“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.
”
May 2018 / Vol. 16, No. 5
Some of What’s Inside…
Chatbot, anyone?.............................. p. 2
Shape your communications budget... p. 3
Share your speakers series................. p. 4
Align your mission and your market....p. 5
User-friendly photo galleries............. p. 6
The value of press release archives.... p. 7
Share your community impact.......... p. 8
Ten Budget-Stretching Ideas
If yours is like the majority of
nonprofits, budgets are far tighter than
you’d like. Here are 10 ideas to help
stretch your communiucations budget:
1. Get all the free publicity you can
from news media.
2. Feature announcements on your
website; link to news releases, flyers
and printable event posters.
3. Include news and service updates in
invoices and mailings.
4. Reduce your annual report’s size
and mailing list; post it online.
5. Reduce two-sided brochures to one-
panel cards.
6. Develop PSAs for radio and TV;
recruit high school and/or college
students to help with production.
7. Ask newsletter subscribers for
e-mail addresses to send them PDFs
rather than mail them hard copies.
8. Recruit volunteers to deliver event
flyers to local businesses.
9. Send information to church bulletin
editors, asking them to reprint and
post it.
10. Send e-mail notices to supporters
with a note to forward to their
contacts.
Speech Writing Tips
■■ Begin with the end of your speech
first. What final thought do you want
to leave with your audience? Write
that concluding statement first.
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018
— Emily Dickenson
Public Relations
Authenticity’s Role in Public Relations
By Megan Venzin
How does the public perceive your organization’s work? The people who read your
monthly newsletter, members of the local media and Twitter followers all look to your
organization as a resource. When these audiences turn to you in times of need, you
must meet them with solutions that are clear, mission-driven and authentic.
“A lot of nonprofits have fallen prey to the myth that successful public relations
is entirely dependent on getting their name in the newspaper,” says Hernán
Rozemberg, former journalist and currently external affairs coordinator for the
Alamo Area Council of Governments in San Antonio, TX. “Public relations starts
from a philosophical foundation — one that is fully aligned with an organization’s
mission and goals. Only after their ‘house is in order’ can nonprofits apply public
relations to propel their cause.”
At the heart of any strong PR strategy is a consistent and authentic voice.
Many small- to mid-sized nonprofits don’t have the resources available to maintain
their own PR department, but thankfully, authenticity is achievable even when staff
is shorthanded.
Here are some ways to incorporate PR authenticity into your outreach:
1. Engage on relevant social media channels. “It’s a mistake to assume that ‘social
media strategy’ means having an account on every platform,” Rozemberg says.
“Think about your audience and the platforms they use. Then determine how to
engage in ways that tie back to the mission of your organization.”
2. Avoid blatant fundraising. “A successful PR strategy should be focused on
communication, not fundraising,” Rozemberg says. “Asking for money too
often inhibits your ability to make lasting connections and can eventually cause
audiences to become wary of your organization.”
3. Tell good stories. “Instead of talking about numbers or monetary needs, tell human-
oriented stories that showcase the exciting innerworkings of your organization,”
Rozemberg says. “Very often I read press releases that are boring and lack
personality. Make the spirit of your nonprofit shine through in every headline, and
don’t forget to highlight the people who benefit most from your efforts.”
4. Show off a sense of humor. “People fear that humor distracts from
professionalism, but when used correctly, it can positively amplify a nonprofit’s
passions,” Rozemberg says. “We’re seeing this here in the San Antonio area
where a police department is broadcasting lighthearted public safety videos that
have consequently garnered attention from local media. As it turns out, the
public loves the officers’ engaging attitudes.”
5. Be transparent. “Most nonprofits are clueless when it comes to handling crisis
communications,” Rozemberg says. “It’s important to have a plan in place for
those times when you get hit with bad news. Be transparent and go to your
affected audiences before the media. Always strive to be the most trusted source.”
Source: Hernán Rozemberg, External Affairs Coordinator, Alamo Area Council of
Governments, San Antonio, TX. Phone (210) 362-5203. E-mail: hrozemburg@aacog.com.
Website: www.aacog.com
Useful Grammar Websites
https://brians.wsu.edu/common-errors/
— Common Errors in English — a
lengthy list of common English errors,
all arranged in straightforward
alphabetical order with cross
references compiled by Professor Paul
Brians, Washington State University
(Pullman, WA).
