What's in store for this edition:
8 PR Musts for Nonprofits
Nonprofit Public Relations
Public Relations isn’t just for big commerce brands! Nonprofits need to build trust and share their impact with their community too. PR can help attract donors, recruit volunteers and connect with the right supporters. In an ever growing field, good PR will shine the spotlight on your organization.
8 Essential PR Moves for Nonprofits:
Crystal clear messaging: Make sure your mission and impact are clear and identifiable to all. Everyone in your organization should be able to explain what you do and why it matters. Can you do that in just one sentence?
Stories. Stories. Stories: Highlight the people you serve and differences that you’ve made in their lives. Every time I’ve worked with a reporter, they always want a human interest angle to the story. These human stories are PR gold. Oh yeah, donors feel better about giving when they see the real world impact your organization makes.
Press Page: Whether you are a small or large nonprofit, you will look professional with a press page. Have your key stories, facts and figures, leadership bios, high-res images, and b-roll easy to find and ready for download.
Partnership: Co-brand with donors, local businesses, or other nonprofits. Joint press releases or events can double your reach, and help share the load.
Get the community involved: Community relations is PR. From events to local initiatives always encourage supporters to share your message.
Digital tools: Short on funds? Use social media, email newsletters, and podcasts to reach new audiences.
Be transparent: By sharing your wins as well as unmet challenges, it shows that your authentic and approachable.
Keep exploring: Keep an eye on trends, what similar orgs are doing, and listening to feedback. Monitor and adapt as needed.
💫 ProTip: Update your website with a press page—even if you don’t have major media mentions yet, you can include testimonials, case studies, or guest posts.
As you can see, PR is essential for nonprofits. Nonprofits have what media wants to cover and it always makes for good stories. You can definitely succeed with your PR efforts!
“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”
Do this now: Which of the 8 essentials listed above do you need to work on? Take one at a time and get started! I’m always happy to help and connect with my readers.
Term to Learn
Donation Tax Receipt is the written acknowledgment, required by the IRS, of transaction details that a nonprofit must send on a contribution of $250 or more.
FAQ
Q: Is sending a just a transactional Donation Tax Receipt ok?
A: You would be missing out on a fantastic opportunity to continuing the feel-good emotions people experience when they give to charity. Add some thoughtful content to your receipt and it will change it from boring to a unforgettable. For an in-depth article on how to write these receipts read this!
Get PR techniques from recent news.
Newsworthy
Miami, SanFran, and Orlando score Best Foodie Cities in U.S.
Miami, San Francisco, and Orlando ranked top foodie cities in U.S.
This article caught my attention, especially since AttnSeek is based in Orlando.
If you are in food industry how can you use studies like this to promote your business?
This study wasn’t just for fancy restaurants, but included food trucks, ice cream shops, and gourmet food stores.
Essential strategy:
Use findings in media pitches.
Share on social media, with great visuals, and even better copy.
Use data to “newsjack” these ongoing stories.
💫 Pro Tip: Be timely, in other words, be quick about turn around time for capitalizing on these studies and reports.
✍️ Key PR Takeaway: Reactive PR requires having all your ducks in a row ahead of time. Having your media list, images and google alerts set up makes newsjacking a much easier and successful effort.
Learn from others.
100% Cool : 0% Cringe
The recent news of Adidas and FCB Canada revealing a new shoe that is for people with Down Syndrome is a campaign built on years of partnering.
“Three years ago, Adidas and FCB introduced Runner 321, a campaign that encouraged top marathons to reserve bib number 321 for runners with Down syndrome or other neurodivergent athletes as a statement about the importance of inclusion.” reports David Brown of Medical Marketing Media.
Noteworthy is the news being spread by another company that creates accessible fashion, “At Wecanfly, we hope this launch inspires more brands to follow suit: to design with intention, to collaborate with community, and to create with everyone in mind.”
For consideration: When storytelling in Health PR there can be ethical challenges.
Since human stories are the most compelling and are the cornerstone to successful campaigns. However you should consider if you use real patient stories, you will need consent, care for privacy, and be alert to protect people from potential harm.
✍️ Key PR Takeaway: Bring diverse and underrepresented voices to life with careful storytelling. Always protecting, informing and getting consent from the subject.
Useful PR Resources.
🧰 TOOLKIT
HARO is Back
HARO, an acronym for Help a Reporter Out – the original way to connect journalist to experts – has been on quite a roller-coaster ride. It has found a new home with Featured.com and I’m cheering for them!
When subscribing to HARO, you’ll get a daily email with the requirements the journalist has. You respond only if you truly meet the request from the journalist.
Reality check: Please, please, please ALWAYS follow the directions and requirements from reporters. Do not ever twist the story idea, or stretch it just to make it fit your story. You will be banned for life if your not helping a reporter out!
Here’s an example:
You would NOT reply back if you were an avid birder, or a vet that only cared for cats and dogs. You also would NOT make comments about other birds not on the list. You also would NOT write long paragraphs about the subject, since they said only a line or two.
The closer you follow instruction the more likely you’ll be chosen. Then in this case you would be mentioned in Country Living Magazine, and most likely with a back link to your Web site. And that is definitely not ‘for the birds’!
Attention Seeker of the Week
Buford, a 6-year-old Anatolian Pyrenees wandered home with a 2-year-old boy who disappeared from his home in Seligman, Arizona. Dozens of search-and-rescue personnel and deputies had spent the night searching for him and never found him. This guard dog took his duty seriously and stayed with the toddler and led him to safety. Now that’s a good boi.
I’m looking forward to finding out all the reasons why Orlando was voted number 3 for best food city in America, one meal at a time. 😋
Until next week, keep your shades on and stay cool.
Your fellow Seeker,
Keren
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