Short presentation on how to get a front page print story about a nonprofit or advocacy public meeting, created for community organizers in the Gamaliel Network
10. Use reporter speak 1: story types
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Poster child
Problem to solution
Then and now (it used to be… but now…)
Cliches and common phrases
Play off current events
Rule of 3—3 facts, 3 numbers
I stories
11. Use reporter speak 2: story titles
• How We Began/Who Influenced
Us/Founders
• Obstacles Faced and Problems Solved
• Where I Got This Idea
• Values in Action
• Before we came on the scene/ After we
did our thing
• Accomplishments, Victories, Feeling good!
12. Use reporter speak 3: story themes
• Oh No!...disaster, tragedy, bad news
• Yes!...victory, agreement, improvement
• Wow!...extreme, unique event
• Hmmm!...thought-provoking, stimulating
• Rituals...opening days, funerals, birthdays
• News You Can Use...helpful information
I’m Gordon Mayer and this training is something I love but do not get to do often enough anymore—currently Operations Director at NPA, previously trained hundreds of nonprofit folks in communications per year including working with Gamaliel! Last time said the only way to use media effectively – whether it’s in a boring old newspaper or on Twitter – is if you can answer in a no bullshit way the question “and I care about that because why?” Not why I should care, but why I do care. Today our mission is to talk about how to land a story in the news. Basically, all about technique. It’s really old school because …. It’s really about the good old days when you went to school and had to write stuff! So that’s part of what we’re gonna do, as time allows. How many were here in January? Great. What comms successes or failures have you had since then? If you were not there, but have a great comms success – or failure – to share that’s great. Just say your name and organization so I can… Who has a potential news opportunity coming up in the next two to four weeks? Next few months? No worries if not, we’ll catch up a bit but today three ps of pitching: package, practice, pitch. Basically Laura and Sam and John followed up and said, that’s great but how do you get a story in the news?
Takes a lot of work! Money for the conf + work + luck + the cost of the shirts!
Let’s talk about this what you leave out part. Holocaust of little fishiesRay school example– used to be a welcoming school / now not “they are taking our money” just the main idea. Others?The opposite of Reg Y / Part 5 Remember last time we talked about story types – these can help you simplify. Joan Didion exerciseHere’s another example – Joan Didion reporter class (journalism students) describe. How do you change simplicyt into complexity? Vice versa (add/subtract)The old saw about 1 cookie and 2 kids – 1 gets to break and other gets to choose. Remember that you get to decide what you say or what’s more important don’t say- she gets to decide what to put in the storyWhat’s most important is often the parts that we leave out!
Steve jobs quote – it’s harder to remove the noise and focus on the essential, worth the extra effort jobs told Businessweek (1998) “…Simple can be harder than complex; you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
Old information to new information – use what people already know and believe to help them understand your issue or problem
Sue’s advice on types of stories you might want to tellImagine Your AudienceThink of these as subtitles as you organize your stories:
Sue’s advice on types of stories you might want to tellImagine Your AudienceThink of these as subtitles as you organize your stories:
Now you know you have to make people care, + some tools to do that AND you have the 3 ps and go tell some stories! Agitation: do this one time in the next 6 months, make a list and set a goal to achieve a realistic amount of news coverage. Let me know what happens.