Nonprofits: Getting Your News in the News

Top Dont's for PR People

• Never send press releases as attachments (you might send a virus). Many journalists automatically delete them. Always make them in-line messages - ie, cut-n-paste them into the body of your msg.
• Make sure the e-mail you send is plain-text - and doesn't use fancy graphics and/or fonts - many e-mail readers won't pick them up. Make sure in Word you don't have your
• "smart quotes" turned on (see tip)
• Don't pitch topics that a particular journalist does not cover. Take the time to familiarize yourself with his or her work.
• Don't always cold-call journalists, try e-mailing them first.
• Don't make your subject lines cryptic. Don't just say "hello" or "Press release." Make them informational.
• Don't send e-mails from accounts that only display your first name or a nickname. Make sure both your first and last names are visible in the "From" line.
• Don't send gifts.
• Don't expect your stories to be automatically covered. Take the time to network and build relationships.

Top Do's

• DO SIGN UP for the SAJA E-mail Lists (especially the articles one) so you can keep track of what kinds of stories journalists write.
• DO SIGN UP for the free DesiOrgs mailing list - a great way to network with South Asian nonprofits.
• DO ATTEND the SAJA Convention each June in NYC - which attracts 1,000 journalists and non-journalists, with plenty of networking opportunities. Selected nonprofits also can display their material, provide speakers for panels, etc.