Last week, I mentioned the importance of getting your message out, even when you think you've said the same things a thousand times. One key to continuing to spread the word effectively is to learn how to deal with the media.
Telling reporters at your local TV station and newspaper what you're doing is one of the least expensive ways you can get the word out about the animals in your care. When you work with the media, however, you need to give them what they want: news.
It's important to understand what the media regards as news. Their favorite words are new, different, unusual, local, or compelling. If you need inspiration, look at the headlines of a really awful grocery store rag like the National Enquirer. The fact that the news isn't real doesn't matter. If you look at the headlines, you'll see patterns. Often they relate to new, different, unusual, or compelling. That angle is referred to as a "hook."
To get media attention, you need to give them stories with an interesting "hook." If you want to talk about why people shouldn't give bunnies and chicks as Easter gifts, think of new creative ways you can spin the story. Maybe you can talk about Colonel the Chicken who came in as a chick last year and what has happened to him since. When you add a story to your message, the media is more likely to pick it up. Along the same lines, if you want the media to cover an event that's associated with a national day like Spay Day, you need to give it a local angle.
For events, make them as creative and wacky as you can for the most impact. If you do a dog walk, it's kind of ho hum. But if you say the mayor will walk naked through town if you raise a certain amount of money, the media takes notice. This now somewhat famous idea was used by the PAWS-itive Partners Humane Society in Nebraska. In case you don't know, Naked was the name of a dog, so the (fully clothed) Mayor actually walked Naked (the dog) through town. Result: one simple walk raised a ton of money.
When you give the media what they want (news), the winners are the animals in your care who get lots of publicity. So be creative and have fun! As always, thank you for all you do to help the animals ;-)
~ Susan Daffron
Founder & President, NAPRP
Technorati Tags:
susan daffron,
susan c daffron,
naprp,
national association of pet rescue professionals,
pet rescue,
animal rescue,
animal shelter,
animal shelters,
humane society,
pets,
pet,
rescue,
shelter,
adoption,
pet adoption,
media,
publicity,
media attention