PR and Marketing 101

Who currently

practices public

relations for their

program?

PR OVERVIEW: THE BASICS

What is PR? PR is effective, two-way communication,

used as a vehicle to build partnerships,

trust, confidence and support for your

program’s activities.

• Earned

• Message authenticity

• Two-way conversation

• Nimble, real-time

PR

• Paid

• Total control of message

• One-way conversation

• Planned ahead

Advertising

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PR & ADVERTISING

PR

Internal Relations

Development

Community

Relations

Public Affairs

Lobbying

Media Relations

Program Service

What are the benefits

of good PR?

Builds stronger links between CASA programs and its volunteers,

donors, and community

Encourages involvement in the program’s activities

Increases support and recognition of program accomplishments,

thus encouraging support and creating interest of non-supporters

Closes the gap between perception and reality

Increases member pride in program endeavors

Increases public understanding of programs and available

resources and services

Benefits of Good Public Relations

Who are the

influencers that can

influence success?

Customers

Producers

Enablers

Limiters

PR

MESSAGING

What are you

trying to say?

STORYTELLING The power is in the story.

Wait, Wait…Let’s Raise Money!

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How Do You Get Readers Involved?

Goal: Write moving stories that evoke a strong

emotional response in your targeted audiences

Exercise:

1. Review storytelling and writing tips

2. Review two versions of a Mother’s Day story

First Step: Identifying the Story

When identifying a story, begin with the end in

mind:

• Why are you writing about this person? Why

is his story relevant to our cause?

• Is this the right time to tell this story?

• Ask yourself, “so what?” Why will people care

about this person’s story?

• If your reader only takes away one key point,

what do you want it to be?

Different Media Telling a story on YouTube is different than telling a story on Facebook which is

different than telling a story on Twitter which is different than telling a story on

a blog which is different than telling the media .

The different types of media make the storytelling a different experience.

Think of how you’d do an audio interview versus a video interview. Think of

what comes from writing clear and useful prose versus having a video

experience.

See how it’s all different?

Be sure to pick the right medium for the job:

Audio is intimate.

Video is expressive and illustrative.

Text is faster to read than audio or video is to consume, easier to

transfer, and simpler to produce.

The Interview Prepare core questions, but be open to following the subject.

• Stay out of the storyteller’s way as much as possible

• Be sure to ask and answer the obvious questions, if you

wonder, others will too.

Let the people make the impact – tell the story of

benefits/outcomes to the people served, not the process.

Let the subject’s words come out naturally (you can always go

back and edit and reorganize, with their final approval)

More than words: When possible and appropriate, describe

the setting, mannerisms, use physical descriptions:

This may require taking a step back, what is routine to you

could set a scene for a reader.

Writing the Story

Engage the reader from the first sentence — remember the power of

“you” statements in appeals and stories of transformation:

• You are my hero

• You saved my life…

• I am no longer the battered and scarred child who was afraid to

trust….

Take your reader there – through observational stories – describe the

details, illustrate the progress, the transformation and impact you want

them to experience. (“There were thousands of people in the stands,

but I heard Jerry’s voice above the rest….)

Write like you talk:

• Use simple words – use not utilize; people, not individuals

• Use active construction, SHORT, sharp sentences (relates to

online writing, rule of twos, could pull other online writing tips)

Writing the Story Numbers can be numbing:

• Beware of statistical overload, use numbers to back up your story, not

to make it

• Interpret the data, use analogies if possible to make the numbers

meaningful

Show don’t tell!

• Adjectives are cheap; limit their use

• Let the reader come to his own conclusions, but lead him there!

Break text into small blocks using subheads to guide reader through

Good captions add value:

• Do not state the obvious

• Use present tense to capture the moment

• Consider using a quote from the story

Keep sentences and paragraphs short (rule of twos)

Use direct quotes to emphasize the “big stuff”: What were the turning points

in the young person’s life? How did the CASA volunteer help?

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A Mother’s Day Story

Story Comparison

•What are the strengths of each version?

•Which story did you find more compelling and why?

•Which tips are evident in the more compelling version of

this story (e.g., setting a scene, using quotes effectively,

etc.)

