maria-satira

5 Reasons Why Your Nonprofit Needs to Have a Blog

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 01:48:11 GMT

There are endless ways to share your nonprofit’s message to its target audience, community, and donors.

One of the best tools an organization can utilize is a blog on its website. Blogs and articles are great for highlighting programs, organizational needs, and industry expertise. Some pieces may be considered evergreen, which is when the content has no immediate urgency or expiration. Meanwhile, other pieces may be timely and relevant surrounding an upcoming event, annual report, end-of-year recap, recent study, or celebration.

According to TechJury, 77% of Internet users read blogs. Chances are, a portion of your target audience is included in this statistic. Plus, a website with regularly updated content is a website of value. Blogs give your audience a chance to learn more about your organization, mission, and impact. Here are my top five reasons why a nonprofit should consider adding a blogging platform to their website:

1. Blogs raise awareness

As a nonprofit, it’s essential that your audience (whether that be donors, volunteers, participants, community, grantmakers, etc.) knows who you are and what you do. While your website itself may serve as a great source of information, your blogs allow you to post timely, relevant factoids about your organization. From success stories and highlight pieces about your mission to the need for funding and support for special projects, blogs can have a wide-ranging impact on readers.

Nonprofit blog topic example: A cancer support nonprofit posts a blog that showcases the story of a family they assisted during a cancer diagnosis and ultimate recovery.

2. Blogs build trust

Having a blog on your website will allow your online audience to see your organization as a trustworthy source of information and legitimate organization for donors to consider. By creating articles that showcase the work and impact of your organization, your website will generate trust from your target audience, whether that be corporate donors, individual donors, foundations, advocates, or volunteers. You want to gain their trust so they are confident in supporting your mission, and blogs allow you to do that.

Nonprofit blog topic example: A violence prevention organization publishes a blog about a recent research study conducted about domestic violence in a community or state.

3. Blogs show character

Blogs are a great way to showcase your organization’s voice and tone. Through this type of content, blogs allow you to give personality that typical website content and information doesn’t allow. General website copy should be informative and enticing; however, blog copy can be that and so much more. Think about blogs as you would think about a typical conversation with a supporter.

Nonprofit blog topic example: A nonprofit writes a monthly “Meet the Volunteer” series on its blog which highlights a different volunteer and how they help to make a difference.

4. Blogs prove expertise

Blogs offer an additional form of legitimacy. While you and your team may have all the qualifications, experience, and certifications you need in your nonprofit’s industry, consumers are always looking for more. Your blogs can support your validity in your field by showing that you’re up-to-date on the latest information and that you’re knowledgeable about emerging trends in your industry. This will allow your blog to serve as a factual resource for those reading it. Before you know it, readers may start coming to your blog organically as they look for information about your field.

Nonprofit blog topic example: An animal rescue nonprofit posts a listicle-style blog about ways to keep pets safe during Thanksgiving.

5. Blogs generate SEO

By posting regular blogs and articles about your organization, your website will appear in more search engines thanks to search engine optimization, known as SEO. Blogs should contain headings, links, and keywords that are specific to your field and niche. Through utilizing keywords and SEO, you’ll see web traffic pick up. When you post blogs at least once a month, your website will constantly have new content. This is great for SEO because search engines want to see new content generated frequently.

Nonprofit blog topic example: An art museum publishes a glossary-style blog about commonly used words and phrases in the art industry. This is a great way to ensure that the piece is heavy with keywords.

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I hope this information was helpful to you as you look to create or enhance your organization’s blogging platform. If you’d like to discuss this more or want some help with developing blog topics for your audience, please reach out to me via email: maria@mariasatira.com . I’d love to assist with your organization’s communications efforts.

Cheers,

Maria

The Best Lesson I Learned as a Reporter and How it Can Help Nonprofits

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 01:24:04 GMT

"Report on issues, not events."

That was the advice of one of my very first news managers. I was a young, eager multi-media reporter straight out of college and I was just beginning to navigate the world of television news. I was sitting in our morning story pitch meeting and sharing a few ideas that I wanted to cover that day. All of them were events. They weren’t necessarily “bad” pitches, but they were definitely surface level and needed to be developed more. So, my manager told me to report on the issue around the event, not the event itself.

