Tips: Telling Your Story to the Media

Look for the Hook

Really think about what makes your story special. "If it's already been done before," says Estroff, "you'll want to look at it from a different angle." Case in point: Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center, the 2010 ASPCA $100K Challenge Community Engagement prize winner, enlisted local celebrities and businesses to act as "agents" for their shelter animals as part of their innovative Reach for the Stars campaign. For starters, this is just the video of their kick-off event!

Take a Number

Help the media tell your story by quantifying it for them, but keep it simple. Have you reached a milestone, celebrated a birthday, hit a record number of adoptions or spay/neuter surgeries? "You may also want to think about a 'Top 10 List' or even a 'Top 3' format for your story," says Estroff.

One Singular Sensation

Remember that one animal — a cat who survived a fall, an abused dog who made it through surgery, a four-legged hero — and tell their story first. "Start with a narrow focus on that one animal, and then you can broaden it out to a larger story," explains Estroff.

Just Add People

Folks love reading about animals, but don't overlook people when you tell your story. Any volunteers with interesting backgrounds or foster families who've gone the extra mile? What's the most inspiring adoption story you've heard all month?

Do a Background Check

Learn as much as you can about a reporter before making your pitch. What does this reporter write about? What's his or her tone? Does he or she cover animal-related stories? Do a Google search and see what comes up. And take note — if you've made multiple pitches to the same reporter and never get a response, you may be pitching to the wrong reporter!

Pitching a Story Over the Phone? Make Sure You Do This

1) Identify yourself. 2) Ask if it's a good time to talk. Newspaper reporters often have a deadline around 4 pm, so you may want to avoid that time — or be prepared to call back later.

Pitching a Story Via email? Then Do This

Keep it short, and make your first sentence the most relevant one. Remember, you don't have to include a lot of detail in your pitch! As for your subject line, that's something you'll need to refine. You don't want to be too cutesy, but being too matter-of-fact may not entice the reporter to open the email.

Request Their Presence

Invite the media to your events — make sure they know about everything you've got going on, from activities for kids and dog training classes to special adoptions promotions. And they'll also want to know if local celebrities and important people in the community will be in attendance.

…And Help Them Do Their Job

Ever thought about assisting the media in finding those juicy nuggets from your event that could make a good story? Have someone shadowing your adoptions staff and take note if there are any fun adoptions stories — i.e. if anyone travelled far to adopt, etc. Ask the adopters if they wouldn't mind being interviewed by a reporter. If they're interested (and most often, they will be), take their number and pass it on to the reporter. See how great that works?!

Keep Your Eye on All the Channels

You can tell your story and get your message out to so many other news outlets than just newspapers, radio and TV. Consider these channels: newsletters, email blasts, bulletin boards at local businesses, your website, church/school bulletins and programs, PSAs, bumper stickers, bus panels, taxi cabs, on-hold phone messages, email signatures, business cards, billboards, and yes, even T-shirts!

Bonus: The ASPCA Media Team's Go-To Resources

Mediabistro PR Newser
PR Week
PR 2.0
Ragan's PR Daily
Bulldog Reporter
The Flack
The Publicity Hound
Public Relations Society of America
Peter Shankman
Harvard Business Review

Listen to the complete recording of Estroff's webinar and download her slides for more tips on telling your story to the media.