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/
Writing/ — Guide to Grammar and
Style — a “miscellany of grammatical
rules and explanations, comments on
style, and suggestions on usage” put
together by Jack Lynch, professor
and chair of the English Department
in the Newark College of Arts &
Sciences at Rutgers University (New
Brunswick, NJ).
http://www.ef.edu/english-resources/
english-grammar/ — English
Grammar Guide — a complete
English grammar guide filled with the
rules of English usage from EF
Education First Ltd.
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2 Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com
Emerging Technology
Chatbot, Anyone?
People say robots will take over the world. While machinery hasn’t enslaved
mankind just yet, there’s no denying that technology is advancing, and quickly.
Tasks that were once performed only by humans are now optimized, automated and
completed significantly faster by strings of code. Many of today’s digital helpers are
programmed to behave like humans, too, mimicking thought processes, interactions
and even emotions.
Take Woebot, for example, a mental health chatbot via Facebook Messenger
that is designed to help those struggling with anxiety and depression. Programmed
with real therapy data, Woebot is equipped to provide resources or “an ear” to
users in need. Utilizing decision trees, the chatbot learns as the conversation
progresses, allowing it to make clinical decisions based on the user’s questions and
responses.
“For nonprofits, chatbots can be especially advantageous because their very
purpose is to stay connected, simulate conversation and minimize human
intervention,” says Marketing Manager for Ologie (Columbus, OH) Chelsea Castle.
“This technology can be a great asset for many, but it should never replace a
human.”
Castle shares advice for implementing and utilizing chatbot technology:
How can chatbots benefit nonprofits and their audiences?
“A nonprofit could use a bot to answer any sort of question related to the
organization and its mission. It could provide fundraising tips, details on programs
or services, requests to learn more, event or e-mail sign-ups, schedule a meeting or
appointment, or solicit fundraising donations. Anytime an organization implements
a chatbot, they’re inevitably improving their operations by reallocating resources
that would have previously been spent on the needs that the chatbot is now fulfilling
and improving.”
What are the first steps in launching a successful chatbot?
“Gather the right team members and stakeholders to ensure you have the time,
budget and governance to start a chatbot. Do you have the manpower, time
and money to create and program the bot? Who is in charge of maintaining
these efforts? Research other chatbots to see what works and what doesn’t, and
then start small. Begin with low-impact testing and monitor audience
engagement. This could be as simple as programming the bot to handle all
FAQs. Try it out, track and measure the response against your goals, evaluate
and iterate.”
What obstacles might chatbots pose?
“Some bots have statistically shown poor retention because they aren’t always able
to keep the user engaged further than the first two messages. Remember, a bot gone
wrong can cause major brand and reputation issues or backlash. Users are likely to
disengage from a brand completely after a bad experience.”
What traits do great chatbots possess?
“What makes a chatbot ‘great’ will likely be different depending on its use, purpose
and the brand it represents. However, engagement capabilities should always be a
top priority. Bots should be branded with a nonprofit’s style, tone and voice. I’d
suggest A/B testing different bot ‘personalities’ to determine what ‘voice’ audiences
prefer. The source content should be edited thoroughly and be clean of errors to
ensure questions are answered accurately. Users should know they’re talking to a
computer versus a real human and redirection to a living counterpart should be
simple if the bot is unable to meet their needs.”
Source: Chelsea Castle, Marketing Manager, Ologie, Columbus, OH. Phone (614) 221-1107.
E-mail: ccastle@ologie.com. Website: www.ologie.com
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR
 Communications Budgets Eight Ways to Improve Your SEO
How to Shape Your Communications Budget By Yvette Boysen

By Megan Venzin Search engine optimization is crucial if

you want your organization to appear
Is your annual budget missing a line item for communications-related costs? If the
high in a Google search.
answer is, “Yes,” you’re not alone. According to Nonprofit Marketing Guide’s 2017
Because many users only view the first
Nonprofit Communications Trends Report, 26 percent of nonprofits say they have
page of results, Laura Packard, a partner at
no specific budget set aside for communications, with 19 percent reporting that they
PowerThru Consulting (Las Vegas, NV),
find money reactively to fulfill communications needs and 9 percent spending little
says doing what you can to boost your
to nothing on communications beyond employee salaries.
website’s SEO ranking is crucial.
