You! Up Against the Wall!

Or How NOT to Photograph Your Volunteer of the Month

A Guest Post by Claire Meyerhoff

Photos are the most wonderful (and cheapo) item in our Nonprofit Marketing Bag-O-Tricks. You probably already have a digital camera, so bring it to work and start taking some happy snaps of the fine folks doing great work for your good cause. Then . . .

Send them to your board members . . . Put them in an e-newsletter . . . Get them up on your cool, newsy blog . . . Turn them into holiday cards and thank you cards!

So many ideas! And so effective!

But maybe you feel like your photography skills aren’t picture perfect.

Frankly, you look at your photos and think, ” . . . hmmm, I don’t know . . .”

You ask your photographer friend Annie to take a look at your Flickr page and give you some constructive criticism. She falls asleep for the first time in a month without Ambien.

Your photos are boring, and no wonder. They all look the same. That’s because when it’s time to take a photo of the volunteer of the month for the “Bizzy Bee Kids Club Gazette,” you find your volunteer, pose her next to the “Bizzy Bee” sign and snap a photo.

This is not only unimaginative composition, it’s poor journalism.

This photo is worth a thousand words. It’s a singular, sublimely simple way to tell a story, and you just missed your opportunity. And as Kivi and I firmly believe, a good story is a terrible thing to waste.

So next time you need that volunteer photo, put on your photojournalist cap and catch your volunteer in action. Melinda is a stellar volunteer known for sitting on the floor, playing “Don’t Break the Ice!” with the kindergartners. Then you need to get down on the floor, too, get as close as you can and capture the moment when the ice breaks and a little kindergartner gives Melinda a hug. When is a sign photo better than a hug photo? Hmmm . . . never.

And when you take that great photo, are you thinking about lighting? LIGHTING! Oh, no, that’s complicated! That’s technical!

Not really, if you know a few simple tricks.

I’m not a professional photographer but I’ve spent enough time around photos and images in my career as a journalist and newsletter editor. In our webinar on Tuesday, November 3, you’ll find out all you need to know about photos — the ones you take and the ones you buy (or get for free!).

We’ll talk about how to “rock the stock,” which means you CAN use stock photos, if you hone your visionary senses. How about that professional photographer friend of yours, Annie? During the webinar, we’ll talk about WHEN to ask Annie for pro-bono services and HOW to make it worth her while. We’ll talk about photos for blogs, photos for e-newsletters, photos, photos, photos!

Here at NonprofitMarketingGuide.com we believe in telling great stories, and having fun while you do it. Join us for the webinar on Tuesday, November 3, and you’ll also have a ringside seat for our bonus fun feature: ”The First Annual Magic Keys Awards for WORST-ever Nonprofit Photos!”

Join us for Focusing on Photos: From Cool Composition to Rock the Stock on Tuesday, November 3. Registration is $35 or included with your All-Access Pass.

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The News Business is Changing and So Should Your Media Strategy

By Nonprofit Marketing Guide’s Media Maven, Claire Meyerhoff

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Once upon a time, in the Olden Days we now refer to as “the ’90’s,” if you wanted to get the word out about your good cause, you “did some press.” You slaved over a press release, made copies on something called “paper” and sent them to news editors by way of the U.S. Mail (gosh, things were so complicated back then). You followed up with a phone call, speaking to an editor, and hopefully, the Newspaper/TV Station/Radio Station would send a reporter to cover your story.

That was Grandma’s strategy for getting media attention when Grandpa manned the city desk phones at “The Olden Days News and Record.” Well, I have a NewsFlash for you, my friends in the nonprofit world . . .

. . . that’s old news.

Today, a newspaper’s staff is shrinking daily as advertising revenues dry up. Check your local paper’s bylines and you’ll see more stories from the Associated Press and other news services. TV stations and radio stations are feeling it, too. To top it off, a news organization’s shrunken staff also has to feed a beast called “the website.”

What does that mean for you, and how you go about getting media attention for your fine organization?

It means that you can get media coverage, if you know what’s going in your local media and how to pitch your story in a real-world way.

The #1 Rule is . . .

. . . always know what’s in it for them.

What’s in it for the harried assignment editor at WBIG-TV? What’s in it for the busy beat reporter at The Cutback Chronicle?

Find out “what’s in it for them.”  Then give it to them. Savvy nonprofit communicators tap the trends and feed the beast, when the beast needs to be fed.

At Nonprofit Marketing Guide, we believe you should be your own media mogul. At the same time, mainstream media can still play an important role in getting the word out. But the rules of the game are different now.

Want to learn more about what you need to do in today’s environment to get press coverage? Join Kivi and Claire on Thursday, February 19 at Noon Eastern for a webinar on Getting Media Attention for Your Good Cause. We’ll look at the kinds of stories that are hot right now and how savvy nonprofits are tapping into those trends. We’ll also explain how to give the media what they need, when they need it, so you maximize your chances of getting coverage for your good cause. Learn more and register.

