Help the Media Tell Your (Challenge) Story Elizabeth J. Estroff Senior Vice President, Communications ASPCA 1 An Introduction This webinar is designed to show you how to maximize communications i to drive di engagement and awareness on the road to saving more lives You will learn key strategies and tactics about how your media assets can work for you and your community We ll also show you some great examples of stories from last year s $100K Challenge to give you an idea of what could work for you 2 1
Why is generating media coverage so important? Every time your shelter is mentioned in a newspaper or magazine, or on radio or TV, you increase your opportunities to see or OTS Not only does this bring awareness to your work and the work of the animal welfare community at large, but it engages your community members and inspires them to act And media coverage only requires human resources, not an outlay of money like advertising 3 Developing Creative Story Angles It s easy to pitch to the media when you have breaking news to share, i.e. you re kicking off your run for the ASPCA $100K Challenge Qualifying Heat, and (later) you won a spot in this year s Challenge But what about after all the confetti and the balloons have faded and you re in the thick of the contest? You can plan ahead by identifying some creative ways to secure continuing media coverage the following are just 10 ideas 4 2
#1: Offer Information of Value What does your organization offer that's unique and of value to your targetaudience? audience? Communicate that to the media Questions to ask yourself before you approach a media person are: What makes this story idea special and unique? How is it different from what s been done before? 5 Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Service Center unveiled their new Reach for the Stars campaign in this clip from their local CBS affiliate Louisiana SPCA used a unique transport program during the $100K Challenge 6 3
#2: Find the news hook Tie your organization to an emerging trend, news story, or local community issue Your organization is part of your community Look for the things that you are doing that can be tied to current news or an emerging gtrend Sometimes a creative tie can be found to national news stories as well so keep an eye on the news 7 The Humane Society of Boulder Valley publicized their hard work taking in extra animals during the Labor Day weekend wildfires that hit the area this was a major Colorado news story 8 4
#3: Offer personal stories Who are your amazing volunteers? What s this month s most inspiring adoption story? Is there a lost pet who has been miraculously reunited with their grateful family? Do you know someone who traveled an incredible distance to adopt from your shelter? Real life happenings that best illustrate your shelter s hard work during the $100K Challenge will make the best stories for the media 9 Salt Lake County Animal Services told this personal story about one of their stand out volunteers this would make a great feature story in the local news! 10 5
#4: Remember that one animal Think about the feature stories you often read in your local lpaper Many times they will start out very narrow, with a small focused story of an individual (whether it s twolegged or four legged) The story will then broaden to talk about the shelter, the community, or a larger issue The story of that one animal is very compelling! 11 Atlanta Humane Society regularly brought adoptable animals to their local FOX studio for segments lending an adorable face to the $100K Challenge! 12 6
#5: Quantify it for them Do you have any interesting numbers, stats, or figures you can share with the media? Make sure data are presented in an easily digestible way Think about Top lists, i.e. the Top 3 or Top 5 or Top 10 something 13 Both San Jose and Tallahassee shelters quantified it for their local media the numbers are in the headlines! 14 7
#6: Give your supporters a shoutout When developing your pitch and talking to the media, thank those who ve supported your efforts it will end up in the story! Publicly giving your supporters a shout out will inspire them to do more for you This can create great momentum for your efforts 15 Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Service Center talked to the local daily about how much the community came out and supported them 16 8
#7: Pitch according to the type of media If you re pitching to print outlets, think about what information, in depthinterviewsandphotos interviews photos willinterestthem interest them If you re pitching to TV stations, think about what visuals will be most appealing to them, and let them know what they ll be able to film and capture on camera If you re pitching to radio stations, think about the sounds and sound bites you ll want them to capture 17 This will help them conceptualize what the finished story might look or sound like #8: Invite them to your events, especially kick off weekend If you re planning an event for kick off weekend, be sure to include the media as part of your event plans They will be interested to know what special promotions you have planned for kick off weekend, and how well your kick off event goes If your kick off event is incredibly successful, be sure to let them know that when you follow up after the event 18 9
Both Birmingham and Milwaukee shelters held special kick off promotions, with great results! 19 #9: Try a Publicity Stunt Get your creative juices going! A publicity stunt can be a great way to attract media coverage and buzz for your shelter The idea can be a little out of the norm for you, but as long as it s visual and creative, it will attract attention! 20 Are there local businesses that support your shelter? Maybe they d be interested in teaming up with you for an out of thebox publicity stunt? 10
Kansas Humane Society teamed up with a local hair stylist AND set a world record! 21 #10: Consider ALL possible channels In addition to traditional media outlets, such as your local newspapers and television stations, don t forget to share your story with non traditional media. You want to spread the word about the contest far and wide! Newsletters E mail blasts Bulletin boards at Local Businesses Web sites Church and school bulletins/programs Public service announcements Bumper stickers Bus panels Taxi cabs Your shelter s on hold telephone message Your e mail signature Business cards T shirts Public speaking opportunities Billboards Blogs Chat rooms On line forums Facebook Twitter 22 11
Tips for pitching via e mail Make your pitch short. Get to the point and don t make it a novel pitches are not designed to tell everything there is to know about your shelter, event, or campaign. Know the media and the reporter. Do your homework read up on what they regularly write about would you pitch a new eye shadow to a sports reporter? Reel 'em in with your subject line. If your subject line is boring, looks like advertising or spam, or doesn't relate to anything the editor writes about, your email message is likely to end up in the trash bin. Have H something to say. Make sure your information i is compelling and newsworthy. Why will their readers want to hear this? Tie your pitch to a current event or trend. If you can show that your pitch relates to a current event or trend, your email will be much better received. Always give contact information. They need to be able to contact you to set up interviews if they are interested! 23 Tips for pitching via phone Identify who you are and why you are calling Ask if this is a good time to talk. If it isn t, ask the reporter to suggest the best time you should call back. If it is a good time to talk, then proceed Let the reporter know you ve been following the stories they write about, and that you have a story you think their readers might be interested in Explain the idea in a sentence or two Ask if the reporter is interested in writing about it 24 12
Tips for getting media to attend your events When pitching the media to get them to attend and cover your events, it s important to be clear & concise Give them the most important points about your event who (VIPs, local celebrities, etc.) will be there what the event is, and when & where it s taking place why the event is happening how they ll be able to capture the sights and sounds of your event why their audience would be interested in it They ll need to be pitched in advance of the event and reminded regularly up until the morning of the event especially broadcast media who have such a fastpaced work schedule. Media on tight deadlines and busy schedules may not come to an event unless you make news on site 25 Any questions? If you haven t already, please check out the Publicity Guide we ve developed for $100K Challenge contestants. It can be downloaded here: http://challenge.aspcapro.org/press and media And please don t hesitate to reach out to the ASPCA s Media & Communications team with any questions about generating media coverage for your shelter! Thank you! 26 13
Visit http://challenge.aspcapro.org/webinars Coming Attractions: I Just Want to Go Home! Return to Owner Strategies that Work June 29 Housing for Health, Wellness, and Success June 30 Calling All $100K Challenge Volunteers! July 7 Keeping Pets Behaviorally Healthy in the Shelter July 28 14