“Lots of communications work is done in service to other work, such as
She offers eight tips:
event planning or development, and that confusion can lead to a
misunderstanding of who has control over certain funds,” says Founder and 1. Content. It all begins here. Quality
CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide (Lexington, NC) Kivi Leroux Miller. “A information is a must for any website
larger conversation needs to take place in which communications teams wanting to do well in an Internet
determine what is covered by their budget and what expenses fall into another search. “Search engines want to
department’s camp.” satisfy their customers,” Packard
Once you’ve clarified who is paying for what, then you can start building a says. “They will show quality content
budget that you control. Miller offers tips to help you shape your much higher than poor content — if
communications budget: poor content even shows up at all —
because they want searchers to find
1. Allocate expenses. Costs associated with website hosting, CRM systems,
what they are looking for.”
design work and printing may be carried by communications departments
even when their use is widespread. “You really have to ask who is carrying 2. Organization. Take time to organize
the brunt of these expenses,” Miller says. “Get basic tech squared away your content.
first and then assign a relevant list of expenses to the communications 3. Keywords. Include keywords on
budget.” each page. Of course, you’ll want
these keywords to appear in the
2. Push for a line item. “If you’re part of the 26 percent of nonprofits who have no body of your text, but don’t forget
line item for a communications budget, it’s time to insert yourself within your page titles and headers, as well.
organization’s decision-making process,” Miller says. “For the three quarters
4. Plugins. Packard says you may want
who do have a budget, make a case to grow that item over time.”
to consider a website plugin, as
3. Identify gaps. “At some point your nonprofit will need access to professional some boost your SEO ranking. An
skills that your staff does not possess,” Miller says. “Setting aside a portion of example of a WordPress plugin is
your budget to hire freelancers to complete design work or other specialized yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/.
tasks is always a good idea.” 5. Links. Again, quality matters. So,
4. Scrape for social. “Save for marketing efforts that help you reach wider without skimping on quality, secure
audiences, such as Facebook Ads,” Miller says. “Today, Facebook is more of a as many links to your website as
pay-to-play service and that extra $20 a month is more likely to raise awareness possible. The linked text should also
than organic reach alone.” feature your keywords.
6. Indexing. It’s important for Google
5. Allow for upgrades. “You need access to software that will allow you to to index your entire site, but first
customize your communications long-term, and I’m not talking about free you must notify them about your
versions of MailChimp,” Miller says. “Spending a little more on better solutions website. Using a sitemap helps to
will have you save time and money in the long run.” ensure Google is aware of all of
your content. To learn more, visit
www.google.com/webmasters.
7. Patience. Increasing your SEO ranking
doesn’t occur overnight. Be patient,
and you’ll likely see results over time.
8. Avoid tricks. Packard stresses the
importance of only using ethical
strategies. “Black hat tricks” backfire,
and she says Google will either
penalize your site or delist it altogether.
Source: Kivi Leroux Miller, Founder and CEO, Nonprofit Marketing Guide, Lexington, NC.
Phone (336) 870-0251. E-mail: kivi@nonprofitmarketingguide.com. Website: www. Source: Laura Packard, Partner, PowerThru
nonprofitmarketingguide.com Consulting, Las Vegas, NV. Phone (202) 525-
7697. E-mail: laura@powerthruconsulting.
com. Website: www.powerthruconsulting.com
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 3

Internal Communications
Reinforce Your Organization’s
Internal Communications Strategy
Do your employees speak highly of your organization and the
services that you offer? When staff demonstrate an inability to
accurately convey your breadth of work to supporters, or even
worse, if you’re seeing a decrease in business, then it may be
time to revisit your internal communications strategy.
“Organizations are finding today that internal messages need
to be more than just educational — they need to be inspirational
as well,” says President of Springboard Brand and Creative
Strategy, Ltd. (Arlington Heights, IL) Rob Rosenberg. “We’ve
entered a new era of accountability in which internal staff
members and stakeholders are expected to be engaged with, and
speak positively of, their organizations.” When staff members
feel strongly about the brand to which they are connected, they
are more likely to endorse the associated product or service. This
endorsement leads to increased engagement and referrals, which
ultimately triggers a financial benefit for the organization bearing
a strong internal communications strategy.
Rosenberg offers steps for reinforcing positive internal
communications:
1. Host internal focus groups. “These intentional
conversations will reveal how your brand is perceived
internally, and the findings should be incorporated into
the planning phase of your brand’s development,”
Rosenberg says. “Organize a roundtable lunch with
employees to ask them about what your brand stands for
and areas for improvement.”
2. Develop inspirational tools. “You’ll need more than a
welcome e-mail and logo tee to get staff excited about
your mission,” Rosenberg says. “Develop tools that both
educate and inspire workers to feel good about their
involvement, such as coffee-table-style ‘brand books,’
testimonial videos and other materials that solicit
emotional responses.”
