New PR Book for Not For Profits

I am now in the final stages of completing my new book PR on a Tiny Budget: How Not For Profits Can Win Attention. 

It covers the tools, tactics and templates for low cost but effective PR and the communications planning that sits behind success.  It will be available through Amazon shortly.

It is for those who volunteer or work in small to medium-size not for profit organisations, and are keen to tell their communities about their ambitions and activities.  That could well be you.

You probably have a tiny, tiny PR and marketing budget and not much experience in this area. However you are intensely proud of what your not for profit does and eager to let clients, supporters, governments, donors and others know about its achievements.

This book is based on PR and marketing workshops I have been running for Australian not for profits for the past eight years. 

In that time people from over 200 charity, community, emergency services, sporting, environmental and other groups have attended half and full day sessions learning the communications skills to get their important messages out there.  Each workshop has been lively, challenging and a true sharing experience and I probably learned more than anyone else.

It is dedicated to staff and volunteers in the not for profits on main street who devote their time, energy and skill to building better, safer and sustainable neighbourhoods and communities. 

Pitching to the Media: Tips from Vicki Robb, APR

Seven Things A Media Spokesperson Should Be

 A key part in setting up a media relations program is selecting a spokesperson(s) to be the public face of your organisation when the media calls.  This is a very important job and most agencies, businesses or not for profits identify the CEO, Chairperson or person responsible for communications to fill this role.

Irrespective of the choice, your spokesperson(s) should:

• Know the topic you are presenting to the media.
• Be able to speak with authority about what your organization does and answer general as well as specific questions.
• Be well-groomed and dress suitably.
• Uses plain language and speak clearly and simply.
• Be continually contactable by mobile or cell phone.
• Be reasonably flexible about when and where to be interviewed.
• Be available by phone or email for any follow-up questions after the interview.

 Journalists do not expect not for profits or smaller businesses to have well trained media spokespersons, but they do expect them to be represent your organization, provide information and be able to tell a good story.   

Training in media interview skills is not really necessary unless your issue is controversial, you plan to talk to the media often or your spokespersons are not comfortable performing this important job.  If so consider investing in professional media training for your spokespersons because good media coverage is so important to the future health of your organisation.  

The Media Are Hungry For Pictures

 

A picture is worth a thousand words

Today our lives are so busy and time poor we rely on images as short cuts to help us process information and make decisions.

Media organisations have a constant appetite for images for their screens, on-line pages and portals.  Even radio station websites cry out for pictures.  That means a not for profit, business or agency that can offer compelling video or digital imagery to communicate its cause increases the likelihood of getting its story told.

Think about the imagery associated with your story before even approaching journalists  You can supply your own photos and video to the media. This can work well with local papers and other small outlets with limited staff, however it rarely satisfies larger media organizations that need broadcast or print quality imagery.  The best approach with them is to set up deliberate opportunities at your event for their news photographers and TV crews to get good pictures.

Good imagery - whether video or photographs – graphically and emotionally depicts what your organisation does.  It might show a client using a service, staff helping someone or some picture-worthy aspect of your operation.  The more emotion an image sends, the more likely the media will use it and the more likely they will report your story.   

Imagery is so important you need to think through about what you can provide and then how you could describe your imagery over the phone to a TV producer or reporter. If you plan to send imagery to a local outlet regularly it is certainly a good investment in time and money to get a commercial photographer to help you or build up your own in-house skills.

What The Royal Wedding Teaches About Events

Today Royals William and Kate get married and the world is abuzz with excitement.

There is nothing like an event to bring people together, get them talking and spread the news.

In this age of disconnected digital conversations, events continue to be a powerful communication tactics.

While most events lack the glam of the Royal wedding, or the celebrity of the Oscars, any event planned well and based on a wow idea is certain to draw attention to your organization.

So put as much thought into how to create buzz as you put into the mechanics of planning your next event.