2012 ORR National Consultation

Transforming Hope into a Brighter Future

Utilizing Mainstream and Social Media to Tell Your Story

Presentation by Project SOAR International Rescue Committee and Nationalities Service Center September 19 th , 2012

Project SOAR provides ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs) and other refugee-serving agencies with technical assistance to develop and deliver quality services and improve sustainability through support to: strengthen organizational management, in areas such as fundraising and governance; improve services, in areas such as project design and case management; and build networks with peer and mainstream agencies. Funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement since 2003, Project SOAR is a partnership of the International Rescue Committee and the Nationalities Service Center.

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Why work with the news media?

• Increased visibility, name recognition, understanding of mission, agency credibility • Raises awareness, public education • Influences policy • Triggers donations

What headlines would you like to see in the news tomorrow about your work / group /organization?

What makes the ?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • Breaking stories Big events Big numbers New twists on ongoing or old news Conflict, controversy and tragedy Success and achievement The bizarre, unique and unusual Interesting, influential, successful & talented people Ordinary people who do extraordinary things Local relevance New statistics, reports, trends and findings Follow-up and analysis of major events Feel good stories / human interest Openings, closings, beginnings and ends

“Good Story” Ingredients

Good news stories contain: • News, Context, Impact and Human Dimension • Journalists look for: A “story within the story” • “Moving stories” that show change and results • Compelling characters and storytellers: dynamic, informed, articulate individuals • Interesting and powerful visuals and audio

How do you get in the news?

Make a Plan

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Create Communications Plan to help you strategize your media outreach efforts

Goal: What is your goal? What will change if you are successful?

• Audience and Message: What key messages does your organization want to communicate? Who are you trying to reach? What stories you could use to communicate this message? Identify media outlets (reporters/blogs/talk show hosts, etc.) that might be best at communicating your key message to the audience you are trying to reach with your story.

Targeted Approach

Publication, Radio/TV Station Contact (Editor/Producer/Reporter) Who will you contact? Can you offer visual/audio?

Things to consider:  Has anyone covered your group/issue in the past? Who are they? How to contact them?  New radio stations?

 Ethnic Radio/TV?

 Local and community newspapers?

 Other?

Generating News Coverage

1. Create a contact list of reporters working on the topic of your organization’s interest (i.e. refugees, immigration, civil rights, etc.) 2. Introduce yourself to local media by sending them a note with your contact information and details about what issues you can speak to for future interviews 3. Offer your/your staff’s expertise for interviews on current topics 4. Invite reporters to your organization’s events 5. List your events and briefings in “daybooks” like the Associated Press Daybook, and in community papers 6. Issue press releases and statements 7. Pitch your great story ideas to reporters via phone and e mail

Create your own media coverage!

Developing Story Ideas

One of the best ways to assure good coverage of your programs is to pitch to

reporters well-developed story ideas.

 Identify the key issue you would like to address or an innovative project that you would like to publicize and then look for the “story within the story.”  Identify interesting and articulate people whom you’re assisting who can help convey your key issues, or whose lives are benefiting from your programs. Identify dynamic staff members who would be good spokespersons.

Get personal! Every refugee has a powerful and moving story to tell.

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Secure permission by beneficiaries for all interviews, videotaping and photographs.

Ensure that the individual knows he or she is talking to a reporter and what it means to be part of a story that might be disseminated locally and globally.

Brief reporters in advance of an interview on relevant cultural issues and sensitivities. Explain what kinds of questions, comments or actions would be insensitive to local cultural values, inappropriate, could expose a beneficiary to humiliation, cause potential danger and retribution or reactivate a his/her pain and grief from traumatic events. Ask the reporter to avoid such lines of questioning. Should a beneficiary volunteer such information, ask a reporter to be cognizant of the implications his/her reportage when using the quotes.

Tips for Successful Interviews

Think Strategically – know what you what you want to say!

• • • Think about three or four key messages, and write them down. For each message: write a short follow-up sentence, using simple and descriptive words.

Think about an interesting story or anecdote to help illustrate your key messages.

Do your research and have facts and figures on hand.

Key Message Story/Anecdote Facts/Figures Possible /Negative Qs • • Try to anticipate the reporter’s questions and have answers in mind. Think about every negative angle and ways to respond positively.

Moving around from the central point to the problem statement, values, and recommended action is a good way to stay on message while following the flow of a normal conversation.

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Tips for Successful Interviews

Stay focused on telling the story that YOU want to tell.

Do not forge it. If you don’t know an answer, say so, don’t guess. You can always tell a reporter that you’ll e-mail more details or exact figures later in the day or you can refer them to someone else.

If you’re asked to speculate or guess, say that you prefer to stick to the facts.

• Avoid acronyms, jargon and NGO-speak. Say your organization’s full name. • Don’t get too chatty. You’ll forget your key messages. Do not say more than you

planned to say or feel comfortable saying.