3. Educate stakeholders. “If employees fail to grasp the
depth or breadth of your organization, then you must
strategically begin to educate constituents on all facets of
your work,” Rosenberg says. “Fill in gaps by
strengthening your own internal messages to help staff
members fully understand what your work entails.”
4. Foster connections. “Take it upon yourself to create
connections between employees and their counterparts,”
Rosenberg says. “Doing so will drive loyalty, strengthen
bonds and allow everyone to find themselves on the same
page, working together toward centralized goals.”
5. Take internal communications seriously. “Instead of treating
internal communications like an afterthought, think about
it as a pivotal part of your brand,” Rosenberg says. “If
your organization is seeking to strengthen their presence in
the marketplace, all staff members should be fully aware of
this fact and be working in tandem to drive progress.”
Source: Rob Rosenberg, President, Springboard Brand and Creative
Strategy, Ltd., Arlington Heights, IL. Phone (847) 398-4920. E-mail:
rob@springboardbrand.com. Website: www.springboardbrand.com
4 Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com
Ideas Worth Pursuing
Share Your Speaker Series
Through Apple Podcasts
Aquarium of the Pacific’s (Long Beach, CA) educational
lectures reach far beyond the doors of its Ocean Theater.
Each year the aquarium hosts 30 to 50 onsite lectures
through its guest speaker series. These lectures, as well as
brief interviews with the speakers called Aquacasts, are
recorded, uploaded and available for streaming on its
website and for listening on Apple Podcasts.
“Providing the lectures and Aquacasts via the Apple
Podcasts platform allows us to reach a broader audience,
including those who might not ever have the chance to
visit the aquarium in Long Beach, CA,” explains Claire
Atkinson, senior manager of communications. “It is an
easy way for ocean education to be distributed widely to
anyone around the world with an Internet connection.”
The aquarium currently has two podcast channels,
one for its lectures (itunes.apple.com/us/artist/aquarium-
of-the-pacific/1280589301?mt=2) and one for its
Aquacasts (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/aquarium-of-
the-pacific-aquacast/id120406449?mt=2). Atkinson says
the goal is to merge the two channels, making all content
available through one feed.
Here’s how it works: The lectures, which typically
focus on conservation and sustainability, last
approximately 60 minutes, followed by a time for questions
and answers. The aquarium’s audio-visual staff records the
lecture on high-definition cameras. After post-production,
the video is uploaded to an Amazon server, and the
streaming video is then embedded on the aquarium’s
website (www.aquariumofpacific.org/multimedia/lecture_
archive). From there, the file is automatically connected to
Apple Podcast via an XML feed.
Currently, through each of the podcast channels,
users are able to access files dating back to 2010 when the
aquarium first began offering online content through
iTunes U. (iTunes U no longer features this type of
content.)
The aquarium’s most popular podcast in 2017 was
downloaded more than 1,300 times, and its most popular
episode was downloaded approximately 150 times.
Approximately 56 percent of the aquarium’s podcast
activity in 2017 came from the United States. However,
they reached listeners throughout the world, with 8
percent coming from the United Kingdom, nearly 7
percent from China and approximately 3 percent from
Australia and Canada.
“Offering these lectures has helped elevate our status
as not only an aquarium but also a state-of-the-art, free-
choice learning institution where people can come to
learn the latest science on many of the issues facing our
planet,” Atkinson says. “We are now sought out by
authors, scientists and others who want to share their
work and knowledge with the public.”
Source: Claire Atkinson, Senior Manager of Communications,
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA. Phone (562) 951-
1678. E-mail: catkinson@lbaop.org. Website: www.lbaop.org
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR
 Unifying Your Brand Nurture Connection Between
Align Your Mission and Your Market PR, Development Staff
The receptionist at a nonprofit is responsible for more than just answering phone calls Communications staff and development
with a friendly smile. He or she is also an extension of the organization’s brand. If the per- departments must work closely with
son at the front desk lacks an understanding of how his or her role ties back to the non- each other for a nonprofit to succeed.
profit’s mission, this indicates miscommunication. When nonprofits struggle to communi- However, PR staff should look beyond
cate internally, it becomes harder for them to accurately convey who they are and why they development’s specific needs (e.g., giving
exist. society brochures, special event flyers,
“Every institution struggles to connect the day-to-day actions back to their annual reports) and feel welcome to
mission,” says David Thiel, assistant head of the school for strategy and planning at share strategies and ideas as well.
