Media Strategy: How to Amplify Your Message and Better Reach Constituents

Esther D. Kustanowitz Leichtag Foundation Workshop

September 15, 2014

AgendaKnowledge audit (10 minutes)How media works today; culture

and changes (10 minutes)Media strategy – a three-part

planTips on writing for/pitching to

publicationsExercise! (20 minutes)Questions (5 minutes)

“Top-Down” to “Up and Out!”Media, like leadership or relationships, used

to be:◦ hierarchical◦ undemocratic◦ user impact: low

Now:◦ peer reviews◦ 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)

http://content9.flixster.com/question/46/64/76/4664763_std.jpg

Media Pitching: “It’s Complicated…”

[Not exactly “all” their blogs…]

Media Mergers

Media Has a Life of Its Own…

Modern Media Takes a Village (with only two women, one of whom is Kathy Griffin)*

*For Jewish nonprofit life flip the ratio

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

Pitching Your Content & Writing for an Outside AudienceWho 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 pitchDevelop relationshipsTry new things to see what works

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?)

The Three-Part PlanThe ResearchThe PitchThe Follow-Up

The Research (“Stalking Your Intended”)Know the publication you’re pitching toFamiliarize yourself with the masthead –

what topic does each writer specialize in?

Know which editor or writer you’re pitching

Bloggers are writer/editors tooSearch everywhere and follow everyoneDon’t pitch last-minuteExploit your connections (gently)

The PitchCrafting the pitch – you’re the

expertWhat does the reporter have to

know?

The Follow-UpWhen do you follow up?How? How many times?My mother’s commandment:

“Al tanoodge” (a.k.a., gently nudge, don’t be a noodge)

Be an “all-star pitcher”Post-research, pitch the right person at

the right publicationGive that person enough to interest &

follow-up, not so much as to overwhelmGive the pitchee enough time to

respondA little flattery never hurt... (especially

w/bloggers)…but must be sincereMore important than one successful

pitch – forging a relationship…be a SOURCE

5 Things You Can Do Now1. 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)

Newsle (not to be confused with Nuzzel)

Finding Things to Post/Pitch AboutGoogle 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 subjectseJewishPhilanthropy.com, Harvard

Business Review, Jewish Journal, LA Times, venues you’d like to be published in, etc

The Jewish Journal & Beyond…The Forward LA Blueprint GOOD magazine/

online community Patch LAist

Practicum: Crafting Pitches Plus Peer FeedbackBrainstorm – 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

Any questions?

http://xkcd.com/1256/