Media Relations

1. Media Relations Presented by Dena Reynolds, M.S.

2. Grading System • All students will receive one credit through VCU for their participation in this class. This grade will appear on your official VCU transcript. • The student registers but does not attend the class – administratively dropped • The student attends less than the full two days* – administratively withdrawn • The student attends both full days and participates, but does not complete an assignment– can earn a maximum of a C but the instructor can assign C, D, or F based on students participation. The majority of students who participate well and exhibit appropriate classroom behavior with likely receive a C. • The student attends both full days and submits an assignment – the student is eligible for an A or B. They can earn a maximum of A but the professor can assign A, B, C, D, or F based on students’ participation and quality of assignment. The majority of students completing the assignment will likely receive an A or B. •The only grades eligible towards the certificate is an A or B. • *Please note that students need 10‐15 contact hours with an instructor, it is mandatory that students attend every hour of the program to receive a passing grade.

3. Media Relations for Nonprofits • How to land a story in The Richmond-Times Dispatch • Pitching to Local weekly newspapers • Obtaining a TV Story • Working with the Media • Identifying Good Story Angles • Preparing for Live Interviews • Writing Press Releases and Media Advisories • Tracking and Measuring Coverage • How to Get Started • Hear directly from the media!

4. Today • Introductions • Does your agency receive media coverage? • Does your agency actively promote stories? • How do you learn about local news? • Schedule • Mid-morning break • Lunch at Noon • Guest speaker at 1pm: Christina Feerick, WRIC TV8 Anchor

5. Agenda • Why media relations is important • Identifying a Good story idea to pitch • How do I pitch a story? • Being ready for the call from a reporter. • Materials to prepare • Opportunities in the local media • Tracking, Follow-up and Measurement • Resources and Guides • Event Promotion with Media Calendars • Homework

6. Media Relations for Nonprofits Why is it IMPORTANT?

7. Media Relations for Nonprofits • FREE Awareness • Adds Credibility • Creates Name Recognition • Invites Potential Donors to Learn More About You • Gives Current Donors, Volunteers, Board of Directors and Advisory Committee Members a Sense of Pride • Helps Increase Staff Morale • Recruits Volunteers • Becomes a Source of Research • Creates Material for Newsletters, Annual Reports

8. Before you start… • Spokesperson • Real People • Clients • Volunteers • Donors • Event attendees • Patients • Get organized! • A good story angle • Fact Sheet about Agency • Folks to be interviewed • Availability • Timeline • Expected Outcomes • Support from Management • Plans for measurement

9. Identifying a GOOD Story Idea to Pitch

10. Identifying a Good Idea to Pitch • Relevant • New • Timely • Compelling • Unique

11. Examples of Pitches • Emotional, personal story. Put a face on the story. • Positive results from a program • New program, new building launched • Local response to a National Issue, Awareness Month, Holiday • Local tie-in to a National TV Show • Upcoming Event, Speaker • Anniversary, Achievement

12. “Stories are more than compelling facts. People remember stories more than they remember statistics.” – Soledad O’Brien Anchor and Special Correspondent for CNN At PRSA International Conference October 2011 in Orlando, Florida

13. Examples of Pitches • Emotional, personal story • World Pediatric Project: Conjoined Twins Separated • The Virginia Home: Man faithfully visits sweetheart at The Virginia Home • Greater Richmond ARCenter: Local boy excels in unique cooking program

14. Examples of Pitches • Positive Results from a Program • Virginia Supportive Housing: Success of A Place to Start program after three years • YMCA: Success of Cancer program with graduation of students

15. Examples of Pitches • New program/initiative/building launched: • Children’s Museum of Richmond: New Branch in Chesterfield • Art 180: New Mural Unveiled with Dedication and Celebration Ceremony • Daily Planet • New Grant Funded Program to Tackle Diabetes Among Homelessness

16. Examples of Pitches • Local Response to a National Issue • YWCA: Protective Order Law: New law now applies to dating relationships • Fan Free Clinic: Health-care reform will help young adults get coverage • Prevent Child Abuse Virginia Calls increase after Penn State Allegations • FeedMore: Peanut Butter Prices Increasing

17. Examples of Pitches • Local Response to a Holiday • Virginia Supportive Housing: Corporate volunteers paint apartments for volunteers on Veteran’s Day • Fan Free Clinic: World Aids Day

