1.Get On The Radio
Think "drive
time." Fund drive, morning drive -- they can be one and the same.
Radiothons are growing in dollars when nonprofits mix their cause with
a high profile radio DJ or host.
The CJ Foundation
for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in Hackensack, N.J., brought
in $2.7 million in 2000 during a radiothon it shares with two other
nonprofits. Don Imus's nationally syndicated "Imus in the Morning," carries
the foundation's effort. It reaches 90 radio markets and television's
MSNBC exposing millions of people to the cause.
Imus's nonprofit
ranch in New Mexico and the Tomorrow's Children's Fund also share
equally in the radiothon.
Country music fits
Memphis like a well-worn pair of jeans. The St. Jude's Children's
Research Hospital brand of radiothon grew nearly 150 percent in the
late 1990s. It's an ongoing national series of events at more than
180 country music stations throughout the year, producing between
$20-$25 million.
The local approach
is still most popular, however. The Salt Lake City-based Children's
Miracle Network builds local radiothons that have helped 170 different
hospitals. A four-day event in the Minneapolis area, for example,
raised $1.6 million in 2001 without corporate pledges.
2. Credibility is king
Maintaining good
relations with news outlets depends heavily on credibility, says
Jason Salzman in his book Making the News :A Guide for Activists
and Nonprofits .
He offers several
tips for organizations seeking to develop their credibility as sources.
- Always be accurate.
Journalists turn to credible sources for accurate information.
The worst thing you can do is embarrass a reporter by feeding him
or her inaccurate information.
- Be quoted by
various outlets. Journalists look at the work of their peers, and
if you are quoted in a story they see, you establish credibility
in their eyes.
- Offer information
even if you don't expect to be quoted. Be willing to help a reporter
even if it doesn't have an immediate payoff for you.
- Compliment
your adversaries. A journalist is trying to understand a debate.
If you can show that you understand different sides (even though
your side is right) you will earn credibility.
- Don't exaggerate.
It is important to present your point of view in dramatic terms,
but do not overdo it.
- Keep track of
revolving journalists, who change jobs frequently. They can even
change assignments or beats within the same organization. Getting
the name and title of a journalist right will reflect well on you
and your organization.
3. Knowing how
to snare the spotlight
Nonprofits can
help heighten their visibility and improve chances of fulfilling
their mission if they have good media visibility.
According to Jason
Salzman, in his book Making the News : A Guide for Activists and
Nonprofits , organizations can enhance their media visibility
by becoming resources for journalists. Having you as a source can
improve your standing in their eyes and increase the number of times
they mention your organization.
Among the ways
to become a good resource:
- Be available.
Give your home or cell phone number and be willing to be called
at odd hours, because that's when journalists work
- Seek out journalists
at meetings and events and give them your business card
- Be ready to
be quoted. Constantly having to call reporters back because you
don't know the answer or have to get clearance will make them stop
calling you and start calling someone else
- Know your issue.
Journalists are usually generalists, not specialists, and they
get their information from "sources." Be a source
- Don't always
assume journalists have the same information you have. Keep them
updated
- Avoid the rhetoric
- Know your facts.
Never offer information unless you are sure it is true
- Know where to
get information fast. If you can't provide an answer, it can be
very helpful if you can tell a reporter where to look.
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