• Speak slowly, clearly and forcefully. Speak in complete sentences, especially in reply to a question. • Always be courteous and helpful. Be memorable. • If reporters ask questions that make you uncomfortable, stay calm and move the conversation to your key messages.

After the Interview

• • • • • • • Provide reporter with your card. Get the reporter’s contact details and include them in your ever growing media database (if they are not there yet) Give reporter publicity materials that describe your organization Ask if your organization’s web site, phone number, and/or donation information can be included in the article or broadcast Invite follow-up questions Ask for recording of interviews, find out likely publication/broadcast dates Present additional story ideas & invite future cooperation

Multifaceted Media approach

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Produce Your Own Media!

Videos and photo essays Op-eds and commentaries

• • •

Social Media:

Blogs, tweets Facebook, Linked-In Youtube

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Social Media is …

Building relationships Dialogue Information transfer Sharing and engaging

Defining Social Media

Social Media is not….

A panacea for development A one-way flow of information Self-sustaining

Before you get started, get organized!

• • • • • •

Evaluate various social media platforms Define your commitment Define your goals and objectives Create content Define metrics and create social media ROI (Return on Investment) Create a social media policy for your agency

Platform

Facebook  Twitter  LinkedIn  Blogs  Flickr    

Choose your platform

(and many more… ) Type of tool

Community building and social networking Generating buzz Community building and social networking Share your story and participate Share your story.

             

How it works?

Fan count is not as important as fan engagement.

Grow fans on Facebook organically –allow your fans the opportunity to share your content with their friends.

Post content that you would find interesting.

Micro-blogging site.

Post 140 character “tweets.” Best when you have a consistent stream of content and/or daily news.

You can use third party tools to schedule tweets, manage followers, and automatically shorten links!

Employees, volunteers, and board members can connect to the organization.

Group Pages are way to have a dialogue on a particular topic.

Post original content that helps tell your story.

Stories should illustrate what you do – share emotion.

Blogger and WordPress are most popular.                 Media sharing site – lots of photos, some video.

Hold more than 3 billion pictures from 64 million users worldwide.

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Best practices

Post regular content that includes videos, pictures, discussion topic, links, etc.

Invite followers to participate. One to two posts per day.

No spamming!

Find a happy medium with the amount you post each week.

Include shortened links.

NEVER link your Twitter to your Facebook (or vice versa).

Very regular updates. (Tweets have a shelf life of 2-5 minutes.) Retweet (RT) relevant content from other people 100% completed profiles.

All staff and employees have profiles that are linked to your nonprofit.

Manage and monitor who you’re affiliated with.

Regularly post Manage comments.

Make sure you link to your blog on all your social networking sites!

Post pictures from events as soon as they end.

Make sure to use the captions and titles to tell your story.

Post your pictures across your other social media tools.

Comment on relevant photos. Submit photos to relevant groups       

“Ur doin’ It

  

Right”

There’s a reason behind everything you do.

e.g. Recruiting volunteers, highlighting success, etc.

You’re not posting press releases!

You’re thanking and involving community.

You’re posting diverse content.

You’re focused on forming relationships!

You’re encouraging your members, donors, and volunteers to add the Volunteer and Causes Field to their profile.

You have regulars that comment on your posts.

You’re posting comments on relevant blogs in order to participate!

Your followers are tagging your organization in their photos and helping you tell your story. (Case study: Oxfam)

A great social media ‘pin’

POST Method P – People

– Who are your trying to attract as followers?

O – Objectives

– What are you trying to accomplish?

S – Strategy

– What do you need to attached followers

T – Technology

– What tools are the best for you to use to communicate?

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Sample Social Media Plan

Month Message Tool / Delivery Anticipated Outcome

Volunteer job announcement Website link to FB and LinkedIn Short story / mention of current volunteer and their amazing work Volunteer recognition Photo from volunteer recognition event Blurb on FB with feature on website Short video on youtube and linked to Facebook ; interview of our volunteer of the year award recipient Post photos on Flickr and Facebook; tag volunteers in attendance Recruit X number of new volunteers Increase number of FB likes by X

Sample Social Media Plan

How much time should you invest in social media?

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Listening Participating Generating buzz Sharing your story Community building and social networking

Want to share your experiences?

Have questions?

Good luck with telling your story!

More resources on the next page.

For more information, please write to [email protected]

or call 917-332-0810 www.ethniccommunities.org

Resources for further study:

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Resources of project SOAR on Media Communication Strategies:

http://www.ethniccommunities.org/wp content/uploads/2011/09/MediaCommunicationsHandbookSOAR -06.17.09.pdf

Telling Your Story: http://www.ethniccommunities.org/wp content/uploads/2011/09/TellingYourStoryPPT.pdf

• • • • The Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC): http://www.ccmc.org

Care2’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog: www.frogloop.com

Community Media Center: www.communitymediaworkshop.org

Mr. MediaTraining: http://www.mrmediatraining.com