Tags: nonprofit PR

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A Donation Thank You Letter Impresses Claire

By Guest Blogger and Media Maven Claire “Voyant” Meyerhoff

Here at Non Profit Marketing Guide.com, we love to talk about — and show you — examples of things that work well. And we love stories.

Your communications materials are an extension of your organization, your services, and your clients, and in some cases, they are the only connection you’ll ever have with a donor. They take all shapes and forms. It could be a letter, a phone call, a website, an e-mail, a newsletter, an e-mail newsletter or the big-enchilada of all . . .

. . . the Thank You Letter.

So here’s my story:

The other day, I was thinking about an old friend who died fourteen years ago. Gino DeMarco was a truly wonderful guy, who at age 34, lost his life in a commercial airline crash. In his honor, his mother Doris DeMarco and his brother Chris DeMarco set up a scholarship at Gino’s alma mater, Holy Cross High School in Flushing, New York.

I was thinking about Gino, recalled the fund, but couldn’t remember if I’d ever donated. Feeling guilty, I went online, found the website, and in moments had made a donation of $100. Their website made it so easy and I had no problem donating to the specific fund, the Gino DeMarco Memorial Scholarship.

Two or three days later, I got a manila envelope in the mail from Holy Cross, with a thank-you letter inside.

And there was something else. A nice certificate that said; “Holy Cross High School presents this certificate to Claire Meyerhoff in recognition of outstanding support to the 2009-2009 Annual Fund; The Gino Demarco ‘78 Scholarship Fund.”

I couldn’t remember EVER getting a certificate for a donation, so I called the school to find out more. I spoke with Susan Fields, the Advancement Director, and she told me they send certificates for donations of $100 or higher.

“People love to have something with their name on it,” said Susan. “We’ve been doing it for years and our annual fund continues to grow every year. You could send donors a pen or another gift, but I think people just seem to like something that’s personalized.”

Also, on the letter, was a cc to Gino’s brother, Chris DeMarco, and Chris’s address. From a donor’s perspective, that made me realize two things: the school is closely tied to their people and they were including me in their circle.

Since I’m in the business of nonprofit communication, I look at these things differently than most donors. I think, “why does this work?”

It works because donors want to feel like their gift is greatly appreciated and to feel personally connected to the organization’s good work. It seems a personalized certificate manages to do both.

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How Can I Prevent Newspaper Column from Going Stale?

It’s “Media Relations” week here at Nonprofit Communications.

Last Friday, I asked subscribers to my Nonprofit Marketing Tips e-newsletter (sign up here, middle of left-hand column) to send in their media-related questions so Claire Meyerhoff, media maven and my co-host of Magic Keys Radio, and I could answer one each day on the blog. Submit your own question and I’ll throw your name in the hat for a free webinar pass.

Photo by seangraham on Flickr Reporters don’t like it stale. Learn how to write a press release reporters will love during this week’s webinar.

Here’s today’s question:

“Our nonprofit has a unique opportunity to submit an article once a month to the local paper under the title ‘Spotlight on Mentoring.’ We showcase a mentor from our program each time, writing about the mentor as an individual and the role they play in Communities in Schools (CIS). I’m working on my second article, so obviously it’s still all new and fresh to me. However, I know that at some future point, it’s going to be tempting to simply ‘fill in the blanks’ each month and allow the article to become stale. I feel confident I can find interesting facts about the individual to share in each article, but how do I make sure my approach to their relationship with CIS and the not-so-subtle recruitment pitch that is included does not get repetitive and old?”

~ Christina Cooley Howell, Communities in Schools

And here’s Claire’s advice to Christina:

This is a fun chance to…have fun!

It should never be “fill in the blanks” because each mentor has their own unique story that you will discover when you interview them. This is the “wow, really?” moment. When you think, “wow, really?” — make sure you focus on that topic, then write about it.

Never bury the lead. If the person you’re interviewing says they just ran the Boston Marathon, put that in your lead. For example:

“When Teresa Lopez tells a six-grader that perseverance pays off, she means it. That’s because Lopez just finished the Boston Marathon, finishing in the top half of her age group. This week, Lopez has a new challenge — encouraging the fledgling soccer career of 12-year old Brian Conner, who is playing a team sport for the first time in his life and who says soccer practice feels like a marathon to him.”

The lead is THE most important part of your article, so put your best, most colorful stuff up front.

Your article is only as good as your questions, so try to come up with some unusual ones besides, “Why is this important to you?” Ask the mentor, “If YOU could have had any mentor when you were growing up, who would that have been?” or “Could you use a mentor now?”

Think about the last article you read in People Magazine or Parade … and WHY you found that article interesting. Then apply it to YOUR article.