Deerfield Academy (Deerfield, MA). “Nonprofits must examine their output — To encourage a positive give-and-
whether it be programs, projects or policies — to determine how all of the pieces fit take relationship between departments:
together to serve a specific audience.” Once a clear picture comes into focus, only then 1. Work together; invite involvement.
can organizations align their mission with their market. Place a development staff’s donors
“If you have to ask yourself why your organization does something a certain way, on a PR committee. Get community
that’s the first step in questioning this notion of alignment,” Thiel says. “When the answer relations staff involved on
amounts to, ‘Because we did it this way last year,’ then it’s time to address the disconnect. development committees. Share
If your organization doesn’t understand its current intentions, that’s a big red flag.” In each other’s strengths whenever and
order to streamline the alignment process, Thiel suggests examining how these three pillars wherever possible.
tie back to the nonprofit’s mission: 2. Promote yourself.
1. Strategic plan. A nonprofit’s strategy encompasses their mission, vision, objectives Members of both departments
and tactics. It is the externally focused link between the organization and its market should join clubs and service
(competitive forces, customers, negotiating power of employees and suppliers). groups, sharing passion for their
2. Culture. Cultural alignment allows nonprofits to manage their internal nonprofit in meetings and
environment. “Nonprofits with cultural alignment regularly discuss their core elsewhere.
values and ensure that these are reinforced in the behaviors of people who work 3. Recognize, recognize, recognize.
there,” Thiel says. “When behaviors are repeated consistently, they have a way of Creatively acknowledge donors in
becoming policy. So, it’s critical to make sure they support the overall mission.” newsletters, donor displays, thank-
3. Brand. Your brand is not just your logo and your tagline — it’s also the people, you ads, banners, posters, meetings,
attitude and perceptions connected to your nonprofit. “Brand is the thing that personal notes, news releases, etc.
links strategy to culture, while supporting both,” Thiel says. 4. Gather and share feedback.
Whatever the source, whether
Successful nonprofits recognize the horizontal relationship between these
positive or negative, share feedback
frameworks. “Imagine these three pillars are the drummer, the bass player and the
with each other. Select community
guitarist in a band,” Thiel says. “Many organizations make the mistake of perfect-
members to meet regularly to
ing the drum line before considering how the guitar riffs will contribute to the song.
discuss and share feedback and look
Just like a fine-tuned band, focused nonprofits understand how strategy, culture and
for ways to improve your image.
brand work together to support one mission.”
5. Begin charity efforts at home.
Source: David Thiel, Assistant Head of School for Strategy and Planning, Deerfield Academy, Ask your department’s staff, board
Deerfield, MA. Phone (413) 774-1878. E-mail: dthiel@deerfield.edu. Website: www.deerfield.edu members and volunteers to support
in-house special events, campaigns
Increase Contact With Supporters and fundraisers. Applaud their
support through newsletters, ads,
Seek E-Mail Addresses From Newsletter Recipients photos, annual reports and more.
Are you considering offering an electronic newsletter to donors, constituents or 6. Develop a team spirit.
other key audiences soon? Now’s the time to start gathering e-mail addresses. Work through disagreements.
Even if you plan to keep sending traditional paper newsletters through regular Always speak positively of one
mail, gathering e-mail addresses for those on your mailing list is a good idea. You another to the community and co-
could use e-mails to test online solicitations and newsletters or as a means to invite workers. Share key communications
supporters to special events. pieces, such as news releases and
Here are three ways to start gathering e-mail addresses: quarterly reports, with each other.
Meet regularly. Thank each other
1. Include a call to action in your current newsletter to send an e-mail to be entered in
often for mutual support.
a contest, seek important information — or better yet, receive a free gift.
7. Cross-market each other.
2. When registering people for special events or fundraisers, ask for their e-mail
Use marketing newsletters to
addresses as well.
promote fundraising efforts and
3. On your website, prominently feature a button that says, “Yes, I want to get the showcase positive PR stories in
latest information by e-mail,” that links to a simple sign-up form. donor publications.
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 5
Consider Creative Outdoor
Advertising Options
Outdoor or out-of-home advertising is
not limited to billboards. Visiting with
an outdoor advertising firm
representative to learn more about how
to promote your programs, mission or
events is time well spent.
In your meeting:
❏❏ Learn about all available options. In
addition to traditional billboards,
outdoor advertising can include bus
benches, subway stations and trains,
as well as digital billboards that allow
you to easily switch art and copy.
