INTRODUCTION
Public relations is a powerful tool for non-profits looking to raise awareness and drive attendance for their events. Whether hosting a gala, organizing a donation drive or planning a community outreach event, effective PR strategies can amplify your message, engage your audience and ultimately boost impact. Here is how non-profits can leverage PR to promote their events.
CRAFT A COMPELLING NARRATIVE
Every non-profit event has a story behind it. To capture the public’s attention, it’s essential to craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your target audience, whether it’s donors, volunteers or another group.
Highlight the significance of the event, the people it will benefit and the difference it will make in the community. If possible, explain how your event will differ from events by other non-profit organizations.
Turn these points into key messages that you will use in your press release, media pitches, newsletter articles, social media posts and blog content to ensure your message is consistent and clear.
ENGAGE LOCAL MEDIA
Think of your local media as an ally in spreading the word about your event. When creating your media list, include relevant newspapers, radio stations, podcasts, TV stations, blogs and magazines. These are the outlets that will receive your press release and media kits.
A few weeks before your event, start pitching the media by offering interviews with company leadership and providing human interest stories. That means you will need to find the people you help who are facing hardships or challenges to be the subject of media interviews. In this event, you will need to create talking points and provide some media coaching to them.
Also consider inviting the journalists to the event itself. For example, have a TV anchor be your gala’s emcee. By building strong relationships with local media, it helps secure earned media coverage that raises awareness and encourages community participation. Once the coverage has been published, increase awareness of the event by posting it to your social media pages.