You could write about a day in the life of a mentor, including what they talked about over lunch and what they ate. It’s the small details that make a story interesting and believable.

If you have a really good mentor who had a really dull experience, ask them for their best tips for a young person who wants to be the first in their family to go to college, and write about that. Call your article something like “Five Top Tips from a Seasoned Mentor” Or ask that person for their “Do’s and Don’ts” of mentoring.

After you’ve written about ten mentors, do a “greatest hits” column with each mentor sharing what they enjoyed the most about the experience. It doesn’t have to be ten, of course; it  could be six or seven.

Make sure your article doesn’t sound like an advertisement for your program. When you’re finished, have someone read it out loud to you. If it sounds like a cheesy cable TV commercial, it needs some work.

Your quotes should be heartfelt and about a person or feeling.

“I loved working with Christina, because she was just brimming with enthusiasm. I graduated from high school twenty years ago, and it’s fun to see high school again through new eyes.”

is better than…

“Mentoring makes me feel good and it’s important to talk to teens.”

Put a little something-something at the end. The reader made it this far, and they deserve a treat. Your paper is local, so you want to connect with your readers (in an appropriate way of course!). If you have a line or two for a writer byline, do something fun with it . . .

“Tina DiAngelo is Director of the XYZ Mentoring Project. She lives in Scranton where she is involved with Community Theater and the SPCA. Her dream mentor would be Maya Angelou.”

Learn more about working with the media from Claire and Kivi during Thursday’s webinar on “How to Write a Press Release Reporters Will Love.”

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Update on Mother’s Day PR for Ronald McDonald House

Last week, guest blogger Claire “Voyant” Meyerhoff explained how she was going to use the Triple Ps (Precise Perfect Placement) to get some media coverage for one of her pro-bono clients, the Ronald McDonald House of Durham, NC. Claire sent me another update yesterday.

Here she is on Mother’s Day, with volunteer stylist Natasha Bieber and Amanda Lockyer of Welcome, North Carolina. Lockyer and her husband and son are staying at the Ronald McDonald House while their infant daughter, Gracie Jean, is in the NICU at Duke. Nine-week-old Gracie Jean was born with an abnormally small heart and needs a transplant.

The Raleigh News and Observer’s Ruth Sheehan did a lovely column titled “Mothers’ Tribute a Cut Above” on May 5, the Monday before Mother’s Day. Claire hoped an N&O photographer would show up at Ronald McDonald House on Mother’s Day, but the assignment manager said there weren’t enough photographers to cover everything. However, he was very helpful in giving Claire information on how to get photos to him to be placed in the paper and their website.

With less than 24-hours notice, Claire contacted her friend, Dave Horne, a professional photographer (www.davehornephotography.com). Dave saved the day, taking more than 100 photographs free of charge and offering them free and clear.

In her next guest blog post, Claire will talk about how she used those photos.

The moral of this PR story so far: When the assignment editor hands you lemons, keep asking questions. He may give you the recipe for lemonade.

Tags: Media Relations, PR, Ronald McDonald House

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Triple P Update: Did It Work?

By Guest Blogger Claire “Voyant” Meyerhoff

On Monday, I gave you my new acronym for getting press coverage — the Triple Ps: Precise Perfect Placement. I explained how I was going to put it to the test this week for a Mother’s Day event.

So here’s my casual Friday update. Like I said, I did a very precise pitch to get my pro-bono nonprofit client some publicity. I made a couple of phone calls and sent an email.

First, the event:

My hairstylist Janice and I are going to the Ronald McDonald House of Durham on Mother’s Day. Janice is going to cut hair for the moms who have more on their minds than their hair. They’re far from home, caring for a seriously ill child.

Janice and I did this last year and it was a big hit. It all started when we learned (while she was doing my hair) that we both dislike Mother’s Day because our moms are gone (as in deceased).

My goal this year is to get some QUALITY coverage for the Ronald McDonald House of Durham. I called the Raleigh News and Observer and followed up with an email. Granted, I spoke to the Executive Editor, who is an old acquaintance, and he offered to pass along the info the weekend editor. Still, a good story is a good story. I’m hoping they send a photographer to take some nice photos of the Moms — and that these photos will be in their print edition and on their website.

I made one other phone call — this one to N&O columnist Ruth Sheehan. Now, while the House is in Durham, we hope to expand our donor base in Raleigh, since there is no Ronald McDonald House there. So the N&O is a natural choice. I read Ruth’s column all the time and thought she might like this story.

The key words here are: I THOUGHT SHE MIGHT LIKE THE STORY.

Not — I want her to do the story, or she SHOULD do the story, just . . . hey, she might like this . . . it might be right up her alley. I’m familiar with THE TYPE OF STORY Ruth covers and realize she is always on the lookout for good stories. I know my story is a good story, because when I tell people about Janice cutting hair for the Mom’s, people say, “wow, that’s really great!”

