Five secrets to writing an irresistible nonprofit press release (and getting the media coverage you want)
I'll never forget the feeling of pressing 'send' on my very first nonprofit press release. I was ecstatic about what I'd written, how eloquently I'd expressed our campaign goals and priorities, and nearly giddy at the thought of opening the newspaper the next day to see the article that would result.
As embarrassing as it is to admit, I even pre-printed WAY too many thank you notes anticipating the deluge of gifts that would pour in after our article ran.
Unfortunately, that is...not what happened.
The local paper printed an article, but it had next to nothing from my press release. My name was spelled wrong, they misprinted the campaign goal, and I was in despair. Okay, maybe not despair, but I was as disappointed as the kid in Christmas Story when he's sure he didn't get the Red Ryder BB Gun.
That experience taught me an important lesson - media coverage is tough. I had experience as a newspaper copywriter, a journalist, and nearly 15 years of writing and nonprofit leadership under my belt, and what I sent to the publication obviously didn't hit its mark. But what I did next changed everything.
I called the reporter and asked for a meeting. He reluctantly agreed (okay, maybe I had to ask a few times), and he very graciously spent two hours talking with me about how to get media coverage in this publication. He told me what journalists look for, how they evaluate press releases, and what makes a nonprofit press release different from a corporate press release.
That conversation gave me the confidence I needed to fight for media coverage for my nonprofit organization. And over the next several years, if I sent a press release, it was published without exception.
So, all that to say - there is a way to craft an irresistible nonprofit press release that gains the media's attention and practically guarantees that your story will get the coverage it deserves.
These five secrets constitute a significant part of the process, but it's not everything. I've put together the Purposeful Press Release Guidebook and Template that gives *all* the good stuff away, but here's an excellent foundation to get you started.
Five tips for an effective nonprofit release and more media attention
1 - Great media coverage for your nonprofit starts well before the press release
I'm not going to tell you to deliver cookies, donuts, or other treats to your local media outlets. While that isn't a bad strategy, per se, it's not enough on its own, and it doesn't get at the heart of the matter. Before your local journalists will be entirely receptive of your press releases and keen to give you prime media attention in print or digital, they need to understand your organization's mission, vision, and why it matters to your community.
Yes, the journalists' job is to write the stories and keep communities informed about the impact your organization makes. But to write a compelling story, it's essential for journalists and their parent media outlet to see the bigger picture. When they are working on tight deadlines and competing with one another, it's challenging to put together a compelling story based on your press release when they really know nothing about your organization.
So, grab a calendar and pen (or open your iCalendar) and make a plan. Make a list of all local journalists who write for your newspaper, your tv anchors, or your online magazine editors and reach out. Ask them if you can have 30 minutes to talk about your organization with them. You are NOT pitching a story - they have a process for that and likely won't want to circumvent that process. Instead, express that you're hoping to inform them (and their team) so that when a story is necessary, they'll have an understanding of why your nonprofit work is so critical.
You may not bat 1000, but you'll begin some great relationships even if only a few take you up on your offer. (Pro-tip - come prepared with some volunteer opportunities, too! Then, when they express interest in getting involved personally, you can have some tangible ways to get them connected ready to go - either as a volunteer or as potential donors.)
2 - Your press release headline is the most important part
Think about scanning your local newspaper or grab an issue you have lying around and read the headlines. Nine times out of ten, the headline tells you just about everything you need to know. (Except when it comes to the tabloids, of course!)
Your press release headline should tell the reader (and potential donors) what to expect from the article and draw enough curiosity to keep them hooked. It typically begins with the subject of the release, first followed by a verb and then descriptive text. Here are some examples:
Economic Development group moves to downtown facility
Family Crisis Intervention Center raising awareness of sexual assault
Senior Center expands programs to include new counties, board members
Community Foundation hires new leader, grows its grant application program
When you deliver an awesome headline to your press release, you send an immediate signal to the media that your news is big news and a good story. And, you save them time by having to workshop a new headline.
Before submitting your next press release, scan the publication and note some of its recent headlines. Which stories made page one? What do they have in common? How can you write a headline that resembles the same structure and fits the publication's tone?
3 - A nonprofit press release must tell a story that inspires, invites curiosity, or informs the audience
Let's break this one down into a few parts.
First, every nonprofit press release must ultimately tell a compelling story. A nonprofit press release is not simply a tool to share mundane information that you think everyone should care about or another fundraising tactic. Let's use some examples.
Your nonprofit organization is hosting a fundraiser to spread awareness of the area's homeless population. If you send a press release that goes with the old standby of 5Ws - who, what, when, where and why - you're likely to get a blurb somewhere in the paper or a 30-second news spot with the sparse details. A headline like "Renew Transformational Living hosting annual golf fundraiser" will get buried before you know it.