At first, I wasn’t sure that every event had an issue attached, but I let the idea marinate. It didn’t take long for me to realize that there is ALWAYS an issue surrounding an event. It all comes down to the why. In the nonprofit world, the issue typically points back to an organization’s overall mission and purpose and why they’re hosting or organizing the event to begin with. I took this advice with me to every job I’ve had since in both broadcast news as a reporter and anchor and also now as a director of marketing and communications for a nonprofit and freelance nonprofit marketing coach.

Here's your takeaway: The next time your organization wants to attract media coverage for your event, remember to focus on the issue at the forefront. Then, use that as part of your pitch.

I tell my nonprofit coaching clients to answer a few basic questions when writing pitches that will get a journalist’s attention:

Why is your organization hosting this event?
What is the purpose and/or goal for the event?
Who will benefit and why is this important for them?

If you can flush out answers to those questions, your story pitch to a journalist will be so much stronger. Speaking of strong... you can further enhance and fully develop your story pitch by following my STRONG Story Pitch Method. You can find that template and structure in Chapter 6 of my book, An Introduction to Media Relations for Nonprofit Organizations .

Once you master the STRONG story pitch, you’re ready to put it in the hands of journalists. Click here for a blog all about writing and distributing story pitches.

Cheers,

Maria

Generate Awareness for Your Nonprofit in Big Ways

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 01:18:03 GMT

It’s hard work running a nonprofit and getting the attention that your nonprofit deserves often makes it even harder. There are plenty of ways to raise awareness for your organization and I’m sure you’ve tried many of them. From social media campaigns and press releases to fundraisers and community events. In my opinion, some of the best ways to generate awareness are opportunities to partner with other entities.

Here are some of my favorite awareness campaigns that won’t cost your organization a penny but could get you featured on national news circuits, statewide agency announcements, and/or in your local media.

Ring the New York Stock Exchange Bell

This is the ultimate awareness opportunity for nonprofits! Could you imagine ringing the Opening Bell or Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange in the Big Apple to share information about your charity? I get excited just thinking about it – and every year, dozens of nonprofit leaders get to do it!

Want a shot at visiting the trading floor at this National Historic Landmark on 11 Wall Street and 18 Broad Street to ring the NYSE Bell? Here’s how your nonprofit can be considered:

According to the NYSE’s website, the bell is reserved for its publicly traded companies and is not available for private companies or for personal use. However, there are occasionally some last-minute openings which the NYSE offers to deserving nonprofit organizations. These nonprofits are often notified within just a few weeks or days of the event, so they need to mobilize quickly to fill the bell ringing need – but it’s so worth it! To get on the list for consideration, you can fill out this form on the NYSE website. As you can imagine, this is quite a popular form with probably thousands of applicants... but you don’t know what could happen unless you try! If your organization has a great working relationship with a publicly traded company, you can also contact them about sponsoring your application.

In just the past few weeks, several nonprofits have had the opportunity to ring the Bell, as displayed on the calendar with recent appearances and videos . I was thrilled to see that Best Friends Animal Society rang the Closing Bell on December 28, 2022. It was livestreamed on YouTube and archived for future viewing too.

Of course, if your nonprofit is offered a date to ring the Opening Bell or Closing Bell, this is a huge opportunity for media coverage and publicity! Send out press releases, share live streaming information, coordinate media interviews before and after the event, go big on social media, and tell everyone you know!

Request a Proclamation From Your Elected Officials

A great way to generate awareness is to utilize elected officials who are already newsworthy like your state’s governor, congressional representatives, or your community’s mayor. When there is an awareness day, month, or week that is relevant to your charity’s mission, elected officials often make proclamations to acknowledge the cause and its impact on the community. These are great opportunities to not only tie your organization to a national or statewide awareness cause but also showcase the work your group does in your service area.