•What do you think was the main point the author wanted

you to walk away with?

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Editorial Calendar

Guides Content Development

Annual Holidays and Themes

MAY

•National Foster Care Awareness Month

•Mother’s Day

•Memorial Day (American Legion/veteran volunteer or youth)

JUNE

•National Reunification Month (being promoted by ABA)

•Father’s Day – Children reunified with father

•Blogging for LGBT Families Day – writing in support of LGBT

issues

•Longest day of the year (21) – story about putting in a long day

for a good result, a day feeling like the longest day of your life

Annual Holidays and Themes

JULY

•Second Toy Industry event – in New Jersey July 18

•Third Toy Industry event – Indianapolis on July 27

•Independence Day – what does independence mean for you?

Stories about supporting children through independence

AUGUST

•Back to school preparation

•50th Anniversary of “I Have a Dream” speech

SEPTEMBER

•September 11 Day of Service

•Back to school/education

•Marvel Comics 50th Anniversary (Superhero)

•Grandparents’ Day – story about adoption by grandparents

Questions about the storytelling

exercise or writing principles?

Public Relations Matte Release

Radio Media Tour

Press Release

Satellite Media Tour

E-Kit Deskside Tour

Press Kit

Audio News Release

Blogger Engagement

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Media Relations

Media List: this is the beginning of your relationship building with

reporters, bloggers and editors.

Make a comprehensive list of all the media that are within your area.

Be sure to list all print and broadcast media:

Newspapers (including dailies, weeklies, and the base paper)

Magazines

TV stations

Radio stations

Blogs

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Media Relations

For each media, identify the:

Contact name

Title

Address

Phone number

Fax number

E-mail address

Deadlines for calendars

Deadlines for news releases

Communities covered

Size of audience

For radio, call letters

For TV, call letters and national affiliation

For radio and TV, broadcast time for Public Service Announcements

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Media Relations When considering a topic for its news value, ask yourself the following questions:

Is it timely?

Is it local?

Is it important or interesting to the general public?

Does it have consequence, conflict or is it controversial?

Is it new, novel or different?

Are the people involved community leaders or ordinary people?

Does it have human interest? What makes it unusual?

How will it affect the average person?

Is it on the "cutting edge?" Is it something few people know about?

Is it odd, unusual, the biggest, the smallest or is it outstanding in some way,

shape or form.

Does it relate to a "hot" news item? Is the media already interested in the

topic?

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Media Relations

Ideas to keep your program in the news:

Anniversaries or association milestones

Date of founding and anniversary

Retirement of prominent members

Awards to the program or volunteers

Outstanding contributions of the program

Annual conference, awards banquets or special events

Fundraising events

Speeches

Contests or promotions

Cooperative agreements with other associations or organizations

Interviews with prominent members on current topics

Results of a survey

OTHER?

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Media Relations

How to write a news release:

A news release tells readers what the event or issue is,

why it is important, when it is pertinent, who is involved or

making a statement about the event or issue and how

readers can get more information.

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Media Relations Quick Guide:

Have a standardized format

Make it clear that it's a News Release

Include all necessary contact information in header

Include the five "W's"

Who

What

When

Where

Why or How

Find an angle or "hook"

Keep it simple

Include background material if necessary

Statistics

Diagrams

Charts

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Media Relations The Dos and Don’ts of Media Interviews

Have an interview agenda

Use previously discussed key messages

Research the media outlet and interviewer

Understand the implications and potential

Inquire as to the format of the interview

Predict opposing opinions and develop ways to address them

Understand the level of participation expected from you

Assume everything in on the record

You are always “on” around a reporter

Manage the interview—it’s a business meeting, not a conversation

Be aware of verbal cues and body language during an in-person

interview

Be aware of verbal cues during an phone interview

Employ bridging techniques when necessary

Give visual, concrete and concise answers

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Media Relations The Dos and Don’ts of Media Interviews

Agree to the interview unless you know and understand the benefit to you and

your organization

Feel pressure to take an unplanned interview

Answer for anyone other than who you represent

Volunteer information

Be caught off guard

Be evasive

Say “No comment,” instead use “I don’t know” if possible

Assume that a closed notebook or turned off microphone means you are not on

the record

Use technical jargon or internal names for the organization or departments

Feel the need to address a question immediately before preparing an answer

Guess if you don’t know the answer

Speculate—you can only comment on what happened and the facts you have

Use one-word answers

Feel the need to fill silences—this is often used as a tactic by reporters

Say comments such as “That’s a good question” or “Does that answer your

question?”

