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 Tools, How-to Guides and Practical Resources

Free Management Library – Public and Media Relations
www.managementhelp.org/pblc_rel/pblc_rel.htm
As always, the free management library is a terrific source of basic and in-depth information on topics pertinent to nonprofits. Topics in the Public and Media Relations section include: Managing Your Public Image (Public Relations),
Managing Media Relations, Additional Information for Nonprofits and General Resources.

FrameWorks Institute – Online Toolkits
www.frameworksinstitute.org/cdtoolkits.html
The FrameWorks Institute publishes online toolkits about how to frame such issues as health disparities, food systems, early childhood development and health care.

Working with the Media – Nonprofit Toolkit
www.coloradononprofits.org/media%20toolkit.pdf
This substantive resource from the Colorado Nonprofit Association provides information and templates on generating news coverage, writing press releases, preparing and editorial board meeting, writing and op-ed letter and giving interviews.

Creating News Stories the Media Wants – The Community Toolbox
www.ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/section_1273.htm
Organizations involved in advocacy, whether that’s their primary purpose or simply a way of gaining support for the work they do, often pitch stories to the media. Placing news stories can be the cheapest and most effective means of getting your message to the public, and, through them, to policy makers and funders. This section provides some guidelines both for recognizing or creating news stories related to your work that appeal to the media and the public, and for persuading the media to publish or broadcast those stories.

Strategic Communications in the Digital Age Toolkit
www.benton.org/archive/publibrary/toolkits/stratcommtool.html?0#0
This resource from the Benton Foundation 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.

PR News Online - Whitepapers
www.prnewsonline.com/whitepapers/
PRNewsonline is the industry’s community resource for news, research, analysis, business opportunities, market trends, and more in the field of PR and communications. From the publishers of the industry’s most-trusted publication, PR News, prnewsonline.com is also the first stop for information on awards, new books, studies, events and webinars. The site also offers a series of free white papers on current topics.

Learn More about Media and Public Relations

Guide to Strategic Communications for Nonprofits – 2nd edition
www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470181540,descCd-buy.html
Bonk, Kathy, Griggs, Henry, and Tynes, Emily. (2008). 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.

Conference Report: Nonprofit Marketing Summit Conference
http://www.social-marketing.org/papers/NMS-report.pdf
(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.

The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook
www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Marketing-Handbook-Seth-Godin/dp/0395700132
Levinson, Jay Conrad, Godin, Seth, and Rubin, Charles. (1995). 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.

Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits and Activists
www.amazon.com/Making-News-Guide-Nonprofits-Activists/dp/0813368987
Salzman, Jason. (1998). Westview Press. This book shows you how to make your cause interesting to the news media and is highly recommended by social activists.

Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations Volume I: Develop the Plan, 2nd Edition
www.fieldstonealliance.org/productdetails.cfm?SKU=069253
Stern, Gary J. and Centor, Elana. (2001). Marketing 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.

Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations Volume II: Mobilize People for Marketing Success
www.fieldstonealliance.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=30
Marketing Workbook Volume II: Mobilize People for Marketing Success shows you how to mobilize your entire organization, its staff, volunteers, and supporters in a focused, one-to-one marketing campaign. This unique guide gives you complete instructions, real-life examples, and detailed worksheets to create an effective campaign. Regardless of the size of your organization, you can use the ten steps in this book to:

Reach ongoing fundraising, membership, enrollment, and volunteer recruitment goals
Plan and carry out capital campaigns and generate attendance for major special events
Build name recognition and awareness of your organization or cause
ncrease the skills and confidence of everyone associated with your nonprofit to be effective marketing representatives

Using Public Relations Strategies to Promote Your Nonprofit Organization
www.amazon.com/Relations-Strategies-Nonprofit-Organization-Marketing/dp/0789002574
Kinzey, Ruth Ellen. 1999. This book guides the reader through the necessary steps to engage public relations tactics and strategies to promote his/her organization.

News for a Change: An Advocate’s Guide to Working with the Media
www.amazon.com/News-Change-Advocates-Guide-Working/dp/0761919244
Wallack, Lawrence, Woodruff, Katie, Dorfman, Lori, and Diaz, Iris. (1999). 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.

Media Advocacy and Public Health: Power for Prevention
http://books.google.com/books?id=2e53PKgCiCUC&dq=Media+Advocacy+and+Public+Health:+Power+for+Prevention&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=NVJNS_3kLo-swO5g_3YAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CB4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Wallack, Lawrence, Dorfman, Lori, Jernigan, David, and Themba, Makani. (1993).. 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 Partnerships does not endorse any of the organizations or consultants listed below. These names are provided for informational purposes only.

The Spin Project
www.spinproject.org/index.php
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 and other books and publications.

Berkeley Media Studies Group - Publications
www.bmsg.org/pub.php
The Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG) provides links to books, articles and handbooks related to media advocacy.

Media and Public Relations