is basically a script for a radio or TV spot. Also from eHow, here is a quick guide to writing the PSA. Many times, radio and TV stations are looking for content and will happily pick up on these press releases free of charge.

The key to getting their attention though is to add some excitement to the announcement. Ultimately, this means adding some excitement to your event. In your release, focus on some key aspect of your activity that will pique people’s interest. Maybe you have a minor celebrity coming to the event, or somebody’s famous dessert will be served. Come up with a hook that will make your press release stand out among all the others. It will be hard to gain any attention if you are just putting on the same old auction you’ve been doing for years.

The Classified Section
If you do want to pay money to advertise, I would strongly consider doing it in the classified section of the newspaper. In my experience, the classified section is the most popular in the whole paper. When I was opened a day care center inside our elementary school, I ran a nice sized classified ad for weeks and got a great response. And, the best part was that it was dirt cheap!

Campaign Yard Signs
While it may be alluring to spend a lot of money on a big billboard ad on a heavily traveled road in your community, this can be very expensive- not only for renting the space, but also for creating the huge banner of an ad.

I would suggest paying much less and having hundreds of campaign yard signs made up. Your message space is limited, but if you get enough of them placed strategically in your target area, people will really notice. A new Charter School in my area utilized this strategy and they had the highest enrollment of any school in town that year. I used a company called Political Yard Signs.com, although there are dozens of such companies advertising online.

Conclusion

In the course of carrying out your non-profit’s mission, it is understandable that you would want to do or spend whatever it takes to spread the word. However, reality often forces us to re-adjust our desires and substitute them with practical compromises. Fortunately, when it comes to advertising and marketing, there are numerous alternatives that will both save you money and still bring you success in promotion of your organization.

This article is part of the Mythbusters series.

Here’s a list of each of the articles in this series:

1. Fundraising Myth: If You Build It They Will Come by Sandra Sims
2. The Myth of the “Selfless Volunteer” by Tom Welsh
3. Fundraising Myth: It’s Great to Be Cheap by Marc Pitman
4. Advertising and Marketing Are Too Expensive by Jim Berigan
5. The Myth of the Dried Up Well by Sandy Rees
6. Myths About Foundation Funding by Aaron Atwood

While researching email tips for non profits I discovered Kivi Leroux Miller’s blog about non profit communications. One of her articles presents 15 Places to Find Article Ideas for Your Nonprofit Newsletter which includes some creative places around the office and otherwise to find newsletter ideas.

So after reading Kivi’s post I decided to put on my thinking cap to come up with some article ideas too. My goal with these ideas is to provide actual article themes that you can just take and run with. Some of these include examples of real newsletters using these ideas.