❏❏ Ask about the newest mobile trends. Bi-
cycle- and motorized-scooter-powered
displays, Segways, vehicle wraps, sail-
boat sails and large inflatable balloons
with your logo and message are a few
attention-getting possibilities. These
options also let you target specific
areas and high-traffic times.
❏❏ Think — literally — on the outside of
the box. Advertising can be printed
on pizza boxes, coffee cups, posters
inside grocery stores and gas
stations, and on shopping cart
panels. You may not have considered
such lesser-known avenues, but your
advertising specialist can direct you
to such creative options.
❏❏ Consider human billboards. Sandwich
board advertising has been effective for
decades, but now your message can be
backlit and colorful. You can spread
the word in large crowds like concerts
and sporting events, or put your team
on any busy street corner, along with
your brochures or flyers.
❏❏ Make your message sky-high.
Building illumination and large-
format projection can get your name
in lights and in unusual places, and
as large as 300 feet. Create a buzz in
a big way using this technique that
often creates an advertising space
where none existed.
❏❏ Use a combination of techniques.
Bicycle billboards and print ads on
recyclable coffee cups to advertise a
charity bike ride, a pizza box appeal
and shopping cart ad to fill your
food pantry are examples of ways to
combine strategies and enhance your
message with a targeted audience.
Ask your consultant to help you
make the most of available options.
6 Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com
Sharing Visually
Make Your Website Photo Gallery Easy to Locate, Navigate
Affordable and sometimes free software can help you build a fully functioning and
interactive photo gallery on your organization’s website, but properly categorizing
pictures of your events and activities will make them easier for visitors to find and
enjoy. To accomplish this:
1. Build a navigation tab for photos. Some website visitors look specifically for
photographs to give them an idea of your activities. Make it easy for them to go
directly to a photo page from your home page.
2. Link photo albums to your events calendar. If you have an at-a-glance calendar
on your website with both past and upcoming activities listed, make the event
name a hyperlink to any photo gallery that corresponds to that date. Visitors
can access pictures of that event by clicking that date.
3. Categorize your albums by groups of people. Listings for staff, board, volunteer
committee leaders and event chairs are just a few types of categories you could
feature in your online photo album. Showcase volunteers in an online photo
album that shows them engaged in activities or events that may be featured in
other albums, but offers specific context.
4. Group photos by activity. Make a separate photo album for every activity worthy
of photographing and clearly identify it (e.g., January Scholarship Recipients or
March 2011 Service Awards) to save browsers from endless searches and page-
loading times.
5. Keep all photo album links and galleries on one page. Your photo navigation tab
will ideally direct traffic to a page with all albums organized by date, event and
category. Allow visitors to click on the gallery they choose to see all photos of
that activity.
6. Publish your albums on your social media pages. Photos that may not work on
your website may be ideal for more casual social media, such as your
organization’s fan page on Facebook (www.facebook.com). Also, using different
pictures on your formal website and in social forums offers you different ways
to attract diverse audiences.
Volunteer Engagement
Assemble a Public Relations Advisory Committee
A volunteer public relations advisory committee can be worth its weight in gold in
terms of community and media relations. Be creative and open-minded to find
individuals who can attract the spotlight to your organization in a positive way.
To help you create a committee that includes a balanced group of professionals
who will bring positive visibility to your cause, seek out candidates who possess
communication skills, the ability to persuade and inspire others, and media
savviness. To do so:
• Explore creative or marketing staff of large organizations who already support
you. A major business or institution with in-house marketing and public
relations may have skilled volunteers to loan to you — graphic designers,
copywriters, media coordinators or photographers.
• Seek out small business owners. These men and women must often oversee
marketing efforts for their own businesses, including advertising development,
community relations and promotion. They are likely to know account
executives from a variety of media sources, which may be useful to you as well.
• Keep a watch for the newly retired. News anchors, television and newspaper
reporters and advertising agency execs in your community may be ready to
retire and do volunteer work on your behalf.
• Think of the most effective sales persons you know. A real estate agent,
insurance planner or corporate sales director will be comfortable making calls,
persuading media to attend your next event and preparing presentations or
proposals.
