Charity

Let me make some observations about non-profit and charitable groups.  I believe media has a responsibility to help them make the community better.  Regardless of whether they are helping the needy, part of a community's informational campaign, promoting the common good or exposing citizens to the arts, people who promote charitable and non-profit organizations will always have a platform with my show.  Even religious based groups, like a church or faith based needs organization, get run with me, as long as they're not making conversion or mandatory worship a stepping stone to getting aid.

I have worked Community Relations, the position in a radio station which deals with these groups, for over fifteen years.  Here are some helpful tips for people who are tasked to get a charities or non-profits message out to the masses:

• Always have a clear cut single individual whose job is dealing with media, both traditional and on-line.  I understand turnover, but nothing flattens a message faster than a media outlet trying to give an organization some free publicity only to have no luck finding the individual who can make it happen.
• List your media reps information on your website.  Maybe not their direct number, but an e-mail or social media account that's regularly checked.  There are a lot of times where a media outlet might have a last second opening but no way to get in touch with someone until the next work day.  
• Do not prematurely dismiss any potential media outlet.  If you insist on only a certain type of media (newspapers, radio, television, social media) you are missing a major portion of the population who do not use your preferred media source.  Yes it is a lot of work, but it's why media relations is a designated job.
• Do not play favorites.  There is a non-profit in town I was trying to get on air for an interview for three weeks.  They bailed on me the night before every time.  After the third time, I learned they cancelled because they were hoping the media person's favorite radio station would have them on-air.  They cancelled out with me, just so they could go wait in the lobby of her favorite station, hoping to get a chance to promote their event.  They didn't.  I never asked them to come back again.  It's cool to have favorites, we all do, but don't let your own fandom obscure opportunity. 
• Same thing goes for social media.  Don't just focus on the one site you are on most of the time personally. Make sure the message is getting put out on at least four or five social media outlets, the big ones too.  You don't like Facebook or Twitter?  Fine, but most people do.  
• Don't micro niche yourself, and then act like you are working some super algorithm to get the most response.  You're not fooling anyone when you say I didn't want to invite a million people, just 400.
• Be smart about things.  You have 10,000 followers on Instagram.  Great.  The newspaper has near a million readers a day.  You've come up with a cool media awareness crossover opportunity.  Great, make sure you are not taking two good media outlets and only utilizing a small portion of their audience.  You do not list a phone number to call?  Great, but realize the people who use a phone will not call.  Common sense stuff.
• If your argument is "I'll avoid that form of media because only 'old people' use it," realize 'old people' (usually 40 and over) have the most disposable income, and, in some cases, can write nice big checks.  As much as some people hate to admit it, sales is everyone's job.  Getting twenty somethings through the door is nice, but they generally don't pay the bills, and they rarely pay for the wish lists.  Make sure all demographics are being reached.
• If someone signs up for an e-mail newsletter, a twitter feed, a mailing list, ect., they are saying, "I want to find out more about your organization!" Do not be afraid to take advantage of that.  Make sure they are getting informed regularly.  Some people say they don't want the dreaded 'un-follow' or 'un-like,' so they dramatically limit the information sent out.  Most social media "experts" who preach limited dissemination are either A) people who themselves would never sign up to get extra information from anyone in the first place, or B) are too lazy to do their jobs right and are just looking for an excuse to justify their lack of work.  "I'm not failing to get my job done, I'm just ensuring people who are telling us we want to hear more don't hear it." (someone has to start calling out that fallacy)
• If any media outlet calls you up and says I want to talk about _____ event, find someone for them to talk to.  If there is no one available, make it yourself.  Only under the rarest of circumstances should an organization say no.  If you do have to say no, give them five other times you can have someone ready for them to talk to. Considering how many organizations and groups are in the metro, most media will not ask a second time.

These are just a few notes, but these are things I've noticed which cripple a non-profit/charities message.  These suggestions work for the smallest of community groups to the largest of organizations. Trust me, nothing is more frustrating than calling up a group you want to help and running up against staffing issues, favoritism, laziness, apathy and ineptitude.