Ignore preparation for the toughest questions

38 WHAT’S IN OUR PR “TOOL BOX”

Traditional PR Tools: Press Kit Materials

• Created to provide the who,

what, where, when and how of

a brand campaign providing

background info for media

• Now typically housed within

online press kits vs hard copy

― News release

― Fact sheet

― Survey Results

― Spokesperson bio

― Media alert

― Photos

― Infographics

Press Kit Elements

Quick Facts:

Facebook is the place to be: More than 1 billion people using it

BUT

Most nonprofit organizations do no feel equipped to use it:

•70% - Lack of resources

•57% - Poorly defined goals

•44% - Lack of knowledge about social media

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Social Media 101: Facebook

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Social Media 101

Purpose of this portion of

PR & Marketing 101:

•Share top tips assembled from our favorite experts

•Enable you to feel more confident and equipped to

develop or improve your social media presence, esp. on

Facebook

Build community through sharing, good fit for nonprofits:

Shared values, shared content

Identify your evangelists

Identify ideas and stories that resonate – measurable

results

Spread your content through your supporters to reach

people you might never reach otherwise, generate new

contacts and relationships

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Why should we invest in social media?

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Where should we invest? People use social networks for different reasons. Match your agenda and

your efforts to the outlet.

• People - Facebook. People go to Facebook to connect with

people they know. It’s about pre-existing relationships.

• Perceptions - Twitter. Twitter is about sharing perceptions about

what’s around us with the world.

• Passion - Google+. Less about who you know and more about

sharing your passions widely.

• Pinning: Pinterest is for posting visuals. It’s about the medium

more than the people.

• Pimping: LinkedIn. Expert apologized for the word choice but

says he feels LinkedIn is for business connections and finding

jobs.

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What if we don’t have anything to say?

• Curate and Link: You don’t have to do all the work of creating

content! Curate and find links to other people’s interesting

articles, video and photos that position your cause well.

• Up to 95% of your posts should pertain to interesting things

related to your cause

• Limit self-promotion to 5% of what you say.

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Curate-It’s all about sharing….

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How do I make my Facebook posts

interesting?

Add Bling – include a picture/image whenever possible

• A HubSpot study found that when photos are posted on

pages they receive 53% more “likes” than the average

post.

• It also found that the average number of comments per

post on images is 104% higher than on other types of

content.

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Images attract attention

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Update cover photo frequently

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Engage with your audience

Respond: Comment on what your

followers say, join conversations

happening on your wall - creating

conversations is key to

“engagement.“

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Final tips

Keep it simple: The lower the reading grade level of the article headline,

the more likely it is to get shared on Facebook

• Fifth-grade level got shared 15% more often than average

• Ninth-grade level got shared 10% more often than average

• 15th-grade level got shared nearly 20% less often than average

Stay Positive or Stay Silent: Give people something to “like”

Turn on “Get Notifications”: Ask fans to choose “get notification” when

hovering over the “Liked” box so that people are notified of new posts.

Publish on the Weekends:

• Saturday posts get passed along nearly 40% more often than

average

• Sunday get shared more than 15% more often than average

Use Our Content!: “Like” National CASA’s Facebook page and use our

posts.

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Resources

Favorite Blogs & Websites:

Katya’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog: http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/

Beth Kanter’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: http://www.bethkanter.org/

Wylie Communications – all things writing: http://www.wyliecomm.com/learning-tools/the-art-of-the-storyteller/

Social Media Resources:

Top Nonprofits on Facebook (great ideas for posts): https://www.facebook.com/lists/10151794298093986 National CASA Facebook page – copy our content

Online communications and social media guidelines: In State & Local Programs section of CASAforChildren.org. Copy ours!

National CASA Editorial Calendar – holidays and milestones