These types of proclamation requests can often be submitted online using an online form, or mailed directly to the official’s office. Your organization will likely need to have the proclamation text already drafted and then submitted directly to the office of your elected official. A great example of a nationwide awareness campaign is one done by National Parents Organization . Every year on April 26, the national organization celebrates Shared Parenting Day. However, months prior to the awareness day, proclamation requests are made to governors across the country. The organization has a template that it sends to chapter volunteers and advocates across the country so they can distribute it to their state governors. It’s proven to be a great success as several governors have signed proclamations declaring April 26 as Shared Parenting Day.

Our Governor’s Office here in North Carolina has an easy-to-use form that can be filled out to make requests. Most Governor’s Offices should have something similar – but be aware that these requests need to be submitted several months in advance. In North Carolina, the office requires the form to be submitted at least 120 days prior to the event. You can also find these forms on other government websites, like a city or town, or the websites of elected officials, such as your state or congressional representatives. Just keep in mind that these are honorary designations and not legally binding.

If your proclamation is made by your elected official, be sure to send out a press release, post about it on social media, schedule an e-newsletter, and include it in donor communications. You could even go a step further by hosting a community event or fundraiser that goes along with the Proclamation month, week, or day.

Partner with a Local Business or Restaurant

If you haven’t already partnered with a local business or restaurant to raise awareness for your organization, give it a try. It’s a great way to stay active in your community and help others learn about your work. A few ideas include a give back day where a restaurant or shop donates a percentage of profits on that day to your organization. They typically advertise it to their clientele and your organization is expected to do the same. Essentially, supporters of your organization will go to that shop or restaurant and bring them business because they also want to support the cause.

If your organization secures a local business partnership, be sure to promote the heck out of it. The small businesses that you’re working with will appreciate it and your supporters and donors will appreciate it too. It’s a win-win arrangement because the fundraiser will bring new customers to the business while also giving back to your organization. This generates awareness because it’s double the promotion and double the reach. Your organization may also end up with new recurring donors, volunteers, or participants.

If the first one is successful, you might want to ask the business to turn it into a monthly or quarterly fundraiser. Another idea is to incorporate an event component. If you’re an organization focused on animal rescue, maybe have adoptable animals on site, or if your organization helps children in need, have a clothing or toy drive as part of the giveback day too. The more components to an event or fundraiser allow more people to be interested in attending or stopping by.

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Maria Satira Media is passionate about helping nonprofit groups with marketing consulting and coaching. In addition to our services, we offer an exclusive (and free) online community where we discuss digital marketing tips and trends. You can click here to join our group – we’d love to have you! (Just be sure to fill out the membership questions.)

Feel free to reach out to my team if you’d like to discuss more ways that we can work together! Just send us an email at hello@mariasatira.com and we’ll chat with you soon!

Cheers,

Maria

Can a Former Journalist Fill Your Organization’s Next Marketing Role?

maria@mariasatira.com (Maria Satira) — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 00:55:28 GMT

Five reasons why you should consider hiring a former journalist for your nonprofit organization

I’ve been having s imilar conversations lately with some of my former broadcast news colleagues. Over the past year, many reporters, anchors, producers, and writers have told me that they’re looking to leave their news careers and enter the nonprofit or corporate communications industry. You may have noticed the mass exodus of news personalities – especially in broadcast – over recent years and there are plenty of reasons why . In my personal conversations with journalists who are ready to leave or have recently left, they cite low wages, unpredictable hours, burnout, increased workload, safety concerns, and high stress as some of the top reasons.

I spent nearly 10 years as a local news anchor and reporter, so I know all too well how difficult it is to weigh the pros and cons of the industry. After many years of contemplating, I officially decided to leave the industry in 2020 and pursue a career in marketing and communications for a nonprofit economic development organization. This move provided me with much more stability personally and professionally including work-life balance. Since I made the transition, I’ve mentored several other anchors and reporters who are looking to move into communications and marketing careers. I even created a reel on Instagram about the benefit of hiring former journalists for corporate communications jobs. However, I’ve recently discovered that many journalists are more interested in working for nonprofit organizations and finding reward and satisfaction in the work they do. That said, I want to share five reasons why your organization might find value in hiring a former journalist for a marketing and communications role:

They understand and meet deadlines

No one respects a deadline more than a journalist who had to meet several deadlines every day. If you need a project done by a certain time or day, you can pretty much guarantee it will be done well before the due date. Plus, they’re pros when it comes to prioritizing tasks and staying organized.