18. Examples of Pitches • Anniversary, Achievement • Lewis Ginter: 10,000 pounds of vegetables donated to FeedMore • Local Tie-In to a National TV Show • Medical Storyline • Law Show • Nightline

19. Examples of Pitches • Upcoming Event, Speaker • American Cancer Society: Behind the Scenes Look at Committee Meeting to Plan Cure by Design Fashion Show with Cancer Survivors • March of Dimes: Preview two fall events with a focus on one family

20. Examples of Pitches • Anniversary, Achievement • Positive Vibe Café: 500th Student Graduates from Training Program • ElderHomes: Volunteer Builds 200 Wheelchair Ramps for Those in Need • SPARC: Celebrating 30 years of teaching more than 10,000 kids • Salvation Army: Director plays euphonium for 36-hour marathon

21. Pitches for Smaller Nonprofits • Collaborate with other nonprofits in the same area • Develop a joint event • Hold your event at a larger nonprofit • Identify a good time to mark an achievement • We just helped our 500th nonprofit …. • We’ve just taught our 2,000th student or had our 500th class or just graduated the 1,000th person… • Move/New Building • Merger with another nonprofit or national agency • Share resources with another nonprofit • Personal story on Founder, Volunteer, Donor, Client

22. Creating News • Volunteer Appreciation Event • Client Appreciation Event • Speaker’s Panel • Documentary Event • Author Event • Donor “Thank You” Event • Identify Personal Story: Put out requests

23. Inviting Media to Your Event… Still Need a Compelling Angle • Revise the event • Add a compelling speaker/spokesperson • Healthy Kids Day Example • Create a unique visual opportunity • Salvation Army • Change the time • Invite media to participate

24. Personal Stories • Identify throughout the Year • Interview them. Develop a relationship. • Know their availability. Are the comfortable with interviews in their home. • Keep a story sheet about them • Everybuddy Camp example • Find angles to relate to their story • Holiday • Awareness Month • Speaking at Upcoming Event • Receiving award at event

25. The PITCH

26. The “Perfect PR Pitch” • “perfect PR pitch” — a brief, compelling and well-told story that will link your publicity needs with the reporter’s rational self-interest. • Your job is to tell that story briefly and compellingly — just as if you were trying to hook a donor during a 30-second elevator ride. • Keep your pitch tight, bright, and to the point.

27. The Perfect Pitch • When you pitch a story, you’re selling an idea — an idea about you and your nonprofit. You’re selling it to a jaded individual who’s been there and seen that — but you’re also selling it to an individual who NEEDS story ideas and leads.

28. Phone vs. e-mail • Since you’re not likely to know the reporter and know his/her preference, go with the default setting and send the pitch by e-mail (NOT as an attachment — those get deleted un-read unless a reporter has asked for and is expecting an attachment).

29. Recommended Email Pitch Formats • Media Advisory: Pasted into Email • Paragraphs: Unique 3 to 4 paragraphs about the story idea

30. Media Advisory • One page. Concise • Include most important information at top. Inverted pyramid. • Think like a reporter. • Offer compelling stories. Who can they interview? Why are they important? • Example: Big Brothers Big Sisters • Provide media contact and cell phone • Offer media opportunities (tour, behind the scenes)

31. Six critical ingredients • Who • What • Where • When • Why • How will they tell the story: Personal Stories

32. Email Pitch in Paragraph Format • Concise. • Using plain language to communicate with journalists is not considered bland but effective. • Your purpose is not to impress them with big words but to clarify why your message is important, and has news value. • Use short sentences that each communicate one idea. • Send individual emails.

33. Email Pitch in Paragraph Format • Keep paragraphs to three or four sentences • Never make assumptions about the reporter’s knowledge. • Explain each term fully the first time it is used, followed by its abbreviation. • Use AP Style Guide as a writing resource.

34. Writing the Headline/Subject Line • Create headlines with impact. • The most effective words in a news release headline are eye-catching words like "announces" and "new." • Comparative words like "better" or "more" can also draw attention to your article. • The headline is the "hook" that lures editors and reporters into reading more. • Headlines must be compelling.

35. Writing the Headline/Subject Line • Determine the most significant benefit your most important reader will derive from the news. • Try and state those benefits in seven words or less. • Use an active verb. • Consider a question. • Ask yourself if your statement is meaningful to someone not closely involved with your nonprofit/cause. • Be detached!

