|
|
|
Home > Finance > Fundraising > Non-profits: Raise Funds without Buying Ads or Mailings
|
|
|
|
Non-profits: Raise Funds without Buying Ads or Mailings
|
|
When non-profit organizations aren’t out changing the world, they’re
appealing to supporters and the public for donations. Fundraising is a
constant challenge for non-profit organizations and it’s not because
people don’t want to give the money – it’s because people don’t always
know that there’s a need.
Fundraising efforts include direct mailings, advertising, and marketing
campaigns. Each of these is costly and there’s no way to guarantee
return on investment. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to gain exposure
and elicit donations without having to dip into the coffers? You can –
they’re called “editorial placements,” or as we in media relations like
to say “free advertising.”
Newspapers and magazines live and die by their content. If people don’t
want to read what they’re printing, they’re in trouble. Being able to
offer a print publication (or even a broadcast network) with a story
that will entertain, educate, or inspires its readers is a challenge,
but well worth it if it’s printed.
Which of the following newspaper placements do you think will garner
more public response: an ad placed in the “weekender” or “volunteer
opportunity” sections describing your organization and asking for
donations; or a touching feature story about how the organization is
making a difference in the community? The feature story will almost
undoubtedly send more people to an organization’s Web site than an ad,
and the funny this is that the feature story cost the organization
nothing to secure.
Why does the public respond more strongly to a feature than an ad?
Because appearing in the media provides instant legitimization. People
tend to trust the organizations or people they see in the paper or on
TV. If you run a non-profit animal shelter that is featured on the
weekend nightly news’ adopt-a-pet segment, chances are the public will
think of you first when looking to adopt a pet as opposed to if you
simply placed an ad in the Sunday paper every week.
So how do you obtain “free advertising?” By reaching out to the media
every chance you get. Smaller organizations that utilize community
support can offer personal feature stories on certain overachieving
volunteers. The media loves a good “feel good” story: how one volunteer
has made such a difference, how a beneficiary of the organization’s
services is thriving now, and so on. How did your organization start?
Did someone sell their business to establish a women’s shelter? Does a
local mother care for homeless animals on her farm? Here are some ideas
to help inspire you to develop a story for your organization or cause.
Every person has a story.
Discover the stories behind the people in your organization and make
the media aware of them. By “story,” I mean a simple, conversational
story – the type you might tell a friend. Pitching a story to the media
doesn’t mean you have to write it and offer it in its entirety. When
you pitch a story, you simply let your media contact know about it.
They’ll decide if it’s a fit and pursue it further.
To get an idea of the kinds of stories the paper and local networks
like, spend a few weeks tuning in or scanning the pages. It will be
obvious the kinds of things they’re looking for.
Pay close attention to the journalists and reporters who write on
topics related to yours. These are the people you are going to want to
contact with your story.
Local outlets want local stories, and this can represent multiple
opportunities for media coverage. For instance, if the person your
story focuses on lives in a town other than where your organization is
based, you can pitch the story to both locales.
Let the world know what’s happening.
Hosting or sponsoring an event can garner more attention than a
two-line announcement in the calendar section. What is the story
surrounding your event? If you’re launching a clothing drive for
professional attire to help women get jobs, highlight a success story,
such as a woman associated with your organization who overcame
hardships and landed a great job that changed her life. If you’re
hosting a casual fun-day dog show for kids to benefit a local animal
shelter, find a pet owner who plans to enter his or her adopted shelter
dog.
Even your fundraising events can be promoted through editorial
placements. You don’t have to have a high-profile MC or a gala to make
the news. If this is an annual event, how do you expect to surpass last
year’s donations? How were the funds used? If they built a library or
added a wing to a senior center, what’s the story behind that?
Announce Everything
Organizations in large cities face direct competition for donations and
media coverage. To help improve your chances of media attention, do
everything you can to stay in the news (or at least in the minds of the
news writers in your area). Is there a staffing change or new hire (a
positive one)? Announce it. If you’ve added a service to your
organization, announce it. In sales and marketing, a consumer needs to
hear about a product seven times before he or she will buy it, on
average. The same is true for donations to non-profits. The more often
the public sees your organization in print or hears about it on the
radio or on television, the more likely they will be to consider
donating. Keep that in mind the next time you’ve got news to share!
Media relations is about building relationships and having an idea of
what the public wants. It’s not as complicated as it may seem, after
all, you are the public. What do you want to read? What would be
interesting to you? Talk to your co-workers and friends and find out
their opinions. Identify the media people in your area who cover the
types of things you and your organization do and begin to build a
relationship. Before you know it, you may have them calling you for a
story.
|
|
|
Please Rate this Article
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Partner sites: Noi
That, Dien thoai di dong, Du
lich, Thoi trang, Quản
lý cổ đông, Quan Ly Nha Hang,
Phan mem, Phan
mem, Phan mem viet nam
Phần mềm nhà hàng, Quản
lý nhà hàng, Diễn đàn ngân hàng,
Download phần mềm, Free
Article, Article Business, Global
in arm, Article Nutrition
article Confederation, Article
Find, Article News, Articles
Find, Article health, Article
Marketing
Phần mềm nhân sự Phần mềm bán hàng Phần mềm Khách sạn Quản lý khách sạn
Phần mềm diệt virus Download Firefox |Giấy Dán Tường | Giấy Dán Tường | Nội Thất Xuân Hòa| Nội Thất Hòa Phát| Nội thất 190 | Nội thất văn phòng | Bồn tắm cao cấp | Tủ bếp | Tủ bếp | Ván sàn gỗ tự nhiên | Rèm văn phòng | Giàn phơi thông minh | Thảm sàn | Thảm trải phòng | Thảm trải văn phòng | Trần thạch cao | Nội thất phòng khách | Thiết kế nhà | Giấy dán tường hàn quốc | Tủ bếp | Nội thất hòa phát | Nội thất xuân hòa | Rèm văn phòng | Giấy dán tường | nội thất hòa phát | Gan nhiễm mỡ | Tủ bếp đẹp | Vật liệu xây dựng | Vật liệu xây dựng hà nội | eglo | ván sàn | nội thất fami | Nội thất fami | Xuân hòa | Trần thạch cao | Thiết bị vệ sinh | Nội Thất Văn Phòng | Đèn Trang Trí | Thảm văn phòng | oto tải | Thiết kế xây nhà | Kiến Trúc | Đèn trang tríHoa trang trí | Sofa da | Sofa gỗ |
| Giấy dán tường| Giấy dán tường đẹp | Bàn để laptop | Học lái xe Học lái xe | Oto tai|Exchange sites: Contact Us (email: redbluevn@yahoo.co.uk)
|
|