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Nonprofit Media Ideas - Radio, Television, Video

A post to one of the LinkedIn groups I belong to sparked a thought about marketing. The poster was recruiting nonprofit execs and social entrepreneurs to be on a UK television show. That makes me wonder if nonprofits could make better use of video, television, and radio.

YouTube and Facebook videos are common enough. Some nonprofits post videos on their own sites and on other specialized sites. If you search online you'll find plenty of places to share videos for free. Of course you still need a plan - What is the objective? How do the video posts feed into the nonprofit's broader strategy.

Tip #1: Use video sharing sites, but only if you have a good reason to use videos as part of an overall communication strategy.

What about television? Think that's out of reach? Network television will be tough for all but the most famous charities and most newsworthy programs. Local stations would be better targets. Send press releases to them whenever your organization has anything newsworthy going on. Know who to send the press releases to as well.

Public access cable is an option in some parts of the USA. Many communities have a place like Media Bridges in Cincinnati, Ohio where anyone can air a cable TV show. Do you have something going on that might make a good cable access program? Maybe a weekly discussion or call-in on public access would be a good way to reach people.
Tip #2: Don't dismiss television out of hand.

Radio shows need interview subjects and news stories. Try local radio stations by sending press releases. Be sure you send each one to a specific person. You can even make your own Internet radio show.

Podcasting isn't the same as having an Internet radio show, but podcasts might make better sense. Do a little research to see what nonprofits are recording and where they are listing their podcasts, aside from their own Web sites obviously.
In future posts I'll share more information and ideas on using the media to advertise, advocate, and market.

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