Media and Marketing Resources

To achieve organizational goals, a nonprofit needs to be able to effectively communicate its mission to all of its constituents. A strategic communications plan can help your nonprofit gain greater public support, increase your donor pool, better serve clients and accomplish your mission.

You’ll want to determine who comprises your audiences, plan how to best present a clear message to each audience and decide which media tools should be involved in this process. The message and the strategies may vary with different audiences and communication objectives. Examples of common media tools include television and radio broadcasts, publications and printed materials, the Internet, conferences and special events.

In addition, all communications planning should incorporate some type of evaluation criteria through which the non-profit organization can measure the effectiveness of its communications strategies.

Articles & Reports on Media and Marketing

• Managing the Media
• Six Steps to Rebranding Your Nonprofit
• Video as a Powerful Development Tool
• Email Marketing
• Shaping Your Message
• Writing a Pitch to the Media
• Winning Media Coverage for the Work You Do

Columns & Blogs on Media and Marketing

TSNE’s Strategic Communications Blog

Links on Media and Marketing

Web Resources

• Cause Communications
  • Communications Toolkit: A Guide to Navigating Communications for the Nonprofit World
    A guide to communications in the nonprofit world
  • Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes
    A guide to designing and improving public presentations
• Communications Consortium Media Center
  Runs collaborative projects and public relations campaigns for social justice and progressive causes; the website has resources and tools for communications and public relations, as well as links to other web sites
• Fenton Communications
  Offers free online best practice resources in the public relations field
• Green Media Toolshed 
  Media training, online campaign tools, and a media database for use by environmental nonprofits
• Progressive Communicators Network
  Communications and public relations networking and resource lists for grassroots nonprofits 
• Strategic Press Information Network (SPIN) Project
  Provides extensive resources and tutorials online for generating and building a strategic communications plan

Publications

• Bonk, Kathy, Henry Griggs, and Emily Tynes. 1999. Strategic Communications for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide to Working with the Media... San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  A solid reference on the subject
• Ryan, Charlotte. 1990. Prime Time Activism: Media Strategies for Grassroots Organizing. Boston: South End Press.
  A primer for grassroots media strategies
• Taylor, James, and Marjolein Towler. 2004. The Marketing Strategy & Planning Workbook: 2004 Digital Version. Digital Workbook International LLC.
  A general marketing strategy workbook with electronic tools and samples. 
• The Nonprofit Quarterly. Fall 2005. “Amplifying Democracy: Nonprofits and Communications.” Volume 12, Issue 3.