They are great storytellers

From social media to website content, journalists are fantastic at telling stories. This skill can come in handy when it comes to targeted fundraising campaigns or programming success stories. Journalists have a way with words and know how to connect with an audience.

They are strong and thorough writers

When it comes to nonprofit marketing, staff members need to have strong written and oral communications skills. From posting on social media to writing press releases, journalists know how to write well with proper grammar and spelling. They’re also knowledgeable about AP Style and following brand guidelines.

They know a little bit about a lot

Most journalists have experience covering a variety of topics, industries, and sectors. This plays well when it comes to learning the ins and outs of your organization’s cause. Plus, most journalists by nature enjoy researching, so if they don’t know something off hand, they’re able to efficiently gather the information or data needed.

They will positively communicate your mission

Journalists are professional communicators and will excel when it comes to sharing your organization’s mission and vision. From making a statement via email to conducting a live interview, they are well-prepared to serve as a spokesperson.

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There are truly endless benefits to hiring a journalist to serve as a marketing and communications professional for your nonprofit organization. I think it’s also imperative to assemble a nonprofit team with wide-ranging experience. While it’s important to have staff members with training specific to your organization’s cause, there are also benefits to bringing in outside perspective – especially when it comes to marketing and communications.

So, if your organization is planning to post a job opening in the marketing or communications space, I hope you’ll consider those who apply with journalism backgrounds. Even if they don’t have a degree or prior work experience in marketing, their transferable skills are unmatched.

When it comes to creating a position, if your organization is looking for help creating a job description for a marketing specific position or wants guidance on making the most of t his type of role, I would be honored to assist you during this process. Reach out to me and we can coordinate a free 15-minute introductory call to discuss your nonprofit’s marketing goals and plans: hello@mariasatira.com

Cheers,

Maria

How to Create a Nonprofit Media Relations Policy (with Template!)

maria@mariasatira.com (Maria Satira) — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 16:24:52 GMT

Establishing partnership and coverage expectations for members of the medi a

It takes time to develop quality and valuable relationships with members of the media. If your nonprofit organization is looking for earned media opportunities, one of the most effective ways to get that type of coverage is to network with local journalists. While some of these partnerships are easy to form, others can be a bit trickier. Once you have these types of relationships created, they reporters and journalists may reach out to your organization for interview requests or event coverage. It’s a great opportunity, but sometimes these requests and deadlines aren’t always convenient for your staff members or volunteers. Creating a media relations policy can help with this.

As a former local news reporter and anchor, I always appreciated when a nonprofit had a media policy in place. While it set guidelines and boundaries for coverage, it helped me know I can expect from the organization and what the organization can expect from me. If a nonprofit was only staffed a couple days during the week, this type of policy let me know ahead of time so I could plan my story accordingly. It was also super helpful to know exactly who I should contact and their preferred means of communications.

This is especially true for nonprofits with a small team, those that don’t have regular office hours, or groups without a physical office location. When a member of the media reaches out to you for a story, sometimes it’s difficult to say yes, even though you want to for the good of your organization.

Here are some tips for establishing a media relations policy along with what you can include on your website.

Determine your primary media contact

This person will be the main contact for the media. You’ll want to have this person’s name, email, and direct line or cell phone number available on your website. This person will also be your media contact on all press releases and story pitches. They may or may not serve as your spokesperson. They can certainly be the face of your organization you wish, or they can be the one who coordinates behind the scenes.

Determine your secondary media contact

If your primary contact is unavailable, on vacation, or out of the office, you’ll want to have a secondary person on standby. Typically, your primary media contact will list this person’s information on their out of office email reply. This is a quick and easy way to let a reporter know that if they’re emailing about a media request, they should direct it to someone else on the team. Be sure to include name, title, email, and phone number in the out of office reply.

Write a formal media relations policy

With the below template, you can create your own media relations policy that will serve as a resource for any reporters looking to contact your organization. You can post this on your website under your newsroom page, or create a new page dedicated to media relations. Once you create this, it’s also a good idea to email it out to your media contact list to let them know about your policy. You can also send it out again as a reminder once a year, or if you make any major updates.

