Center for Civic Partnerships

Media and Public Relations

How can people learn about the important work of your organization and begin to use your services? Media and public relations are important tools that can help you raise awareness. Marketing, promotions, public relations, and media advocacy – all are related but understanding the differences is a good first step. Most of these terms come from the business sector and have been adapted for use by nonprofit organizations. You’ll find different definitions depending upon what resource you consult. Marketing is similar to advertising – it is a way to raise awareness about your organization, its mission and services. Promotions help to advance specific messages or themes during a particular time period. Public relations (or publicity) are outreach activities designed to gain news attention. Media advocacy combines the community voice with the strategic use of media to encourage decision makers to make changes in public policy. The mass media includes print (newspapers, magazines), broadcast communications (television, radio) as well as the electronic media found on the Internet.

Top Tips

Determine your goals, identify your target audience and tailor your messages so they are short, simple and meaningful.
Use technology to communicate with your membership, clients, volunteers or prospective donors. Consider web sites, broadcast e-mail lists and discussion boards.
Create a press or promotional kit that includes press releases, fact sheets, news articles, newsletters, background on your organization or issue and contact information.
Create a media list of up-to-date reporters that cover your issues. Call your local newspaper, television and radio stations’ receptionist for names and contact information. You may also want to look in your local library for media directories or ask partner groups to share their lists with you.
Build relationships with local journalists and establish yourself as a resource for accurate information on your issue. Reporters live by deadlines. Before launching into conversations, check to see if they are “on deadline” and be sure to return calls promptly or you may miss an opportunity to participate.
Follow up interviews with a thank you letter to the reporter or letter to the editor. If there were factual errors in the story, politely request a correction.
Use press releases to stimulate interest in your special event. Design a series of notices that can be sent to media outlets periodically in the months and days leading up to your event.
Reach influential decision-makers by writing an op-ed (newspaper opinion piece). Learn what criteria your local paper uses for accepting these submissions. Consider timeliness of the issue, the local angle and how you can stimulate public debate with your opinion piece.
Try “guerilla marketing” techniques that may require more time and imagination but less money. Some on-line examples include making the most of e-mail lists and newsgroup postings as well as registering with search engines.
Consider partnering with another nonprofit organization or business who has a complementary or similar target audience and plan a joint promotions project together.
Look for seasonal opportunities for publicity such as the winter holiday season, back-to- school time, or Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Online Resources and Tools

Benton Foundation: Strategic Communications in the Digital Age
www.benton.org/publibrary/practice/Toolkit/toolkit.html
This site offers a best practices toolkit for achieving your organization’s mission in the digital age. Stories, tools and resources are offered on conducting effective outreach campaigns, reaching your target audience and inspiring people to act through advocacy efforts.

Berkeley Media Studies Group
www.bmsg.org
This website offers articles on media advocacy and public health issues.

Center for Nonprofit Marketing
www.gb3group.com
Sign up here for the free e-newsletter Nonprofit Marketing News and access the Answer Center for a variety of articles on marketing, media relations and communications.

Coyote Communications
www.coyotecom.com
Read free tip sheets on outreach and marketing strategies.

Cuclis Communications
www.cucliscommunications.com
This site provides an overview of public relations tactics, a checklist to determine your news worthiness and tips for handling interviews and “bad news.”

FrameWorks Institute
www.frameworksinstitute.org
The FrameWorks Institute publishes communications research to help nonprofit organizations to expand support and further public understanding of specific social issues. Their work is based on an approach called "strategic frame analysis" and the web site offers articles and links to other research that explains this advocacy approach.

Free Management Library
www.managementhelp.org
As always, the free management library is a terrific source of basic and in-depth information on topics pertinent to nonprofits. See the section on All About Marketing for a thorough overview as well as the Framework for Basic Nonprofit Marketing and Promotions Plan that includes plans for public and media relations, sales, advertising and promoting and customer service.

Internet Nonprofit Center
www.nonprofits.org
A project of the Evergreen State Society, this site offers an extensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on marketing. Click here to view www.nonprofits.org/npofaq/keywords/2n.html.

NetAction
www.netaction.org
Learn all about cyber-activism with NetAction's online training course, The Virtual Activist 2.0. Covers all the elements of e-mail and online advocacy as well as Internet fundraising and membership drives. Includes numerous links to other valuable resources.

Online Public Relations
www.online-pr.com
Visit this site for links to hundreds of online media outlets, including newspapers, magazines and radio stations. The site also includes links to more than 300 public relations sites.

PR & Marketing Network
www.prandmarketing.com/index.html
This site allows you to sign up for a free trial subscription to PR News, a newsletter with tips and resources for public relations and marketing.

