How to Guides:

The Groundwork

To effectively communicate about your organisation, you need to;

• Identify who the media contacts are;

• Ensure all media contacts know what the key messages about your organisation are, including upcoming projects or results

  about recent projects

• Ensure all relevant people (staff, volunteers) know about upcoming media releases

Identify which media is appropriate for each communication. Your biggest allay is likely to be your local media (newspapers, radio), because they are more likely to publish local issues. But don’t forget other media; TV, special interest magazines, the internet.

The Story

Identify what is news worthy in your fundraising venture. What is the ‘hook’ for the reader? Something new, or never been done before, unique, about people or communities and those affected, political, controversial, funny; or that will present a great photo opportunity

• a community event/fundraiser

• presentations of awards

• celebrations of success

• the completion of an event fundraised for (eg new play equipment)

• remember to include references to major financial supporters (grants or business support)

Identify who will be reading/viewing the story – you may tailor it differently depending on who is receiving it. What is it that you want to say to them? Before you write your press release, try and sum up your story in a one or two sentence phrase. Eg; “Titahi Bay kindergarten children can now stay warm this winter, thanks to new heat pumps, made possible by a grant from Foundation X.”

Media Kit

Publicity for a lot of fundraising issues can be covered by a press release. But if you are running a major or longer ongoing event, you’ll need to plan a media campaign;

• Initial press kit with background information, a press release, pictures, a calendar of events, a list of contacts and any other relevant material

• Updates (each with their own interest or new angle) throughout

• Finally a success story!

• If you can get a celebrity or local personality to an event this is also a good selling point to the media. If you can’t get a celebrity, can you create a ‘hero’ within your own organisation?

The Press Release

A good press release follows these rules. Write your press release as if it were an article in a newspaper or on TV. Keep it short and to the point. Don’t spend too much time ‘crafting’ it – that’s the journalists job, and if they need further information, they’ll ask you.

• Date any press release. If the story is time sensitive have an embargo clearly added.

• A short headline to summarise the article

• Introductory paragraph to explain why the story is newsworthy/interesting

• Main copy – give the who, what, why, when, where and how

• Adding quotes from those affected by the story (even if this is from yourself) helps maintain interest in the story.

• Other details: add notes to the editor, relevant links or material

• Supply your contact name, day/night phone number and email address

Writing Tips

Keep your language unambiguous. Write in short sentences. Avoid jargon. Your writing should be appropriate to who will be reading your story. Use third (he, she) even if it is about yourself. If you are using an acronym, write the word in full first, eg. The Fundraising Foundation (TTF). When you first mention someone, give their full name, then you can shorten it. Get someone else to proofread your press release; ask them to check spelling & grammar, but also make sure that it makes sense and gets your message across.

Good luck!

 

  DIRECTORY PRODUCTS RESOURCES IDEAS

2010 Copyright The Fundraising Foundation Limited