Gaining free publicity for nonprofits
By Mark Buzan
November 17, 2008
As a nonprofit executive, CEO, or professional, you already know that funding your missions and objectives for community-geared projects, programs, and movements is your most important duty, for both the short and long term of your organization’s success. Moreover, learning how to be creative with a low to non-existent budget is one of the most important lessons in achieving a workable budget. Your number one vehicle for lowering your overhead, while maximizing your overall impact on your community at large, is finding ways to creatively - and with minimal cost - advertise your nonprofit’s mission and significance to your community. Everyone wants free public relations, but how do you find ways to do this? Below is a list of the best ways to get your name and objectives out there, so that you can start bolstering your organization’s funding initiatives.
- Fundraiser events: In your nonprofit, practically everything qualifies as a “fundraising event”, but more specifically, plan an event that offers the community something in return for their time and money. Offer an inclusion entry fee as a minimal to make the event more attractive to the public. For example, if you operate an animal rescue agency, offer a "walk your dog event", in which people can bring their dogs, pay a nominal fee to support an upcoming worthwhile project, and meanwhile be introduced to all that your agency offers.
- Free seminars and learning programs: Especially if your nonprofit is new to the area, offer a free in-house seminar or learning program in which you offer a valuable free lesson on one of your organization’s missions. Again, in the case of a nonprofit animal rescue agency, you could offer a free "train your dog weekend". This way, you receive a lot of valuable contacts and potential financial supporters visiting your agency. Introductions such as this are priceless when it comes to your nonprofit’s short and long-term publicity goals.
- Online articles and press releases: Even if you are relatively new to the world of the Internet and Internet marketing, creating free articles, taking part in forums, and drafting online press releases could be key to getting your name and mission out there. There are thousands of online article sites where you can introduce your nonprofit’s expertise and mission and provide a link back to your website for free. Press release sites are another option. If you have a new program or product you are introducing, do a quick search for online press release sites and post a quick description about it - highlighting your organization's name and contact info. Create a free blog and link to your organization's website, and blog on a regular basis about industry news, program initiatives, etc. Take part in online forums. Again, this is free and will help you communicate the importance of your mission to not only your local community, but also the world at large.
- Use the media as your vehicle: A properly developed story, targeted to what the public yearns to learn or hear more of, or that is a burning subject of interest, is a great opportunity for your organization to leverage some publicity. Have your PR consultant or your staff brainstorm on how your cause fits into the debate and provide comment. Doing this over a consistent period of time will help create solid relationships with journalists that will build recognition and awareness. However, beware! Some PR consultants may claim “personal media contacts” are the key to successful public relations. Exercising these media contacts may involve them charging meals and drinks to your account. Don’t entertain this notion. Good PR is about developing a sound professional relationship with journalists; that means providing them with the information and opportunities they need to interest their readers. Understand what your editors want. Look at samples of key journals, websites, and other outlets on your target list. What is the mix of commissioned articles, features, releases and advertorials? What is the typical copy length, style, and tone of voice? Aim to match these criteria.
- Develop a newsletter and reach out to your key targets: Newsletters are tricky things - here are a few tips and thought starters. Go back to the beginning. What is the objective of the newsletter? Define clearly what you want to achieve in developing your newsletter. Be specific so that you can monitor outcomes and fine tune to improve success. Describe the typical reader. Think about what interests and information needs they have. Are all readers similar? If not, matching content to their interests could be a problem. How do they prefer to receive information - by print or e-mail? Above all, make certain visitors to your website have a clear means of subscribing to your newsletter via the first page of your website.
- Leverage the power of social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook: Online social networks used to be just gathering places for friends and long-lost acquaintances. Then the marketers arrived, followed by politicians and job recruiters, all looking to tap into a growing mass of young people who are spending much of their time on the Internet. Now, nonprofit organizations are testing ways to raise money through these networks, betting that the Internet's viral nature will open fresh avenues for fundraising and marketing. It's a big change for nonprofits as they shift from direct mail campaigns and relying on the chequebooks of older givers, to the unpredictable whims of Internet popularity. Though the transition is nascent, charities see potential in recruiting young activists who already use online networks to broadcast their identities and make connections.
Have some other tips or ideas that have helped your nonprofit to grow and succeed? By all means, add your thoughts and experience by visiting actionstrategies.blogspot.com.
Mark Buzan is principal and chief magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service strategic communications, public relations and public affairs consultancy for nonprofits and associations. Contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.
