Promote from Within
It's ironic that nonprofit funding is frequently driven by promotion, and promotion is frequently driven by funding.
When you're a small or medium-sized nonprofit, an in-house communications team (nay, a single dedicated staff member) is a luxury. And even if funds free up to finance that role, the consensus is usually: earmark the money for client services instead.
Therefore, it's a happy coincidence that while nonprofits need media coverage, media outlets need stories to cover. I'm routinely astonished by organizations that haven't capitalized on their valuable currency, namely: stories worth covering. Whether it's a feel good anecdote about making a positive community impact or a weighty piece pertaining to policy reform, these civic-oriented stories are legitimate news.
I cut my nonprofit teeth at an organization that, at the time, had a development + communications department of one (me). Fortunately, I collaborated closely with the executive director who taught me the ropes of running a soup to nuts, in-house PR and media relations effort, from writing and pitching press releases to developing and maintaining media connections. [Side note: while often used interchangeably, public relations and media relations are not the same. The former tends to consider a macro view of how the organization is viewed by the public at large, while the latter involves an organization's interactions with editors, reporters, and journalists.]
I wouldn't trade this crash course in PR and media relations for the world because, although it was scrappy and at times exhausting, it was effective. We were quoted in national publications; interviewed on statewide radio programming; and featured in local news, including television and print. All without the advantage of a PR firm.
If your nonprofit desires media coverage, consider taking matters into your own hands. Below is an overview to get started with insider tips from Heather White, beloved, longtime host of “Bama & Heather in the Morning” radio show on 98.1 KVET, owned by iHeartMedia:
Develop a list of sources across various media including television, radio, newspapers, and magazines (print + digital). Seed your list with personally familiar connections and branch out from there --whose radio show do you listen to? Which anchors do you tune into for local news? Who's recently reported on your organization's subject matter? “Take the time to know whom you are emailing, rather than just relying on a long, generic list,” advises Heather.
Do rudimentary research before sending out any communication, and verify your contacts still work at the media outlets you're targeting. “I get about 30 emails a day pitching a story idea to me. I read 3-4 of them only,” says Heather. “Most get deleted because they are addressed to people who have not worked here in years.”
When you've got a story to pitch (e.g. it's X time of year which coincides with Y), submit it to the media outlet's news director and cc your anchor / personality of choice. “If a sender takes the time to address the email to me, and includes a personalized pitch, I will at least consider it,” notes Heather.
Know the audience: lighter fare, such as event-focused items, typically plays well on morning programs whereas heavier news pieces, like those pertaining to policy or lobbying, are suited for evening prime time. Likewise, each outlet within a given medium (e.g. radio) draws its own audience, thus a blanket request to any + all radio stations in your region will not be successful. As Heather observed: people often send her topics for consideration that couldn't possibly be appropriate for the audience at the country station where she works.
Cultivate your media contacts by occasionally dropping them a line --maybe to say thank you for highlighting a story that resonated with you, or commending them on a piece that relates to your organization's focus area. Send cookies or pizza as needed.
Distinguish yourself / your organization as a subject matter expert on [blank issue], so whenever that topic is trending, you'll be top of mind when the news director needs a source. Be proactive in sending the news director relevant info pertaining to updated statistics, demographics, trends, etc. and by all means, reach out to them whenever said topic is gaining traction via other media.
In closing, remember that this is a relationship driven process, and reputation matters. “Once you have brought me something good, you are on the approved list in my mind,” says Heather. “I will keep your emails and really consider them. The PSAs I place run on 5 stations and their streams. That is a lot of exposure.”
You've got a great story worth sharing. Contact us if you'd like help telling it in a compelling way.