However, if you take that same event and use your press release to tell the story of how your nonprofit is tackling the area's homeless population through innovative means, reducing the negative impact that the homeless is having on downtown businesses, and introduce your new housing initiative that aims to house up to 35% of the city's homeless - now you have a story supporters can get behind.
How are you doing those things? Oh, you're having an event to raise awareness first, and then you'll follow up with everyone who attends to see how you can get them connected to your organization and part of the long-term solution.
That headline might read "Renew Transformational Living improving downtown commerce, launching new housing initiative at annual event" gets attention.
See the difference? The most irresistible press releases scream "STORY" - the journalist can literally see the words on page one, imagine the photo that will accompany the piece, and get excited about the headline.
4 - Go beyond what's expected and make it easy
Easy is such a treat, right? We use Home Chef for our weekly meals at home, and they make it oh so easy on me. Pre-portioned ingredients, easy-to-follow recipes, and a sealable bag that I can put all the trash in while I'm prepping and then toss in the garbage for clean up. It's a dream for someone like me who is not a good cook.
When you make giving your organization media coverage easy, you make some great friends and dramatically increase the chance of getting your story out to the masses.
Let's say the journalist has two press releases sitting in her inbox - both releases are well-written, a good idea for the next issue, and deliver a story. Both are newsworthy and highlight community issues. But one of the pitches (the email sent along with the press release copy) includes a few extra notes like:
A note to the editor section that includes some ancillary information key to understanding the story and making it suitable for immediate release.
A list of all the contacts for the story with multiple ways to reach them. Ensure contacts range from board members to funders, existing donors, and program staff.
A list of everyone quoted in the story with their full name, title, and relationship to the organization
A PDF copy of your latest annual report, along with any recent grand funding news.
A link where the media can access photos and videos with captions listing everyone mentioned or pictured
I'll practically guarantee that they'll pick the release with the list of goodies if they have to choose. Why? Even if both are equally relevant, one organization has made their job infinitely easier. No chasing down a photo. No holding off because they aren't sure about a detail or two and can't reach the contact.
It will take an extra 10 minutes to provide this list, but it shows you're serious about getting this story published, and you're organized, willing to do your part, and easy to work with.
And, if you're wondering about that last part, it's super easy to create a page on your website specifically for the media. Provide a photo gallery of photos for which you already have a release, use captions to detail every person in the photo, and/or provide a video or two for television stations to use as B-roll if needed. (Bonus points here if you can gather a testimonial from a current donor and have it on this page.) Don’t forget to optimize your photos, too!
5 - Extend the life of your nonprofit press release by repurposing the content
If this sounds like a lot of work, hang on a minute because I'll show you a shortcut at the end. But for now, take solace that the press release work doesn't have to stop once the article is published.
We know the best nonprofit fundraising strategies are omnichannel and encompass all forms of media. From your email newsletter to direct mail, social media, personal donor visits, and traditional media, it takes every channel to build funding awareness and appeal to potential donors.
Once you've gotten your coverage, it's a no-brainer to take your press release content and repurpose it for additional marketing materials.
Repost the press release on your blog, and be sure to include a sentence at the top that says, "This article was first published at (XYZ publication) and link to the online version. This disclaimer tells Google and other search engines that it might look like duplicate content, but you're extending its life and quoting the source. At the bottom of the post, include a "related posts" section with other articles that include strong calls to action.
Related reading: Should your nonprofit start a blog if you don’t already have one?
Break your press release sections down into 3-4 social media graphics and post them on Facebook or Instagram as a carousel. For your first graphic, use the press release headline. (Don’t forget to set your social media link previews for more credibility)
Share your press release blog post on Linkedin as an article, and then use the newsletter feature to send it to your followers. (Tip: Are your donors on LinkedIn? Occasionally tag a donor or two in your post and publicly thank them for their support!)
Record a short video with your press release content and share it on your social media channels.
Need a sample press release for a nonprofit event or campaign?
Are you ready to write your next press release with these tips in mind? The best way to improve your releases and increase your media coverage is to practice getting it right and regroup when needed. And if you feel like this is way too much work and don't have time to put it into practice, I've saved the best shortcut for last.
I created my Purposeful Press Release Guidebook and Template for the busy nonprofit leader who knows their organization needs more media coverage and has trouble making it all work. I took all of this knowledge plus many other tips and packed it into the Guidebook in an easy-to-follow and implement style.
Then, I gave you an actual press release template that you can use that hits all of these points! Just replace my text with yours and follow the format. I also included a "notes version" of the template to understand the importance of every section and what it includes. You can think of this as an "Ultimate Guide to Nonprofit Press Releases."
The Press Release Guidebook and Templates are now inside the Nonprofit Template Library where you can immediately access EVERY TEMPLATE from the shop at one time and have them at your fingertips! Plus, you’ll get access to all future templates, too!
Until next time,
Andrea
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