A few days later, Ruth called. We set up a time to meet for coffee. We had a lovely chat and I gave her Janice’s phone number.

A few days later, this is what turned up in the Raleigh News and Observer.

I think the Triple P’s are working, don’t you?

Tags: Media Relations, PR, Ronald McDonald

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The Triple P’s of Pitching the Media

By Guest Blogger Claire “Voyant” Meyerhoff

Fanfare please.

“Ladies and Gentleman, Claire Meyerhoff and Nonprofit Marketing Guide present a new acronym . . .”

PPP

The Three P’s of Pitching will help your nonprofit get better coverage! It will solve all your public relations problems! It will build strong bones twelve different ways! Nine out of ten doctors recommend it!

Or maybe the Three P’s will simply give you a new way of looking at taming that beast called “Media Coverage.” I will now reveal the words behind our acronym . . .

3P’s of Pitching

• Precise
• Perfect
• Placement

If you’re the lucky gal or guy in charge of “getting coverage” for your organization, maybe this is your strategy: You write a press release, send it to every news outlet in town, then make follow up calls. Then you’re disappointed when you don’t get coverage. And it really is a good story.

Some media consultant types do the “blanket pitch.” They contact every single reporter they know, or don’t know, and pitch the same story to everyone. They blanket the city with press releases, jamming the e-mail boxes of every assignment editor, reporter, associate producer, desk assistant and newsroom secretary in the market. Even the guy who services the vending machine at Action News 15 gets the e-mail, “Nonprofit Announces Boring Survey.”

Not me. I do a very targeted pitch. Precise Perfect Placement.

Since Kivi likes exciting experiments, I’m going to bring one to her Laboratory . . .

I’m in charge of a certain nonprofit’s small event on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2008. My entire media strategy includes two phone calls, one e-mail and then some follow-up phone calls.

Next Monday, May 12th, I’ll let you know how it went.

Hopefully, I’ll have good news (and my client will have made news).

————————————————

Want more of Claire’s advice? You can listen to her teleseminar with Kivi earlier this year called “Getting Reporters to Cover Your Nonprofit” for free! Get the mp3 link now.

Tags: media, Media Relations, pitching, press, press releases

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The Press Release: A Goofy But Accurate Perspective

By Guest Blogger Claire “Voyant” Meyerhoff

In the old days, before the Internet and even fax machines, the Press Release (aka News Release) was Queen of P.R. All over the country, Newsroom Assistants earning $4/hour sorted mail, opened envelopes, unfolded press releases and stacked them in neat piles. For many of these bottom-of-the-totem polers, it was their first real taste of “the power to decide what is news.”

“Hmmm, Senator Charles Grassley is spearheading an effort to make July ‘National Corn Month.’ I’ll put that in the ‘boring government stuff’ stack,” thought Debbie Duespayer, a Desk Assistant in a broadcast newsroom, circa 1984.

“Oh, Mothers Against Drunk Driving is holding an event where they’re going to get a local celebrity intoxicated and do their blood alcohol level on the spot. I’ll put that in the ‘my producer might like this’ stack,” thought Debbie, as she looked at her watch and noticed it was 2:00 a.m. “I leave here in two hours; I hope my VCR recorded Cheers,” she thought. (Note: Never forget that your news release may be read by a person making even less money and working worse hours than you. And you work for a nonprofit . . . so that says something.)

This is what used to happen to press releases. They were put into piles, then the chosen ones were plucked out and put into the “Future File.” Then, the day before, an assignment editor would pull the Future File for the next day and look at all the press releases to see if there was anything worth covering. The rest were chucked in the bin.

My former boss at all-news WTOP, Holland Cooke, even wrote a book called “How to Keep Your Press Release out of the Trash Basket.” Something like that. I would call him to get the exact title, but he’s in Vegas right now attending the “Media Consultants Rule the World But Have to Travel 350 Days a Year to Do It Expo” and I don’t want to bother him.

Out of the trash basket and back to this blog . . .

Obviously, from the senders point of view, it was very important to have a good press release that had the four C’s — CATCHY, CLEAR, CONCISE, and CORRECT — in order to keep it out of the trash basket. Putting all the “go to” information right up top helped, too. I can’t tell you how many times Debbie Duespayer got ticked off because there was no location listed for an “Urgent Press Conference.”

That was then . . . this is now. The Internet has changed things. Debbie Duespayer is now Destiny Duespayer. She’s still working the overnight shift, but she’s reading e-mails pitches instead of opening envelopes.

That’s what we’ll talk about this week during the webinar Kivi and I are doing on Thursday called “How to Write a Press Release Reporters Will Love.” Be there. Or beware: Destiny may delete your e-release.

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