1. Volunteer Spotlight – Recognize your hardworking volunteers by featuring them in your newsletter. Heroes for Children features its volunteer of the month on its blog. They use an interview format which is great for helping your volunteers get to know one another better.
2. Expert Interview – One of the purposes of most non profits is to advocate and inform the public about a cause. You can help educate your audience by interviewing an expert in your field and publishing this in your newsletter and/or website.
3. Highlight Challenge Grants – Challenges are a great incentive for people to make donations so remind your audience about it early and often. Each year the Feinstein Foundation offers a $1 million challenge grant to assist organizations who help alleviate hunger. Many food banks and other eligible organizations send special mailings during this time of year and/or include a notice in their regular newsletters.
4. Editorial – Feel like getting on your soap box? Write an opinion piece about current events or other issues that are relevant to your cause.
5. Legislative Updates – Inform your audience about proposed and enacted legislation on the state and national level that is important to your cause. The Food Bank of Western New York often includes information about legislative and policy issues. For example, the summer 2007 issue highlighted the Feeding America’s Families Act.
6. News Tie-ins – Current events don’t have to be monumental to provide story ideas. For example, the new US Five Dollar Bill went into circulation in February. How about a feature showing what a $5 donation, or $5 per month, will mean to your cause.
7. Flashback - Include a photo and caption from events in your organization, community or cause in years past. This is great if your organization is celebrating a milestone, such as 20, 25, 50 years, and you can make it an ongoing feature for the whole year.
8. Quotations – Let other people do the talking when it comes to bragging about your work. Publish quotations from participants in your program, event attendees, volunteers or community leaders.
9. Before and After – The success of makeover and home remodeling TV programs attest to the popularity of true stories of transformation. You could describe one of your clients and what their life was like before and after they came through your program. The Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation of Fairfield, Iowa publishes Happy Endings, stories from families who have adopted their pets.
10. The Next Generation – Ask one of your donors to write a short response to the question, “How does the work of [organization name] make the world a better place for our children?”
11. Q&A - Answer questions that you hear from the community or from supporters. The most recent newsletter from my local public television & radio station included the answer to “Why does KERA have on-air membership drives?”
12. Reminder of Membership Benefits – Remind people what benefits are included in your membership program so they will be more likely to use and renew their memberships. The newsletter mentioned above featured three local arts organizations that offer discounts with the KERA member rewards card and a description of their upcoming performances.
13. Statistics – Provide statistics relevant to your cause in percentages and/or graph format. If you serve a local audience include local stats as well as state or national.
14. Book Review – Recommend books related to your cause. You can write a longer review of one book or provide just short descriptions on 3-5 books.
15. Endorsements – Speaking of books, pick up almost any book and you’ll find quotations on the book jacket from people who give it a thumbs up. Arts organizations can make particular use of quotes from reviews to promote upcoming performers, artists or exhibits.
16. Show the Love – Ask a volunteer to answer the question, “Why I love volunteering for [organization name].”
17. Top 5 Lists – Taking a topic and putting into a “top 5″ format makes it easier to write and easier to read!
18. 60 Minutes – Write a list of what volunteers can do in just one hour to help your cause. At the end include a call to action like “Call Louise, our Volunteer Manager, at 555-1212 today.”
19. One Day – Describe one day in history that changed your cause in a big way.
20. How-To – Many people find how-to articles quite useful. For example, a school newsletter could publish an article on “how to save for your child’s college education.”
21. Big Issue – Ask your director or an expert on your topic to answer the question, “What is the biggest challenge currently facing [your cause]?”
22. Surprise! – If you give introductory classes, presentations or volunteer training ask participants to answer the question, “What fact or idea about [the cause] were you most surprised to learn?”
23. Cause Celeb – The site Look to the Stars is a great place to find out which celebrities support different causes and when they are in the news for their support.
24. Major Donations – Let your supporters know when foundations or businesses make major donations and what that money will do to further your mission. The June 2007 newsletter of CASA of Central Texas announced grants they had received including “a $10,000 grant from National CASA to focus on diversity initiatives.”
25. A Day in the Life - Describe an average day in the life of your typical client or ask a staff member to describe their typical day. Break down by hours such as 8-10 am, etc. or morning noon, afternoon, evening.
26. Calendar – While most newsletters include upcoming event announcements throughout the issue, why not have a column that summarizes just the dates, event name and location. You could put this on the front page of your newsletter and give the page numbers so readers can find the detail.
27. Photos – At first I thought that photos in newsletters were a given. But after browsing through many non profit newsletters researching this article I found quite a few that were all text. How boring! People love pictures. Homes for Our Troops does a great job of including photos of volunteers, events, and people they serve in all of their email and print newsletters.

So there you have it, 27 story and feature ideas for your non profit’s newsletter. Now there are no more excuses for procrastinating on those newsletters. Maybe you can even add to this list!

Short answer: no.

Publicity such as newspaper articles, PSA’s, television and the like are a supplement to both fundraising and general communication efforts. However they should not be the first or main strategy.

To raise substantial money you must ask people in person, regardless of any well-placed stories. Second, most campaigns depend on a relatively small number of major donors—about 10 percent of the prospects—whose decision to give won’t be much influenced by the media.