Spin Project
www.spinproject.org/index.html
The Spin Project offers a broad range of media resources, tips and tools to assist nonprofits with their public relations efforts. These resources can help your organization increase your capacity to work more effectively with the press, sustain increased public relations efforts and receive positive media coverage of your issues. Additionally, the Spin Project has published SPIN Works! A Media Guidebook for the Rest of Us. The 115-page guidebook is full of tips, tactics and strategies designed to give grassroots organizers and people interested in positive social change basic and advanced skills for shaping public opinion on their issues through the press.

Writing Solutions
www.yourwritingsolution.com
This web site offers services to assist in writing marketing and promotional material for your organization. Each month in the “Marketing Tips” section, staff members take an in-depth look at specific marketing topics. Articles are archived for reference and you can subscribe to a free nonprofit marketing e-newsletter.

Suggested Reading

Bonk, Kathy, Griggs, Henry, and Tynes, Emily. (1999). Guide to Strategic Communications for Nonprofits. Jossey-Bass. A step-by-step guide to working with the media to generate publicity, enhance fundraising, build membership, change public policy, handle crises and more. Call toll-free 1-800-274-6024 or order on-line at: www.wilder.org/pubs/order/index.html

Conference Report: Nonprofit Marketing Summit Conference. (2000). Social Marketing Institute. Download at www.social-marketing.org/papers/NMS-report.pdf. Proceedings from the Nonprofit Marketing Summit Conference include discussions on Internet marketing, cause-related marketing, branding in nonprofits, spreading marketing thinking throughout your organizations and the impact of future trends on nonprofit marketing.

Henley, Michael J. and Hodiak, Diane L. (2002). Fund Raising & Marketing in the One-Person Shop: Achieving Success with Limited Resources. This book includes ideas for low cost marketing, using direct mail and practical “how-to” ideas with examples from actual campaigns. Order at: www.drcharity.com/book.html

Levinson, Jay Conrad, Godin, Seth, and Rubin, Charles. (1995). The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook. Mariner Books. The volume focuses on the details of low-cost, high imagination marketing strategies. Each chapter features techniques, lists, common mistakes, definitions, examples and glossaries.

Muehrcke, Jill. (1993). Leadership Series: Marketing. Madison, Wisconsin: The Society for Nonprofit Organizations. This collection of 27 concise and action-oriented articles from Nonprofit World provides a variety of viewpoints and advice on nonprofit marketing written by experts in the field. A variety of quizzes and worksheets provide practical help. Includes "The Four Ps of Nonprofit Marketing" - performing, pleading, petitioning and praying – as well as information on conducting market research. Order at: www.snpo.org/resources/productcatalog.php

Salzman, Jason. (1998). Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits and Activists. Westview Press. This book shows you how to make your cause interesting to the news media and is highly recommended by social activitsts.

Stern, Gary J. and Centor, Elana. (2001). Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations: Develop the Plan. St. Paul: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. Newly updated with web-based strategies, this book offers a five-step process to help you plan, implement and evaluate a marketing strategy for your nonprofit organization. Order at: www.wilder.org/pubs/mktg_vol_I/

Wallack, Lawrence, Woodruff, Katie, Dorfman, Lori, and Diaz, Iris. (1999). News for a Change: An Advocate’s Guide to Working with the Media. Sage Publications. A “must-have” guide for those seeking to effectively leverage the power of the news media and further their work in social change. Includes basic principles, examples, tips and suggestions that can be implemented quickly.

Wallack, Lawrence, Dorfman, Lori, Jernigan, David, and Themba, Makani. (1993). Media Advocacy and Public Health: Power for Prevention. Sage Publications. This book lays out the theoretical framework and guidelines for successful media strategies. Eight case studies ranging focusing on issues such as tobacco, handguns and AIDS illustrate how media advocacy can be applied.

Organizations and Consultants

The Center for Civic Partnership does not endorse any of the organizations or consultants listed below. These names are provided for informational purpose.

Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC)
www.ccmc.org/main.htm
CCMC helps nonprofit organizations use media and new telecommunications technologies as tools for public education and policy change. They are authors of the book Guide to Strategic Communications for Nonprofits. The web site includes advice for publishing op-eds (guest columns that appear opposite the editorial page).

Slingshot Productions
www.slingshotproductions.com
Slingshot Productions creates print, broadcast, and web-based communications that address current social and political issues. They partner with organizations working for social change, particularly for women and young people. Slingshot provides everything from identity development and public education campaigns to advertising, including creative services, production and media buying.