June 2001 - Want to Publicize Your Volunteer Stories?

By Anne Mazurowski (3M)

"Psychic income" is the payback you get when you give. That"s how Neal St. Anthony, Minneapolis Star Tribune "On Business" columnist, described volunteerism at the CVC Professional Development Series session on May 22, 2001. Sporting a colorful "faces" tie, St. Anthony spoke to 30 attendees on "Writing to Get Your Volunteer Program Noticed!" DeeDee Rauchbauer and Land O"Lakes hosted the luncheon.

St. Anthony applauded corporate volunteerism and the local corporate executives who were pioneers in community involvement. He"s particularly pleased with the movement to "democratize giving" so employees at every level of a sponsoring company"s matching gift or dollars-for-doers program may participate.

He offered the following advice on getting your story published:

Publicity for Good Works

Do:

• Remember there"s no science to getting your story published. It"s very subjective.
• Build relations with local media.
• Tailor your story to the media.
• Remember to target newsletters, local newspapers, local TV. TV is the most compelling medium for human-interest stories.
• Humanize your volunteer efforts. For example, share the story of an employee who benefited from volunteerism him or herself and now volunteers to help people in the same situation.

Press Releases

Do:

• Include the basics: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
• Share how the program is unique.
• Make it one page. If you"re promoting the program to employees or retirees, whatever they need to know is most likely sufficient for the press release.
• Send a fact sheet to support the press release.
• Have written quotes from recipients. Remember to have approval from those quoted. In the case of youth, obtain permission from parent or school.
• Provide collateral materials and prepare people for quotes if a reporter is hooked and ready to reel in.

Don't:

• Blow your budget on a full-blown press kit.
• Send too much information - it can be intimidating.

Story Pitches to Newspaper Reporters

Do:

• Remember there"s a natural competition between newspapers - each likes to be first!
• Tell reporters who and how many reporters you"ve approached with the story.
• Advise the reporter if the story has already appeared in an earlier edition of the paper or in another section - even if it was an entirely different format.
• Give plenty of lead time.

Don"t:

• Send a copy of an article from one paper to the other, and say "Hey, why can"t you print this, too?"
• Pitch your story to every newspaper. Reporters are less interested.

Placement in Newspapers

Do:

• Think about where you"d like to see your story featured. As a feature story? In a faith/values section? Or is it advantageous to be on the business page? St. Anthony suggests that it depends on the activity. If your organization has just been recognized by a national or international organization as leader in the field, you may be able to sell it to the business page. If it"s an interesting story about an individual, it may appear in the other sections.

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