PUBLIC RELATIONS, BRANDING, MARKETING, VOLUNTEERS
Tips for Selling Your Stories to the Media
By: Susan W. Cole

More than 110 ADO members and non-members heard directly from area journalists at our May 11 media panel where they discussed the ingredients needed to successfully pitch an organization’s story. Here are highlights from their suggestions and a few other tips:

Amy Sara Clark – Life & Style, The Journal News:
Send your information on major fundraising galas to Amy six to eight weeks in advance to be included in her monthly listing, which is published the third week of each month. Interest her in writing by “putting a face to your organization” – explaining the impact on an individual.

Roberta Hershenson --Westchester Section Arts & Culture, The New York Times:
Three to six weeks’ notice is needed for her “Foot Lights” column. For feature coverage, she is looking for stories about people and developments that relate in some significant way to Westchester County.

Michael Meaney – Metro Section, The Journal News:
He’s looking for “stories that have the three I’s -- are Interesting, have Impact on the community and have Immediacy.” See if you can link your story to current news headlines, a trend or to compelling news that people care about at the moment.

Janine Rose -- News 12- Westchester:
Human interest and visuals are very important to television coverage. Pitch your feature stories two weeks’ in advance to Daytime Edition; send news about events, walks, etc. to the news assignment editor. Call the day before or the day of your event to re-pitch b because that’s the timeframe for news crew scheduling decisions.

Alex Philippidis – Westchester County Business Journal:
Shape your news to fit its readers: business owners, top managers, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Many of this publication’s readers are already involved in running nonprofit organizations and making financial donations; others are potential donors, board members and allies.

Additional tips:

* Include in all pitches the key messages developed in your strategic communications plan.
* Read, listen and watch the media so you can figure out where your news can best fit: editorial, opinion page, calendar item, news story, feature piece, business story.
* You’ll have a better chance if you tailor your pitch to meet the interests of an individual media’s audience.
* Plan your events strategically so you can build in their news value.
* Peg your organization’s story to current news – community issues, Father’s Day, employment figures, summer vacation, Thanksgiving, etc.
* Write an informative subject line to your email pitch.
* Tell your organization’s story with compelling stories about people.

Susan W. Cole is a board member of ADO and partner in Cole Communications, which has a track record for generating sustained community visibility for not-for-profits and businesses. For more information you can contact her at 914.793.0318 or info@colecommPR.com.