Source: Guidestar, Beware Publicity When Raising Big Gifts

While press release writing is important, press release distribution plays an equally important role in your return on investment (ROI) with this marketing / public relations tool. Because without targeted distribution, many prospects, clients and other interested parties may not even read your latest announcement or hear about it via other channels; TV, radio, print publications, etc.

In order to bring your news to light with more of your targeted audience, try some of these tips for a more successful distribution:

Media List Management

Start a folder on your computer and in hard copy form for media lists in order to keep a list of contacts readily available and updated. Identify media outlets – both online and off – in your targeted industries; for example: Business and Marketing. Add local, regional, national and International channels to cover television, radio, newspapers, magazines, online publications, newswire and other services.

A targeted media list is an invaluable tool for most businesses. The best way to build your list is to carefully watch, read and listen, then track media publications and shows, and to identify reporters and producers who would be interested in your story. Contact the media outlets as needed for their most recent contact name, email address, phone and fax number, before sending your information.

Tip: Using a contact management software program such as ACT! or Maximizer for this purpose can help you build and maintain relationships with the media. Even using Excel to create your own spreadsheets helps with organization. There are several sources online that will help you build your media list; however, keep in mind that not all of these sources will have up-to-date media information.

Newswires

Newswires distribute your press release directly to editors, other media outlets like Routers and they also publish the press releases on their website. Many journalists rely on newswire sites for information and story ideas. Wires are often used by larger companies and non-profit organizations. They have the advantage of immediately reaching a broad range of media outlets across the country. The cost is usually $275 – $600 to send a single release, with pricing based on the number of words in your release (a minimum word count will usually apply.)

Mail, Fax, or Email

You can send the news release directly to the media yourself, using the mail, fax, or email. When in doubt about the best option, ask the journalists you will be sending your release to. This can have the advantage of creating a more personal connection with the people you send the release to. It can also be a more cost-effective option if you are targeting a small list of journalists.

Database Building

Newswires offer a fast way to send your press release to a large number of editors. However, you can also build your own list of media contacts using any of a number of media databases. Most charge either a monthly, annual or per use subscription fee. Search online for “media databases” and “media lists.”

Timing

It is best to send your news release early in the day and you will have a better chance of getting your story noticed if your release is not sent on a busy news day. For example, sending a news release out as a major strike or natural disaster was taking place would not be good timing. Monday and Tuesdays are usually busy news days and by Friday most assignments have been handed out as journalists get ready for the weekend.

Helpful Tips:

1. Don’t send email press releases with attachments – they will be deleted immediately upon receipt.

2. If sending an email release, make sure to write the release within the body of the message.

3. Don’t bug editors. Editors receive hundreds of press releases on a daily basis. Chances are you will irritate most editors by making a second contact to ask if they received your press release.

4. Know editor’s deadlines. If you are sending a time-sensitive release, don’t expect a magazine editor to cover your event scheduled for next week. Find out what the appropriate “lead time” is to send your press release for possible distribution in their media.

5. If writing about a web site, make sure the site is updated before you send your release. Editors will visit the site if they have an interest in your product/service.

6. For further assistance and other helpful information visit www.prweb.com

So when you focus on getting your press releases out, focus on distribution, too. Try some of the tips above to increase success with your promotions, and keep a copy of the these tips around for handy reference!”

What’s one of the first things you do when you get in your car? Turn on the radio! This simple entertainment medium can mean big exposure for your events and organization because of the wide audiences radio stations reach. Here are a few tricks for getting your news out there and on the air.

As a former donor recruitment representative for a local branch of a regional blood bank, I often turned to radio stations for support. I developed relationships with the news directors and program directors of the local radio stations in the communities where I worked. This is the number one way I was able to get great publicity opportunities for my events.

