Nonprofit Marketing Guide: Media Relations

Learn the How-to's of Nonprofit Media Relations

Learn How to Work with the Media to Get Your Issues Covered More Frequently and Accurately

Just as building personal relationships with donors is the best way to cultivate donations for the long-term, building relationships with members of the press is also a proven way to increase media coverage of your issues and organization. You also need to follow some standard best practices in approaching the media with stories, such as following the standard press release format and providing leads for interesting features and real news, not just marketing teasers for your organization.

Five "Musts" for a Great Press Release

1. A News Angle. Your press release needs an angle that shouts out why it should be read and followed up on NOW. What's so special about your release's topic and why should a reporter care about it TODAY? Linking your press release to current events, the time of year, or hot topics in the news is a good way to add a news angle to your press release.

2. Objectivity. Press releases should be as objective as possible. They are not marketing or advocacy pieces. Try to write them as if you were a reporter yourself, or at least someone not directly affiliated with your organization.

3. Quotes. Quotes bring your press release to life. Watch out for stiff or bureaucratic language. Instead, think of questions a reporter might ask and what your responses would be, in conversational language. Use those as your quotes.

4. A Contact Person Who Can Be Reached Today. Every press release should include information on how a reporter can reach you for more information. Don't list your office phone number if it will trap a reporter in voicemail limbo. Don't list yourself as the contact if you'll be in meetings all day. Reporters are on tight deadlines. Tell them whom they can call and and how they can reach those contacts today.

5. Boilerplate at the Bottom. Always include as the last section of your press release a paragraph with the heading "About (your organization's name)." It should contain the basic information about your organization (e.g., its mission, major programs, when it was founded, etc.). Don't include this kind of background in the release itself--it's not news.

Press Release Tips Written Especially for Nonprofit Organizations

National Education Association
"Writing a News Release" and "Add Style to Your News Release"

International Campaign to Ban Landmines
"So You Want to Write a Press Release"

Center for Participatory Change
"Writing a Press Release"

Green Media Toolshed
"Writing a Press Release Top Ten"

Your Online Press Room

Make Sure Your Online Press Room Covers the Basics

Every nonprofit online press room should have five essential elements:

• Current Press Releases
• Press Release Archive
• Contact Information
• Organizational Media Kit
• Calendar of Upcoming Events

Make It Easy for Reporters to Find Your Online Press Room

The first and most important rule in creating an online press room is to make it easy for reporters to get the information they seek as quickly as possible, starting from the second your homepage comes up on their computer screens.

Create a visible link on your home page that clearly labels your press area. “Press Room” and “Media Center” are by far the two most popular titles for this area. Other acceptable labels include “Newsroom” and “Press Office.”

Don’t use ambiguous labels like “News,” “News and Information,” or “Resources.” All of these labels are just as likely to contain general information for any site visitor or articles from automatic news feed services, as to hold information created specifically for reporters.

Sample Nonprofit Online Press Rooms

You'll find links to lots of online press rooms on our "NPT Power and Influence Top 50" marketing samples list.