Leveraging the Halo Effect of WIFE.org
Which of these pitches might get more attention in the media?
A) “Hi, I’m Marvin Krumpacker – I’m a wealth manager presenting a new local workshop to help extremely vulnerable divorcing women learn how to handle their finances.”
B) “Hi, I’m Marvin Krumpacker, and I am leading a nationally renowned divorce workshop in TOWN NAME that will greatly benefit your READERS, LISTENERS, VIEWERS. I’m doing this in conjunction with WIFE.org, the nation’s longest running non-profit devoted to female financial literacy. Who would be the best person with whom to share this extremely valuable ongoing event?”
If you picked “A,” you might consider trading your territory for a season’s pass to the local pumpkin patch. Here’s the point: All members of the media will respond far more to a non-profit pitch than one from someone in financial services – as will your Second Saturday attendees.
One of the greatest benefits to being a Second Saturday leader is being under the WIFE.org umbrella. WIFE co-founders Candace Bahr and Ginita Wall are nationally recognized advocates in the arena of financial literacy. Visit SecondSaturday.com to see the countless awards Candace and Ginita have received for their advocacy, and be sure to point out to everyone with whom you speak that the Second Saturday work you are doing is an extension of theirs.
Pitching Tips:
- Compile a list of local media for newspapers, radio and TV. Create an Excel spreadsheet for tracking. And dial up your campaign: Take this one step further and research editors and producers who have already written on the topic of divorce. Find their emails and phone numbers online and try calling them first. IF you are lucky enough to get someone on the phone whose has written about divorce, make these the very first words out of your mouth: “My name is BLANK; I loved your article in September’s issue of BLANK. I have a great non-profit-related effort that will really help your community – is this a good time to speak?” If you aren’t familiar with their work, simply lose the line about loving it. They will either give you sixty seconds or ask you to email or call back. If they give you sixty seconds, see “B”, above.
- Follow up with email. Download the Second Saturday press release we’ve provided. Because editors and producers are always on deadline, they will rarely, if ever, open an attachment, so paste the release in the body of your email. Send everyone to the “Consumer Bob” video at SecondSaturday.com, which does a terrific job showcasing Ginita and Second Saturday.
- Use a catchy subject line:
- Amazing non-profit program launching in YOUR TOWN NAME
- Nationally acclaimed non-profit offering help and hope to YOUR TOWN NAME
- Award Winning divorce workshop educates YOUR TOWN’s residents
- Follow up, follow up, and….follow up again.The press is notorious for not returning phone calls. It doesn’t mean they don’t like you – the fact is, they NEED you. Editors and producers are always looking for good stories, and you’ve got one. Be passionate about your pitch – share why you became a Second Saturday leader, and if you have a heartfelt divorce story that inspired your desire to serve their community, by all means, share away.
- Radio Opportunity with Candace and Ginita: Candace and Ginita will make themselves available to join you for radio interviews from San Diego. This is a HUGE opportunity for local stations to feature nationally acclaimed media sources on the topic of divorce. Be sure to look at Candace and Ginita’s accolades on the SecondSaturday.com site when pitching. If an opportunity arises, ask how long the spot would be, and what options are for timing. You can email me at Ebryanart@WIFE.org with all opportunities.
- Never Give Up: Without driving anyone crazy, it’s okay to reach out to the same press outlet on a monthly basis just to “touch base.” As time passes, you can even share testimonials from workshop attendees without using their real names. It might take months before your workshop somehow becomes “relevant” to a reporter, but once it does, the free press could help fill your workshop for years to come.