Media Relations Policy

INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME HERE

(Date last updated: XX-XX-XXXX )

INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME HERE values our partnership with media outlets, journalists, and the public. To best assist you, we have created the following media relations policy. Please refer to this policy prior to contacting our organization.

Should you wish to reach out to our organization with a media request, please contact FULL NAME, TITLE who serves as our primary media contact. You can reach them directly via phone ( PHONE NUMBER ) or email ( INSERT EMAIL ). If they are not available, you can then contact our secondary media contact. FULL NAME, TITLE is available via phone ( PHONE NUMBER ) or email ( INSERT EMAIL ), but only if the primary contact is not available or out of office.

When requesting interviews or additional information, please keep the following in mind:

Make your request directly through our primary media contact
Allow lead time for your request.
As a busy nonprofit, we ask that you give us as much notice as possible. While we understand this can’t always be the case, we appreciate your cooperation.
After-hours requests will be handled during the next business day.
Let us know your story topic so we can best prepare supplemental information
Let us know your deadline so we can best assist you in your request

Thank you for helping us in our efforts to create meaningful and positive relationships with your media outlet. We appreciate your work in helping to spread the word about INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME HERE.

Media relations policies are meant to improve relationships between nonprofits and journalists. I detail more about these types of policies and offer more suggestions in my book, An Introduction to Media Relations for Nonprofit Organization s. If you purchase a copy of my book, I'm also offering a complimentary copy of the Bonus Workbook. Please reach out to me directly ( maria@mariasatira.com ) if you'd like this 20+ page resource. It includes tons of great information, exercises, and templates for nonprofits looking to enhance their media relations strategies.

With more than a decade of experience as a member of the media and a media relations expert, it is my goal to help you get the coverage you deserve. Reach out to my team and we can schedule a consultation to discuss how our media relations services can help your organization. Click here to learn more or send us an email at hello@mariasatira.com

Cheers,

Maria

The Best Free Digital Marketing Resources for Nonprofits

maria@mariasatira.com (Maria Satira) — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 17:30:14 GMT

Your nonprofit can get free digital marketing services from several companies.

Navigating the digital marketing world as a nonprofit can be challenging. While you want more people to learn about your organization, sometimes nonprofit budgets don’t allow flexibility to pay for major marketing campaigns.

I hear that. Several years ago, I started volunteering with an animal rescue group in my community, the Humane Society of Eastern Carolina . The organization didn’t have any extra room in its budget to pay for a graphic desi gn service or purchase graphic design software. At the time, I was chairing the marketing committee so I knew how big of an impact this could have on the organization as they worked to stay trendy with social media content. After doing some research, I discovered a graphic design website (Canva – which we’ll talk about below) that offered a free basic plan. It was great, but we needed a bit more. I did some research and found that the paid plan seemed to check all the boxes. I was ready to suggest to the Humane Society’s board that we should purchase the Pro version when I realized that nonprofits can get it for free! That’s right – FREE!

This led me to explore more tools and services that are offered at no cost for 501(c)3 nonprofits. As it turns out, there are many free (or discounted) options for charities! So, as a way to help your organization’s marketing journey, here are my top three favorite FREE digital marketing resources for registered not-for-profit organizations:

Canva Pro:

This is my favorite online design tool. Canva Pro is so easy to use and allows non-designers (like myself) create and customize designs that look professional. From social media posts to annual reports, there are hundreds – if not thousands – of templates that you can use. While it is free for nonprofits , there is an application and verification process. It doesn’ t take too long, but it’s well worth the wait. Here are the types of nonprofits that qualify for this Canva program:

Registered nonprofits
Social impact organizations with a mission consistent with a public or community benefit
Public health organizations, and government entities assisting with public health

I love Canva Pro so much that I do use the paid version for my own personal business. I think it is the most value-added graphic design and template website – and it’s definitely worth every penny. That’s why I highly recommend Canva Pro for businesses too. Use this link for added savings.

