Power of Storytelling

News Media and Social Media Tips

Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust

Keynote Speaker: Nicole Carroll, USA TODAY Editor in Chief

Media Panel: Alvie Lindsay, IndyStar

Lindsey Erdody, Indianapolis Business Journal

Sarah Neal-Estes, WFYI Indianapolis

Ruthanne Gordon, FOX59/CBS4

Allison Carter, IndyStar

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A Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Learning Event

News Media

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Six ways to make a story powerful: SIMPLICITY – Don’t try to convey too many messages at once

EMOTION – Good stories will evoke emotion: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness or surprise

HUMANITY – Show vulnerability; what makes us human?

PASSION – Don’t be afraid to convey the passion that drives you as the storyteller or your story subjects

TRUTH – Seek the truth; spread the truth

RELEVANCE – Identify the universal truth; what one thing will everyone relate to in the story?

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Effective storytelling

PERSONAL – Establish a relationship with media contacts. Call them, take them to coffee. Help them put a face to that email address. Find out their needs so you can be a resource for them, too.

EFFECTIVE - Email is still the most effective way to contact the media.

TARGETED - Direct your email to the right person. Avoid sending the same press release or pitch to numerous people within the same news organization. Research who the best reporter/editor/producer is for the story you want to tell. If you don’t know, ask the news outlet or colleagues in your industry.

FOLLOW UP – Be sure to follow a pitch with a phone call to ensure receipt and reinforce the news value of your pitch.

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Tips from the panelists

RESTRAINT – On the flip side: don’t follow up too aggressively. If you’ve made your pitch and placed a follow-up call, then your message has likely been received. Media receive hordes of pitches daily; it’s sometimes impossible to reply to every declined story idea. If they’re interested in the story, they’ll get back with you. Be patient.

RESPONSIVE – “I’ll get back to you by the end of the day” is no longer a suitable response to a media inquiry. Stories go live online within minutes or hours of breaking news. Be prepared to respond not just promptly, but immediately to a media call.

PEOPLE – The media wants to report on people, not programs. Help reporters tell the story of the people who will be helped; the program details will follow.

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Tips from the panelists

VISUAL – Identify strong images to help tell your story. Let television producers know the visuals and action they can capture; choose interview locations with visuals in mind. Find out whether the news outlet you’re working with accepts provided photos and video or prefers to shoot their own.

PRESENCE – Keep your website current and information packed. If your website isn’t compelling or helpful, reporters will move on to other potential sources.

TIMING – In general, the more lead time, the better. Editors and producers can note your event in their planning calendars, then you can follow up as the event draws nearer. Note: long-lead publications, such as print magazines, should be pitched four to six months in advance.

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Tips from the panelists

SOCIAL – Increasingly, reporters and editors scan social media for stories of interest. Connect with your media contacts on social media. Keep your social media content fresh and engaging.

EMOTION – “Just the facts” press releases are a thing of the past. Yes, press releases should still be fact-driven and free of hyperbole, but they should also be infused with the emotional component of the story you’re telling.

“Press releases need both – facts and emotion. Facts can be incredibly emotional. Show versus tell. Make me feel it.”

– Nicole Carroll, USA TODAY

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Tips from the panelists

Social Media

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Which platforms are for you?

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Platforms

A simpler explanation…

Consistency is key. Post high-quality content (up to) several times a day, stay in contact one-on-one with loyal supporters and be active in your campaigns.

Be mindful of your tone.Stay consistent with your brand. Decide on your tone and stick to it whenever communicating with your audience.

Showcase impact.Be clear about where the money goes. What does a dollar achieve? If it’s a notebook and a pen for a child in need, show that.

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Social media tips for nonprofits

Connect with your audience.Build authentic and genuine relationships with your online audience and make your content as personal as possible.

Don’t forget about the call to action (CTA). Always include a clear CTA when posting (e.g. donate, like, visit our website).

Provide quality visual content.A little editing goes a long way, even if it’s just using Instagram filters.

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Social media tips for nonprofits

Put it in motion.Video is still hot on social media, but expertly produced film is not required. Here’s a beginner’s guide from the New York Times. Also, try out Instagram Stories, which has 250 million daily users – that’s 80 million more than Snapchat.

Polish your profile.Finally, do a little housekeeping to improve your social media profile across all the platforms you use. These tips from Hootsuite apply to all social media users – nonprofits, businesses and individuals alike.

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Social media tips for nonprofits