36. Writing the Headline/Subject Line • Radical Program Helps End Homelessness in Richmond • Event Tomorrow: 58 Homeless Individuals Now Off the Streets • Child Cancer Survivors Celebrate Success • Tonight: Graduation for Child Cancer Survivors • Local Boy Recovers from Cancer in Unique Program • Unique Program to Help Prevent Drownings in Richmond

37. Writing the Headline/Subject Line • Unique Camp Caters to Kids with Special Needs • High Unemployment and Poverty Rate Hurt Richmond Neighborhoods • Sat: Nation's Largest Wellness Day • YMCA Creates More Jobs for the Richmond Area

38. A Follow-up Phone Call • Keep the call brief — unless the reporter chooses to extend it. • Ask: “is this a good time?” or “Do you have a minute to hear a quick PR pitch?” or “Would you prefer an e-mail, or do you have a minute to hear a quick PR pitch?” • Focus on only 2 to 3 points to sell your story.

39. A Follow-up Phone Call • Hi John. This Dena with ____. We have a new program that’s improving lives in Richmond that I wanted to share with you. Do you have a minute? • How to pitch the story: • Advice from AP

40. Press Release • As a news article that a newspaper can easily reprint. • After an event. You want to release figures and results. • To announce that you received a grant or won an award. • New CEO. Retiring CEO.

41. Press Release Elements • Logo: Your logo usually goes in the top left-hand corner. • Headline: Your headline is the first thing an editor will read. You want to draw the editor in, using your headline as a "hook.” • Date: Date your news releases for the day you plan to distribute them. News releases with last week's date on them could be mistakenly be perceived as "old news." • Lead: Your lead is the first sentence of your news release. Like the headline, your lead has to be both catchy and informative. • Body: Your body paragraphs should answer the questions, What? Why? Who? When? Where? How? • Real People: Include compelling quotes from those helped by your agency. Let the quotes show how your agency makes a difference. Include titles from those quoted. • Contact information: Always include information on how to reach you.

42. Pre-written Story: • Do they take many submissions from non-staff writers? • On average, how long are their articles? • In what style are the articles written (for example, short hard-news style, or longer feature-story style)? • Is the language formal, or conversational? • Has this publication already covered the issue you want to write about? If so, would you be providing new information or points of view?

43. Pitching Tips • Do Homework. Have they done story before? Relate to the reporter’s beat? • Watch/read the news. What local reporters are working? • Proofread. Wait two days and read your material again. • Practice phone pitches • Email only text • Call at a convenient time. Be aware of deadlines and live shows. • Offer to provide pictures. Newspapers and magazines love photos, and television reporters have to bring in visuals to get a story on the air. Let the media outlet know that photo opportunities are available. • Always provide cell phone number.

44. When do I pitch? • TV: 2-3 days in advance • Newspaper: 1-2 weeks before • Online: 1 week out • Magazines: 6 months before story/event • Radio interviews: 1 week in advance • TV: Call before 3p.m. • Early afternoon is good for a lot of media outlets. • Holidays are perfect days for nonprofit pitches!

45. When Reporters Evaluate the Pitch… • Why now? • Why is this news? • Who cares?

46. Spice Up Your Pitch • Give the reporter an exclusive. If a media outlet receives an important story first, it might consider it big news because they will have a "scoop" that makes them look good. • Make it different or unusual. Stories that are new, novel, or original are news because they have the "gee whiz" factor. • Involve a big name. Our culture seems obsessed with the famous, so adding a celebrity to your story can make it interesting to the right media. • Be at the extreme. Any kind of superlative that can be used in the story--first, biggest, smallest, oldest--can provide the "gee whiz" element. Play up the stakes. • Conflictor controversy is news. Media love stories with protagonists. The battle between the two sides creates drama and emotion, elevating a, perhaps, ho-hum issue to an appealing story.

47. BE READY!

48. Be ready! • Have spokespeople and personal story folks on stand-by • Know where you will do interviews • Be professional. Prepare staff for phone calls. • Be available all the time! • Don’t waste journalists’ time • Do your homework • Always try to make the journalist's job easier

49. When the call comes… • Provide phone numbers immediately of the folks they can interview or address of where they can meet you • Explain that you will email fact sheet • Offer photos. Describe them. • Offer logo. • Ask what their deadline is. • If you have to return call then tell them when to expect your all back. • Tell reporter to call you at anytime with ?’s.

50. The Interview • Pretend you’re talking to a friend or a potential donor. • Talk a little louder than normal to slow you down. • Have Opinionated Sound Bites Ready • Show emotion. Be real. • Repetition is a good thing. • Be honest.