Linktree:

Create an amazing landing page with Linktree ! This service allows you to connect to your digital audiences and give them all the resources they need with just one link. You can put this as a “link in bio” on Instagram, post it on your Facebook or LinkedIn, or use it as a landing page for a QR code. The possibilities are endless. The basic account is free, but there are plenty of great features in the paid accounts. Fortunately, for registered charities around the world, Linktree PRO is free! The PRO version is valued at $9 a month which may not sound like much, but for nonprofits, every dollar truly makes a difference.

This is another service that I use the paid account for in my own personal business. Even if you don’t qualify for a free PRO account, I highly recommend this service as part of your digital marketing strategy. You can definitely get by with the free account, but you may find value in a paid option too. These are well worth the cost and start at just $3 a month when billed annually Check out all the plans and their pricing descriptions by clicking here .

Google Ad Grants :

As a verified and qualified nonprofit, Google offers ad grants to help share your mission with the world. Each qualifying nonprofit has access to up to $10,000 per month in search ads shown on Google.com. That’s right – PER MONTH! This is amazing for nonprofits and can help in so many ways. There are over a dozen success stories where nonprofits have used this tool to bring more awareness to their organization, recruit more volunteers, and raise more money. That all sounds incredible, right?!

This process is a bit lengthy, but it’s certainly wo rth the time and effort. First, you’ll have to apply for Google for Nonprofits. In order to qualify, Google requests that organizations are:

Not a governmental entity or organization
Not a hospital or healthcare organization
Not a school, academic institution, or university ( Google for Education offers a separate program for schools)

Once you begin the process, you’ll have to register your organization with another resource called TechSoup. You’ll get an email from them (don’t delete it!) which you’ll need to reply to verify your email. From there, if you’re approved, you’ll be able to launch your Ad Grants account and begin using the products. It may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but there are endless tutorials, demos, and guides to help you use your grant budget.

In addition to Google Ad Grants, nonprofits also have access to Google Workspace for Nonprofits, YouTube Nonprofit Program, and Google Earth and Maps.

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We are passionate about helping nonprofit groups. To get free nonprofit digital marketing tips delivered straight to your inbox, click here . Maria Satira Media also offers an exclusive (and free) online community where we discuss digital marketing tips and trends. You can click here to join our group – we’d love to have you! (Just be sure to fill out the membership questions.)

Feel free to reach out to my team if you’d like to discuss more ways that we can work together! Just send us an email at hello@mariasatira.com and we’ll chat with you soon!

Cheers,

Maria

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How to Write an Effective Media Story Pitch (with Template!)

maria@mariasatira.com (Maria Satira) — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 18:51:59 GMT

Get your story pitch i n the hands of local news media and journalists

A typical reporter can look at a pitch in just five seconds and know if it’s worth their time. There is an art to story pitching, and I’m here to share it with you.

I spent nearly 10 years as an anchor and reporter in local news markets in Virginia and North Carolina. A typical day was met with dozens of story pitches that would show up in my email, social media, or text message. When I would read through these story pitches from sources, I always noticed the ones that were written in a way that got my attention, and subsequent coverage. These pitches had important elements that stood out from the rest.

Keep in mind that a story pitch is different from a press release. A press release is a formal announcement that is typically mass distributed. (You can read more about press releases by clicking here .) A story pitch is an email that is uniquely crafted and sent directly to a reporter or journalist. We will work together to create a sample pitch that you can use as a template when pitching via email. We’ll write one from a business perspective and another from a nonprofit perspective.

Let’s talk about the basics first, though. When you pitch your story, think like a journalist while doing it. Be sure to answer the 5WH (who, what, where, when, why, how) of your story. Then, put together a sentence that addresses a couple of those topics. This would sentence is what will grab a reporter’s attention. Your entire pitch shouldn’t be longer than a paragraph. Share the topic of the story, what it’s important, and offer opportunities for them to tell the story. Here’s an outline of the process that I use:

1. Captivating subject line

2. Introduction sentence

3. Story pitch paragraph

a. Powerful lead sentence

b. Informative second sentence

c. Impactful third sentence

d. Coverage opportunity fourth sentence

e. Concluding fifth sentence

4. Direct contact information

5. Email Signature

Using this process, let’s create a story pitch for a small business that is dealing with supply chain issues. Use the numbers from the above process to correlate with the sentences below:

