• Matter’s Open Door: Nonprofit Edition

    Matter’s Open Door: Nonprofit Edition

    Take a full circle approach to announcements in order to maximize visibility. When you issue a press release, make sure you are sharing with key contacts, posting to your website, sharing on social, and incorporating into your donor communications and presentations.

    Once you secure coverage, make sure you share it directly with your volunteers, your board, your donor relations team, your donors themselves, your constituents – anyone that supports or benefits from your organization. Positive coverage will reinforce the value of the services you offer and inspire loyalty among your stakeholders.

    -Sara Beth Fahey, Account Manager

    How can we tell which people we should pitch, and when?

    Be prepared to play the long game with the media. Building relationships takes time, persistence and patience – especially when you are just starting a PR program. Even if your outreach does not result in immediate coverage, finding a compelling reason to connect with reporters at a regular cadence generates awareness of your brand and builds the foundation for the media to remember your organization when your message is a right fit for a future story.

    Also, become a master at monitoring the news. Look for inspiration from other organizations, learn more about the hot topics impacting your industry, or find new outlets and media contacts who are reporting on your space. Keeping a pulse on the news ecosystem will have your team primed and ready for rapid response opportunities and will inspire creative media pitches that appeal to your audience.

    -Sage Morander, Assistant Account Executive

    How can we make our content really compelling to donors?

    Before, during and after your content efforts are in place, continually take time to get to know your donors and what motivated them to invest in your organization in the first place. They might have a direct connection to your group, or they benefit from the services you provide, or they engage with complementary services and organizations that can help you understand the full scope of what inspires them to act.

    Share those interesting personal stories so you can attract new donors and shine the light on those that are already supporting your efforts in amazing ways.

    -Loren Guertin, Account Manager

    What kind of success should we expect with media?

    Don’t think your news isn’t worthwhile just because it didn’t make it into the New York Times. Focus on sharing your story with the right media – the media that best serves your audience every day – which often means smaller, more niche or regional publications. Larger publications will begin learning your name when the smaller ones have started singing your praises.

    -Emma Goulding, Account Coordinator

    Curious about Matter’s Open Door free educational sessions? Fill out the form below and we will be in touch.

    Vanessa Boynton

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  • Best Practices for Nonprofit PR

    All kinds of companies, organizations and enterprises are vying for media attention in today’s world and all have a compelling story to tell. But how do those in the not-for-profit space get their voices heard? After working at multiple nonprofits around the country, I’ve found that getting media coverage can be difficult no matter what, but for nonprofits, who aren’t always on the public’s radar, getting coverage becomes even harder. Here are 4 best practices to help nonprofits get noticed.

    1. Tell a Story

    While all organizations have a story to tell, nonprofits are often seen as sources of credible information due to the on-the-ground nature of their work. Nonprofits can use this to their advantage. Everyone knows that the best way to engage a reader is with a strong introduction, and nothing is better than a personal narrative. Not only are nonprofits credible, but part of what makes them so trustworthy is their unique ability to draw from a multitude of impactful stories that demonstrate how their work is improving the lives of real people. Any kind of interesting personal story will do the trick, successful is best – just be sure to include rich and powerful details.

    2. Use all media platforms, but be consistent

    It’s not all about media coverage. Social media has democratized the media space and nonprofits now have the ability to share their message with a larger audience in a multitude of ways. Social media, blogs and websites can all be used to engage an audience and highlight upcoming news and press coverage. To do so, the messaging across these platforms must be consistent, tell a compelling story and clearly explain what the organization does and why. If the content is scattered, the audience will scatter as well.

    3. Stress the so what

    For members of the general public and the media, the most easily understood part of what nonprofits do is why their work is important. It’s easy to conceptualize why we would want to help people in developing countries have a better quality of life, or help children in our own country get access to a better education. Protecting the environment and providing clean water and adequate food to our fellow man needs no introduction. This work has a real impact in the world and nonprofits need to be sure to clearly make that connection to the broader picture in their media outreach.

    4. Offer unique exclusives

    Nonprofits have access to a unique and inspiring group of people. These are the idealists, the dreamers, the part of the population that go out of their way to make this world a better place. That energy is contagious. By offering up interviews with policymakers, executives, major donors, and even those who’ve benefited from the organization’s work, nonprofits can stand out. There’s always room for a fresh and empowering perspective.

    Matter

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