Grass Roots Media Relations &
Social Media for the
Small Non-Profit
Ft. Worth PRSA 2011 Community Service Project
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Nancy Farrar, Moderator
Gigi Westerman, APR
Sandra Brodnicki, APR
Richie Escovedo

Practical Things about Media
Relations Every Non-Profit
Should Know
Secrets to Effective
Storytelling
Steps to Non-Profit
Social Media Prowess

Practical Things about Media
Relations Every Non-Profit
Should Know
1. What is media relations?
2. Always be truthful -- and never “over-hype”
Flowery language, superlatives, “first-ever,”
“world’s first.”
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write
‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be
just as it should be.” - Mark Twain.
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Practical Things about Media
Relations Every Non-Profit
Should Know
3. Be consistent in “who you are”
What’s your brand?
What are your messages?
What’s your boilerplate?
4. Know your audience. Know the medium.
Who do you want to reach?
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Practical Things about Media
Relations Every Non-Profit
Should Know
5. Be helpful. You will be rewarded.
Media relations is about – relating
6. Timing is everything
Deadlines, breaking news, holidays, milestones
7. Be prepared to share your story using press
releases, pitches and other PR tools effectively
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Secrets to Effective
Storytelling
1. Storytelling is an Art
“A story is a fact, wrapped in an emotion that compels
us to take an action that transforms our world.” -- The
Elements of Persuasion - Maxwell & Dickman.
2. Know The Moral To Your Story
You can’t score if there is no goal line.
3. Make it Relevant
Timeliness. Trends. Stats. Humans. Successes.
Emotion.
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Secrets to Effective
Storytelling
4. Dig Deep
Mining for gold takes time, creativity and commitment.
5. Prepackaging Sells More Stories
Make it easy - concepts, facts, interview-ready sources.
6. Who Loves You Baby?
Find and nurture your Army of Advocates.
7. Tell it to the Dog
Practice. Tweak. Practice.
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Additional Resources
● The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to
Pitch Better, Sell Faster & Win More Business
Richard Maxwell, Robert Dickman
● How Come No One Knows About Us? The
Ultimate Public Relations Guide: Tactics Anyone
Can Use to Win High Visibility
Robert Deigh
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Steps to Non-Profit Social
Media Prowess
1. Grow Bigger Ears
Listen and monitor the conversation
2. Personality as an Asset
It's ok (and a good idea) to human
3. Storytelling in the Social Sphere
Tell your story otherwise someone else will
4. Don’t re-create the Wheel
See what's working for others and follow their lead
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Steps to Non-Profit Social
Media Prowess
5. Do Create the Reel
Video is a powerful storytelling device
6. Be Your Own Newsroom
Communicate directly with your audience
7. Learn from and Adapt to Change
Social media can be a moving target
BONUS TIP: Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Nancy Farrar, Moderator | Gigi Westerman, APR | Sandra Brodnicki, APR | Richie Escovedo

Contact:
Nancy Farrar - nancyfarrar@att.net
Gigi Westerman, APR - gigi@strategicimage.com
Sandra Brodnicki, APR - sandra@brodnickipr.com
Richie Escovedo - @vedo | http://nextcommunications.blogspot.com