1. Business Struggles Due to Supply Chain Issues

2. Hi {enter reporter name},

My name is John Smith and I own XYZ Supply. We’re an auto parts supplier in the Greenville area. I’ve noticed your station has been covering stories about supply chain issues and I wanted to offer my own perspective on this.

a. Over the past six months, my local business has taken a big hit because of the supply chain issues that are unfortunately out of our control.

b. The parts that we’ve ordered for our customer base haven’t been filled and we’re unable to keep up with the local demand.

c. I’m fearful that if these issues continue, my business, along with many others in our community facing similar issues, will close.

d. I’d love the opportunity to share my story with your audience so they are aware that these issues are happening in their local economy too.

e. You’re welcome to stop by my shop to interview me and/or some of my customers as well as get video of our warehouse’s lack of inventory.

4. If you’re interested in this, please reach out to me directly. I can make myself available at any time today or this week. My cell phone is 555-555-5555 and my email is John@XYZSupply.com

5. Thank you for your time and I hope to talk to you soon.

Best,

John Smith

Owner, XYZ Supply

123 Main Street, Greenville

Now, let’s take a look at how we might be able to use this process to pitch a story about a nonprofit organization to the local media. For this, we’ll look at how nonprofits are being impacted by the global pandemic.

1. Local Nonprofit Faces Decrease in Donations Due to COVID-19

2. Hi {enter reporter name},

My name is Sarah Doe and I’m the executive director at Furry Companions. We’re a nonprofit animal rescue center in the Greenville area. I’ve noticed your news outlet has been covering stories about how local businesses have been impacted by COVID-19 and I wanted to offer my perspective about how local nonprofits have been struggling too.

a. Over the past year, our nonprofit was forced to cancel major fundraisers due to concerns over COVID-19.

b. During a normal year, these fundraisers would have brought in more than $100,000 which is vital to the operation of our organization and our mission to rescue homeless animals.

c. Private donations are also down from prior years and we’re worried that our nonprofit won’t be able to sustain for much longer.

d. We would love to share our story with you and shed light on this important issue that many fundraising-based organizations are facing right now.

e. Furry Companions would be honored to have you visit our facility to learn more about our concerns and meet some of the animals that we’ve recently rescued that we need to generate funding for in order to properly care for them.

4. If you’re interested in this, please reach out to me directly. I can make myself available at any time today or this week. My cell phone is 555-555-5555 and my email is Sarah@FurryCompanions.com

5. Thank you for your time and I hope to talk to you soon.

Best,

Sarah Doe

Executive Director

Furry Companions

123 Main Street, Greenville

While there are many ways to pitch your story to the media, we have found that this process is a straightforward method. I also share more details about media relations in my book, An Introduction to Media Relations for Nonprofit Organizations . While it is geared toward not-for-profit groups, there are many lessons and takeaways that can benefits public and private entities too.

With more than a decade of experience as a member of the media and a media relations expert, it is my goal to help you get the coverage you deserve. Reach out to my team and we can schedule a consultation to discuss how our media relations services can help your. Click here to learn more or send us an email at hello@mariasatira.com

Cheers,

Maria

Why you can't have a first annual event

maria@mariasatira.com (Maria Satira) — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 18:06:45 GMT

Maria Satira Media shares a fundraising tip for the first year of an event:

My team here at Maria Satira Media works with many nonprofits of all difference sizes. This includes national advocacy organizations, statewide associations, and local nonprofits. Over the years, we’ve helped publicize various fundraisers as these groups look to raise money. However, there is one type of fundraiser we won’t work with... at least, until it gets a name change.

Events with the phrase “first annual” are big no-nos. Why, you may ask? Well, it's because you can’t have a first annual anything. As a former local news anchor, I’d see this mistake several times a week through press releases, social media advertisements, and website content. If something is in its first year, it can’t logically be referred to as the first annual.

Here's why:

The word annual implies the event is yearly. If the event is in its first year, it can’t be yearly because it hasn’t happened prior to this year. For something to become annual, it needs to happen more than once.