First, I will tell you about the wrong way to build this relationship. I had a blood drive with a poor turnout and needed help fast. So, I called the radio station in this small town of about 12,000 people and asked for the station manager, Bob. I told him the situation just knowing he would help me out. He rebutted that he was tired of us calling him with these desperate pleas every time a drive was bombing.

I explained patiently to him that I was a new rep and would be sure to give advance notice in the future for this one-time favor. He reluctantly agreed. To make amends, the next week I stopped by with t-shirts and candy for Bob and his staff to thank them for their assistance. This little favor allowed me to do two things: show my gratitude for their support and get recognition for my organization.

I used this meeting for some information-gathering as well. I learned when they made community announcements—every hour with the news—and how soon they needed announcements—seven to 10 days ahead of time. They even let me call two days before my semi-annual community drive (300-plus donors in three days) and record a free commercial! It played throughout the event. Several donors at the drive told me they heard me on the radio.

In this same town, I was able to make similar contact with the radio station down the street. For smaller events, they would put my drives in the regular news items. For larger events, they would have me come into or call the studio for a short interview, which would play the day before and of the drive.

I had a similar arrangement in most of the small towns where I recruited. We had an agreement with some stations that we would pay for live remotes once or twice a year. They usually gave us all-day coverage (two-hour remote and mentions all day) and a discounted rate with this.

That leads me to those of you in larger markets. Larger markets have more radio stations that are typically owned by large companies. They are less willing to give you free publicity.

However, it’s still possible to get your name out there. You just have to be creative in your approach. Contact each station in your area to find out how to submit items for the community/events calendar. Also, contact the news director or station manager by phone or in person. Your e-mails will more than likely be ignored.

Also, find out how they like to receive announcements and press releases. Some radio stations use a statewide or regional news service. Find out who your contact will be there. It’s all about getting to the news decision makers. If you do end up having to do paid remotes or advertising, don’t take their flat rate. Ask for a better rate or some free commercials, mentions, or food. Salespeople have some wiggle room in this arena.

One secret to large markets is to approach public and listener-supported stations. Many people listen to these news/talk, Christian talk/music, sports, and lesser-known music genre stations for their original content. They have more community-driven focuses in many cases.

For example, I’ve been contacted several times by networks such as American Family Radio when we issued severe blood shortage notices. This network broadcast the interview in many markets. The approach is the same: send a short announcement via the method the station prefers, and follow-up with personal contact or phone contact.

Another idea is to piggyback on a radio remote hosted by a business. Many businesses are willing to coordinate your fundraiser or event with their advertising. For instance, the local Saturn car dealership hosted a drive and paid for a radio remote and gift certificates to the first 50 donors. This is part of a national campaign they do in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. It pays to have a tie-in to an awareness campaign or national event.

Again, your creativity will get you results. Don’t be afraid to find out what companies are doing to promote themselves. If you can convince them to tie in your event/fundraiser, you will benefit from the free or low-cost publicity, and the company will benefit from supporting the community.

In summary, with a little relationship-building and research, you can get your news out there to an audience you may not have accessed before with the turn of a dial.

One of the biggest mistakes event organizers make is forgetting about publicity until after almost all the planning is complete.

Do that, and you’ll blow your chances of getting the best coverage possible. Smart Publicity Hounds are aware of any and all media opportunities and keep them top of mind when planning. Here are eight questions to ask yourself during the early days of your planning:

1. Do we need pre-event coverage in national magazines in order for the event to be a success? If so, what are the editorial deadlines for getting into those publications?

You particularly need to know about deadlines for routine things like calendar listings. If publicity in national magazines is absolutely essential, you may have to pitch six or seven months before the event because many magazines have long lead times. And if you’re pitching stories that far ahead, it means your planning will be pushed back, too.

2. Is the event taking place in or near a city that’s a hub for one or more of the major airlines? If so, coverage in the airlines’ in-flight magazines could really boost attendance, particularly if the event can be considered a tourist attraction.

The May 2004 issue of NWA World Traveler, the in-flight magazine published by Northwest Airlines, includes stories and photos about several events, from the Memphis in May International Festival to an art show featuring works by Scandinavian wood carvers at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. (See “Special Report #29: Fly High with Publicity in Inflight Magazines.”)

3. Do we have enough photos and other graphics to submit to national publications? If not, you need to round them up before your publicity campaign begins. That could mean planning eight or nine months before the event.

For example, a regional art festival that’s taking place for the first time obviously use in its media kit photos from the previous year. Instead, organizers would have to provide beautiful color photos of some of the artwork that will be displayed at that first show. You will also have to make sure the photos are available in several different formats-prints, slides and electronically.

4. Can we plan specific activities in which we can ask media people to participate, not just report?

If your event includes a parade, a popular local TV anchor might agree to serve as the grand marshal. If you need someone to judge a competition, consider asking media representatives. If you need a keynote speaker, TV people will often oblige. If they do, there’s a good chance they’ll include your event on that night’s newscast. If you’re planning an air balloon festival, make sure someone from your group can take a reporter for a ride in an air balloon at least several days or weeks before your event begins, so they have time write about it.

5. Are we designing invitations so that they attract the media? If so, your efforts are focused on the wrong people. Media folks are not impressed by clever invitations.

In fact, when I worked as an editor, I hated opening an invitation that included an unexpected handful of glitter or confetti that fell into my lap. Design invitations to attract the people who will be paying to attend your event. Impress the media with great story angles, and make it easy for them to cover the parts of your event that most interest them.

6. Are we budgeting for fancy press packages, overnight delivery and other unexpected “surprises” for the media, such as a news release about the event hidden inside a balloon bouquet and delivered by a courier? If so, please don’t waste your money on ostentatious press kits either.

When I worked as an editor, I once received a balloon bouquet from someone I didn’t know, with a note instructing me to pop the yellow balloon. I hate popping balloons. But I popped it anyway. The news release that was folded up and put inside the balloon flew across the room and landed under a bookcase. By the time I retrieved it and unfolded it, I wasn’t amused. I was furious! What do you suppose I did with that news release? When delivering things to the media, also avoid hard-to-open packages such as cardboard tubes.

7. Have we checked to see which other events are taking place at the same time as ours? And if so, are we prepared to reschedule?

Nothing is worse than spending long months and thousands of dollars planning an event, sending the invitations, buying the ads, then discovering a few weeks before it begins that it’s competing with two or three other major events in the same city. If that happens, your chances for media coverage are much slimmer. Check with your convention and visitors bureau, city hall, chamber of commerce and other groups to see which events are competing with yours.

8. If we’re serving food, can we come up with a clever food theme to help attract publicity? Media people might not like fancy invitations or unusual press kits, but some of them LOVE fancy and unusual gifts of food.

For example, a PR team hired to publicize the opening of a new train museum sent huge cakes shaped like a train to local TV stations, to attract attention. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a local chain of hamburger restaurants sent bags of hamburgers to local TV and radio stations on opening day of baseball season this year, with the offer of giving all customers free burgers during one day if the Brewers win 10 games in a row. The promotion was on most radio stations in town and on several of the TV stations, too. Note: Gifts of food are used most effectively with the broadcast media. Many print media have ethics policies that prohibit food gifts. If you aren’t sure, call beforehand and ask.

If you run into problems with publicity during this year’s event, and the problems could have been avoided with better planning, you can add even more questions to the list above.

For more than 800 tips on how to make your next event a smash–with the public and the media–see “How to Plan & Promote Sizzling Special Events.”

About the Author:As a media relations consultant and professional speaker, Joan Stewart shows people how to use newspapers, television and other media to establish credibility, promote a favorite cause or issue, attract attention for special events, sell more products and services, and more.

Subscribe to “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity at PublicityHound.com and receive free by email the handy list “89 Reasons to Send a News Release.”

Reprinted with permission.