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR
 Extend Your Reach There’s Value in Your
Enlist the Help of Social Media Ambassadors Press Release Archives
Patient families are among Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago’s Why maintain a press release archive?
biggest champions and the Social Media Ambassador Program is giving them a chance to What value does it provide? A press
use their digital voice in ways that really matter. By filling out a simple online form, anyone release archive serves many purposes,
with a passion for helping the hospital can volunteer to participate. By joining, they agree according to Richard Culver, media
to use their own social media channels to share curated status updates, articles and other relations director of Salisbury
branded content on behalf of the hospital. The form can be viewed here: foundation. University (SU; Salisbury, MD):
luriechildrens.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SocialMediaAmbassadorProgram_Join. 1. “In a period of rapid change in
“Our Social Media Ambassador Program serves as a space for us to explore institutions and in personnel working,
and creatively position ourselves with help from individuals who know our work managing and leading them, an
best,” says Manager of Digital Marketing and Analytics Katie Fanella. “It’s a way archive is a valuable source of
for us to engage every day (with) supporters, families and potential donors and institutional memory. It also is a
encourage them to spread our messages to new audiences in a way that is not costly resource for the office when doing
or time-consuming.” More than 250 social media ambassadors are using their follow-up stories on programs, people
online presence to boost reach for the leading children’s hospital. and events, sometimes years later.”
Fanella believes the Social Media Ambassador Program is successful for the 2. “At SU, our archive of press releases
following reasons: is becoming the institutional history
1. Involves a simple sign-up process. A brief sign-up form requires only contact for the campus, recording those
information, an explanation of support and a list of the social media platforms things which are most significant in
on which the volunteer is active. Once the form has been submitted, the university life and the basics of who,
volunteer is introduced to an easy-to-use widget that allows him or her to post what, when, where, why and how.
pre-populated updates directly through Lurie Children’s Web page. “A Although our university library
streamlined user experience is a top priority for us,” Fanella says. maintains an institutional history
2. Offers instant engagement. “Since the user is engaged the very moment they sign up, archive, it frequently relies on
we want to provide them with content right away,” Fanella says. “Generic messages materials from PR, including press
about the hospital are provided for them to share on Facebook and Twitter. This releases, to tell the university story.”
instant engagement helps ensure that they come back to post again in the future.” 3. “It is an antidote to faulty memory.
3. Reflects user input. “Think about who you wish to target with your initiative We occasionally have individuals,
and get information in front of stakeholders before you launch your program,” including reporters, asking us about
Fanella says. “We shared our concepts with our foundation and marketing something that occurred years ago.
team, but we also took it to our Kids Advisory Board and Family Advisory The archive allows us to more easily
Board since we knew their audiences would be a big target for this campaign.” fact-check. One example: A few
years ago, a local reporter told a
4. Interests young people. “College students have become a large segment of our
colleague of a rumor he’d heard
ambassador audience, which makes sense because young people tend to have
from students. The end result was
limited resources but still want to give back,” Fanella says. “With so many
PR staff spent part of an afternoon
young people already plugged in creatively on social media, this is a great way
going through an archive, this time
for them to use their tech-savvy skills for good.”
of old student newspapers, tracking
5. Leaves room to grow. “At the moment, people are just volunteering out of the down the names of former student
good of their hearts, but we’d like to eventually incentivize in phase two or three editors and reporters, calling them,
by giving our strongest ambassadors VIP opportunities, such as first access to confirming that the time frame of
events, discounts, special tours and other tokens of appreciation,” Fanella says. the rumor was off, which made the
Source: Katie Fanella, Manager, Digital Marketing and Analytics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie rumor just that. If we had not had
Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Phone (312) 227-7285. E-mail: kfanella@ access to the student newspaper
luriechildrens.org. Website: www.luriechildrens.org archive, we could not have disproved
the rumor. The same is true of press
Effective Branding releases.”
Logos, Logos Everywhere … 4. “Press releases get reused and
recycled for marketing publications,
Whether you’re marching in a community parade, setting up a press conference or
admissions pieces and alumni
helping a reporter set up a shot for a story about your agency, make sure your
outreach. An archive is useful if a
company logo is somewhere in the picture.
story for alumni, for example,
Don’t worry about overkill — you want the audience to know in a blink of an
requires delving into the past.”
eye that it’s your organization behind the message!
Another bonus: Placing your company logo somewhere in the shot helps make Source: Richard Culver, Media Relations
sure that your organization gets the credit for the story in those circumstances in Director, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD.
which the reporter does not include your organization’s name in the cutline or text Phone (410) 543-6030. E-mail: rwculver@
identifying the person in a TV interview. salisbury.edu. Website: www.salisbury.edu
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 7
Build Your Corps of Experts
When the media calls, it’s helpful to have
a pool of individuals ready to lend their
expertise.
Janet Kacskos, director of
communications at Millersville
University of Pennsylvania
(Millersville, PA), says her school has
a pool of more than 100 experts.
