Nonprofits can get a boatload of media coverage

A statewide environmental group recently had a photo-op with a very Republican governor.

The event was all over Facebook. Photos and stories were shared like banana-cakes within hours. There was an accompanying link to an announcement with most of the posts. It was very cool. Imagine your favorite enviro-group getting quality facetime like that — and a pledge from a governor to support the group’s efforts.

It was a legitimate time for celebration. Sure, there were haters. One FB comment questioned the “traitor” standing next to the nonprofit executive director. It’s easy to understand the dog-and-pony-show interpretation. Still, the event was better than the early days of that group largely being ignored by elected officials and media outlets.

There are so many opportunities wrapped up in this event — and I’ve seen ones like this missed by nonprofits countless times. If you’re open to getting a boatload of media coverage on a regular basis (or love a nonprofit that would benefit from some), read on.

Your event, board decision or committee plan does not have to be big enough to get your governor’s attention to warrant a press release. Believe it or not, you do interesting, noteworthy and newsworthy stuff all the time; you can’t see it because you’re swimming in the water. You probably think you’re too busy to think about it. You’d do it (or delegate it) in a heartbeat if you knew the results it would bring.

Do you wish you had more members? Would having more people at your events make a difference? Are you trying to convince donors that your organization is worthy of their time or money? Yeah. I’ve served on several nonprofit boards (local, a regional, a statewide, and national), so I know what it’s like — and can help more than ever.

It wasn’t until I became the editor of a countywide newspaper that I witnessed the gaping holes in the public relations plans of countless nonprofits (and businesses, frankly). Here’s how it would roll in a perfect world:

Every key member of the organization I’m spotlighting would take that statewide announcement and localize it for their media outlets. (They would be ready because the statewide organization taught them how to do it.) At the very least, the statewide organization would send out a broadcast email to the appropriate members and suggest they gently massage the announcement and deliver it to their local media outlets. It would have been sweet for those members to receive a “foundation” release (the basics) with some specific spots highlighted for them to customize.

It used to frustrate the bajezzus out of me when I received a press release from a statewide or national organization without a single mention of the local group — and I knew they existed. I’m not just talking about this spotlighted, anonymous enviro-group … I’m talking about national groups with household names. This type of oversight is rampant. Organizations with as few as one or two satellite locations, supporters outside the mothership’s media coverage area could move their missions forward by leaps and bounds by customizing their press releases.

I’ll give a nod to any big group successfully getting their news in the “state” or “national” section of a local or regional media outlet, but if you’re the listener, viewer or reader, wouldn’t you want to know how the story related to the local program? Local media contacts often are left wondering the same thing — and genuinely wish they had the time and resources to tell the story their audience would love to hear.

The number of times I wished I had time to hunt for the local contact and interview them came to a tipping point shortly before I quit my job in traditional media. It became painfully clear that people had no idea how to effectively communicate with people working in media. The most common assumption I heard was, “Why should I have to do their job for them?” That’s a valid question, but obviously comes from someone with zero appreciation for what it’s like to work for a media outlet.

There are times when deadlines are looming, breaking news changes priorities, people get sick, holidays happen — and (GASP!) the local contact is impossible to find.

I vote for a partnership. I vote for a global movement. You can participate by embracing a new way of looking at “spoon-feeding” media contacts. Drop the assumptions you have about them being lazy, brainwashed, liberal, right-wing, unreliable, a disgrace, or not worth your time (until you need them, of course).

If you assume they’ll localize the national press release, you’re taking a big risk — and delivering a direct hit to the quality of the news outlets you wish would have more stories about the organizations you love. You’re also missing an opportunity your organization’s mission, members and board would thank you for.

So, what to do? Get ready. Rally your troops. Delegate whatever you can’t do yourself. At the very least:

update your media contact list at least every six months (turnover is high and the “lists” in the world are not updated as often as they should be to effectively keep up);
learn how to customize a press release, how to deliver one, and then teach your troops.

Stop assuming. Stop being so egocentric about your news (it has a lot of competition). Create some relationships, partnerships, and customized press releases. The results will thrust you toward fulfilling your mission.