Loading...

8 ideas for public relations mastery

There’s an old saying that the truth will set you free. If only it were that simple.

We all want to believe that countering negative press with rational explanations alone is all we have to do. But as David Fenton and Lisa Chen explained in “Nonprofit 101,” this simply isn’t the case.

Public relations remain an important factor in the nonprofit sector. Whether it’s getting attention for your cause or fighting off inaccurate coverage, organizations need to have an effective communications campaign. Not sure how to begin? But as David Fenton and Lisa Chen explained in “Nonprofit 101,” there are eight core public relations elements to get your points across:

  • Tell unforgettable stories: Stories work because we’re hardwired to remember them.
  • Meet people where they are – then bring them along: Before you can take people where you want them to go on your issue, you must first find common ground.
  • Repeat yourself: Without repetition, stories don’t stick.
  • Build relationships of trust with reporters: No matter how fair-minded the journalist, if you know them, and do a good job, your clients and causes get more attention.
  • Simplify your issue: Nonprofit work can be complicated. Simplify it so the public understands.
  • Harness influential messengers: Sometimes the messenger is as important as the message.
  • Use advertising to make news: Advertising is cheaper than you think; use it to let the public know about breaking news within your organization.
  • Don’t let the opposition control the conversation: Hoping negative publicity will simply go away is never a good PR strategy.