Organized online (blogs.millersville.
edu/news/experts-list/) by department
and by popular topics, the database is
easily searchable. It includes a
summary of credentials for each
expert, as well as his or her contact
information.
Millersville’s experts are also
included in Pennsylvania’s State System
of Higher Education’s Faculty Expertise
Showcase. Available to the media online
(www.passhe.edu/experts/Pages/default.
aspx), users can begin their search by
selecting from one of 14 categories.
From there, experts, their credentials
and contact information are listed in
alphabetical order.
To build these databases, each
year Kacskos says the university
sends an e-mail to invite faculty to
sign up to serve as experts. New
employees are also invited to
participate. Those willing to serve as
experts and speak with the media sign
up online at www.millersville.edu/
services/ucm/expertform.php.
Kacskos receives the submissions via
e-mail. She then either requests
additional information or
immediately posts it online. She also
offers a 60-minute media training
program for everyone willing to speak
with the media.
Kacskos says allowing individuals
to volunteer as experts produces a larger
pool, as it is difficult to know everyone’s
individual expertise. She says it is also
important to remember to regularly
review the list to make sure information
is current.
Additionally, Kacskos notes that
despite having a list of sources online,
the media still initially contacts her the
clear majority of the time.
Source: Janet Kacskos, Director of
Communications, Millersville University of
Pennsylvania, Millersville, PA. Phone (717)
871-7870. E-mail: janet.kacskos@millersville.
edu. Website: www.millersville.edu
8 Nonprofit Communications Report © 2018 View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com
Community Impact Reporting
Have a Process for Documenting,
Sharing Your Community Impact
Fitness, fun and friendship take shape at Jefferson Field Day - an annual event
during which 600 elementary school children interact with Muhlenberg College
(Allentown, PA) students on a historic campus. This spring excursion invites
Jefferson Elementary School students to explore different fitness stations, where
they enrich their knowledge of health and wellness and build relationships with
strong role models. This tradition is one that began more than a quarter century
ago, and it is still going strong, all thanks to the standing partnership between both
educational institutions.
Since its establishment in 1848, Muhlenberg College continues to make a
difference in the Lehigh Valley community. In an effort to demonstrate these
successes, Muhlenberg College releases a Community Impact Report every two to
three years to showcase the positive effects their existence has had on Allentown —
socially, culturally and economically. Their 2017 report can be seen here: https://
www.muhlenberg.edu/media/contentassets/pdf/about/pr/2017-MuhlenbergCollege
CommunityImpactReport.pdf.
“Our Community Impact Report serves as an opportunity to collect and share
the most powerful stories, collaborations and partnerships that take place between
Muhlenberg and our Lehigh Valley neighbors,” says Executive Director, Office of
Communications, Bill Keller. “It reinforces the commitment we made 170 years ago
to remain deeply involved with our local community.”
Keller offers tips for documenting and distributing an engaging and informative
community impact piece:
1. Stay connected. “We ask people to share their news with us, whether it’s the
faculty member who is providing service learning classes at local schools or the
nonprofits who enlist our students in volunteer roles,” Keller says. “Our office
of community engagement helps us collect and prioritize the stories that
embody our mission best.”
2. Identify impact categories. “We explore financial impact; neighborhood
development; aspects of service learning; employment in our region; issues of
public safety, arts, culture and education,” Keller says. “Really think about how
your nonprofit improves your community, and highlight human stories that
support those areas.”
3. Create “snapshots.” “It’s not feasible to list every example of engagement, so
choose stories that resonate with your audience and show the breadth of those
connections,” Keller says. “Highlight the relationships and people who
contribute to your culture, and uncover ways to quantify your impact whenever
possible.”
4. Do limited runs. “A well-done community impact report is not a disposable
document, so print an initial run based on your mailing list of donors,
supporters and community partners,” Keller says. Distributing the report
through e-mail and on your website can save money while still increasing
exposure.
5. Update every three years. “By releasing a report every three years, we can show
our college seniors how things have evolved since they were freshmen at
Muhlenberg,” Keller says. “Drafting a report every year could lead to repetitive
content, while once every 10 years might diminish effectiveness. Think about
what works for the scope of your organization and the way you interact with
your community.”
Source: Bill Keller, Executive Director, Office of Communications, Muhlenberg College,
Allentown, PA. Phone (484) 664-3230. E-mail: billkeller@muhlenberg.edu. Website: www.
muhlenberg.edu
DOI: 10.1002/NPCR