Harry Day, project director, Forster Communications Visit the CharityComms website to view slides from past events, see what events we have coming up and to check out what else we do: www.charitycomms.org.uk

1. Demystifying media
Securing coverage for your cause
Forster Communications 112 July, 2018

2. THE BUILDING BLOCKS:
PROACTIVE PLANNING
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Where to start
• Prioritise: do fewer things better
• News agenda and forward planning
• Key messages
• Clarify objectives
No substitute for knowing the news

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Maximising your content
Content that isn’t necessarily
created for media can be great
• Using case studies – cultivate /
make newsworthy / photos
• Use IP – data, insights, member
views
• Member polls - can be cheap
and easy to do
• Package it up
Bring colleagues with you:
strengthen team objectives by
coordinating

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Wide range of channels – not just nationals
News, opinion, interviews, case studies, etc. How can your story be
tailored / adapted?
Audience need is the driver – what are they reading / subscribing
to?

6. MEDIA RELATIONS &
SELLING IN
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Journalists – the basics

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Journalists – the basics
• Build trust through being helpful, responsive, and delivering
what they need
• Make yourself known
• Briefings or ‘on site’ visits
• Know what motivates them
When calling:
• Do a quick dig
• Don’t appear reluctant
• Get to the point
• If they’re clearly too busy, call back or email
• If they’re really not interested, keep the relationship for another
time

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News releases – Do
• Close as possible to article
• 5 to 8 paragraphs
• Bullet points
• Date and mark
• Contact details
• Include images

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News releases – Don’t
• Advert not story
• Jargon
• Boring quotes
• Unclear
• Too long
• Late
• Call just to ask if they saw it

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Tenacity and hunger is key to media relations

12. NEWSJACKING
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Newsjacking

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Newsjacking
• Hijacking an issue to get your message across
• Reactive media married to goals and ambitions of proactive work
• A flexibility to fit with the agenda
• Blurring the boundary between reactive and planned press
office
• Not defensive…
• Sometimes the time is right – and if you don’t seize it, you could
be left behind
• Speed of the news: need to keep the noise up to ensure you’re
noticed
• Press teams aren’t always structured in the most effective /
opportune way
• Can be very effective for tighter budget / smaller teams

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Preparation, preparation, preparation…
• Messages
• Topics
• How much to reveal,
if building to a bigger
launch
• Keep communication
between and across
teams strong to
ensure no harm to
live workstreams
• Being prepared will
ensure you can move
FAST

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Take the team with you
• Messaging still
has to be on
point
• Cultural change
• Prep
• R&R
• Tone
• Different
workstreams and
ownership
• Ensure sign off
process clear

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Sometimes ‘No’ is the right answer

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Sometimes ‘No’ is the right answer
• Ensure there is clarity on who needs to confirm a go-ahead – this
should be mapped by issue in advance
• Fleet of foot is different from riding roughshod over existing
strategy
• No is the right answer sometimes - both in the organisation and to
your pitch to be included
• Don’t always expect immediate results

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Newsjacking checklist
• Is it the right issue?
• Have the risks been
considered?
• Do the opportunities outweigh
the risks?
• Can you get the content ready?
• Have you got buy in?

20. PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
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Letters to Editor

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Securing comment

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Women’s Aid and Love Island

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Save the Children: Rail strikes and Syria

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Being bold can pay off

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Summary
• No substitute for knowing the news
• Be prepared so you can move swiftly
• Know your audience
• Tenacity and hunger
• Not always exact science – enjoy the buzz!

27. Forster Communications
+44 (0)20 7403 2230
www.forster.co.uk
@Forster_Comms
Thank you
12 July, 2018 Forster Communications 27
Harry Day
harry@forster.co.uk

28. 11 July 2018
London
#CCsmallcharity
Small charities
communications
conference

29. Visit the CharityComms
website to view slides from
past events, see what events
we have coming up and to
check out what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk