How to amplify messaging and better reach constituents

1. Media Strategy: How to Amplify
Your Message and Better Reach
Constituents
Esther D. Kustanowitz
Leichtag Foundation Workshop
September 15, 2014

2. Agenda
Knowledge audit (10 minutes)
How media works today; culture and
changes (10 minutes)
Media strategy – a three-part plan
Tips on writing for/pitching to
publications
Exercise! (20 minutes)
Questions (5 minutes)

3. “Top-Down” to “Up and Out!”
Media, like leadership or relationships, used
to be:
◦ hierarchical
◦ undemocratic
◦ user impact: low
Now:
◦ http://content9.flixster.com/question/4
peer reviews
6/64/76/4664763_std.jpg
◦ consumer feedback
◦ writers find their own stories
◦ invested “prosumer” class
Next phase: Wonkavator – stories come
from, and go, anywhere at any speed (e.g.
TV streaming)

4. Media Pitching: “It’s
Complicated…”

5. [Not exactly “all” their blogs…]

6. Media Mergers

7. Media Has a Life of Its Own…

8. Modern Media Takes a Village (with only
two women, one of whom is Kathy
Griffin)*
*For Jewish nonprofit life flip the ratio 

9. Things to Think About…
What’s your universe?
Who writes about those things?

10. Pitching Your Content & Writing
for an Outside Audience
Who are you? What’s your goal?
Who is your audience? What do they
want?
Which are the best venues for your
content? What do they want?
Figure out who to pitch
Develop relationships
Try new things to see what works

11. What Story Are You Pitching?
The organization or program itself?
An event?
The speakers/attendees at an event?
What is newsworthy about your
event? (What makes your program
different from all other programs?)

12. The Three-Part Plan
The Research
The Pitch
The Follow-Up

13. The Research (“Stalking Your
Intended”)
Know the publication you’re pitching to
Familiarize yourself with the masthead
– what topic does each writer
specialize in?
Know which editor or writer you’re
pitching
Bloggers are writer/editors too
Search everywhere and follow
everyone
Don’t pitch last-minute
Exploit your connections (gently)

14. The Pitch
Crafting the pitch – you’re the expert
What does the reporter have to know?

15. The Follow-Up
When do you follow up?
How?
How many times?
My mother’s commandment:
“Al tanoodge” (a.k.a., gently nudge,
don’t be a noodge)

16. Be an “all-star pitcher”
Post-research, pitch the right person
at the right publication
Give that person enough to interest &
follow-up, not so much as to
overwhelm
Give the pitchee enough time to
respond
A little flattery never hurt... (especially
w/bloggers)…but must be sincere
More important than one successful
pitch – forging a relationship…be a

17. 5 Things You Can Do Now
1. Set up some Google
Alerts /use nuzzel or
newsle
2. Start reading the news
outlets you’d like to
pitch
3. Think about pitching as
establishing or
deepening a
relationship – get off on
the right foot – coffee?
4. Create a content plan
with associated topics
5. Be open to input &
inspiration from other
places (the street,
parenting, pop culture
trends, etc)

18. Newsle (not to be confused with
Nuzzel)

19. Finding Things to Post/Pitch
About
Google Alerts / Google News Search
(archives)
Stay tuned to Twitter, CNN, BBC,
Facebook – what are people talking
about? How does it relate to your
work?
Authentic lenses on passionate
subjects
eJewishPhilanthropy.com, Harvard
Business Review, Jewish Journal, LA
Times, venues you’d like to be

20. The Jewish Journal &
Beyond…
The Forward
LA Blueprint
GOOD magazine/online community
Patch
LAist

21. Practicum: Crafting Pitches Plus
Peer Feedback
Brainstorm – upcoming events (pick 1-2)/ Sukkot at the Ranch,
Moishe House Retreat, Federation Young Leadership Event,
Limmud
Do you need to introduce yourself and your role?
(relationship)
What is the purpose of this event?
Why is it different/unique/special/important/newsy?
What information will you share with journalists, in what tone?
Which journalists would be the right ones to pitch?
What resources are available to them if they’d like to learn
more?
Who is their contact, should they have questions?
What’s your ask? (Cover the event in advance, or post-event
analysis?)
Craft messaging across different social media platforms

22. Any questions?
http://xkcd.com/1256/