Alternatives to first annual:

Try using the word inaugural if it is the first time your event is happening.

Example: Maria Satira’s Inaugural Writing Seminar

Or, you could always use the word first, since it is the first.

Example: Maria Satira’s First Writing Seminar

When to use annual:

Once the second year of the event rolls around, then you can start to use annual in the title.

Example: Maria Satira’s Second Annual Writing Seminar

PS. If you were wondering... there isn't an actual Maria Satira writing seminar event... at least not yet ;)

If you need help publicizing an upcoming event or fundraiser, my team here at Maria Satira Media would be honored to help. We can help create messaging that resonates with the general public to make your event a success.

Reach out and we can schedule a consultation to discuss our public relations services. Just send us an email at hello@mariasatira.com and we’ll chat with you soon!

Cheers,

Maria

How to write a powerful press release

maria@mariasatira.com (Maria Satira) — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 17:59:02 GMT

Maria Satira Media offers 9 tips for creating an effective press release:

With nearly a decade of experience in print, television, and digital journalism… and I have no shame in admitting my belief in press releases. I think a well-written release is the most effective way to communicate specific details of a topic, issue, event, etc. to the community, newsroom, or publication.

Maria Satira Media, LLC is here to help with 9 tips for sending an attention-grabbing press release:

1. Understand the basics of journalism

This is the most important point of this post. I could go on and on about this topic, but I’ll keep it simple. The writer should explain the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of the announcement/event/whatever in the press release. Too often, I’ll receive a release which is missing pertinent information. Cover your bases and answer the “who, what, where, when, why, and how.”

2. Keep it brief

Your press release shouldn’t be any longer than a page. You can ensure this by following what I like to call the 3Cs of news writing. Keep your press release clear, concise, and crisp. A reporter can look at a release and know within the first sentence if it is worth their time.

3. Use proper grammar and proofread

Nothing will annoy a media outlet more than receiving a press release with poor grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. If you want someone to take your release seriously, you need to take it seriously and present it professionally.

4. Include quotes

Interview someone knowledgeable about the topic and include their quotes throughout the release. Using real quotes from real people will allow your release a feeling of authenticity. Adding this type of element will increase your chance of being published because it has more content aside from just paragraphs of text.

5. Add a call to action

Decide what action you want followed by the receiver of the release. Do you want a journalist to interview someone from your organization/company about a new and exciting achievement? Do you want people to know about and attend your event? Do you want community members to donate money toward your cause? Tell them.

6. Offer interview opportunities

Nothing is worse for a reporter than having someone pitch them a great story idea via press release, yet refuse to do an interview. In your press release, include the contact information of someone who is readily available and prepared to do an interview. Make sure this person is flexible and respectful of a reporter who is likely working on a deadline.

7. Send the release via email

The best way (really, the only acceptable way) to deliver a press release is through email. Attach the release in PDF form and also put the text of the release in the body of the email. Locate the newsroom or publication’s preferred email and send it. If you happen to know individual reporters or anchors at a news station or newspaper, send it to them too.

8. Follow up

If you don’t hear back from the news outlet about your release, you can follow up. Just make sure you do so professionally and respectfully. Call a newsroom (after 10am), request to speak with the assignment desk manager, and ask if they got the release. If they did, offer to answer any questions they have about the topic and if you can schedule an interview. If they didn’t, ask for their email again, along with the assignment desk manager, and resend it.

9. Be considerate

Understand that your release may not get the attention that you believe it deserves. News outlets do not guarantee coverage. For various reasons, assignment desks are particular in what they choose to cover. If the topic of your release doesn’t fit their scope, that’s okay. Don’t take it personally and don’t get discouraged. Try again in the future with another release and topic.

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Here at Maria Satira Media, we know that press release creation and distribution can be overwhelming. As professionals in the industry, we can help you alleviate the pain points of working with journalists in your community. Reach out to my team and we can schedule a consultation to discuss our media relations services. Click here to learn more or send us an email at hello@mariasatira.com

Cheers,

Maria

maria-satira

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Maria Satira Media shares a fundraising tip for the first year of an event:

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