Staff and volunteers who maintain small nonprofits wear many hats for their organizations, and one or two people may be responsible for budgeting, fundraising, marketing AND taking out the trash. Who has time to become an expert in one area? The purpose of the PR Boot Camp is not to provide PR and/or marketing theory, but to focus on practical advice and techniques that may be implemented the moment attendees leave the training. The PR Boot Camp is “survival training” taught by local journalism and communications experts. The event is in partnership with ArtsErie, The Nonprofit Partnership, Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority and Erie Yesterday.
The PR Boot Camp, which is Saturday, April 27th 9 am – 2 pm, is a great opportunity for organizations to begin making connections to local media outlets and get to know our local media people. Here’s the schedule for the day.
9:00-9:50 am
A Guide to Writing Newsworthy PR for Print (Two Mini Sessions)
Amber Wellington will teach you how to think like a journalist and discover stories within your organization, prepare and write press releases, focusing on community newspapers and niche publications.
Kevin Cuneo and Lindsey Poisson will go over all the information you need to know about your regional newspaper, The Erie Times-News. Learn how to submit event information to the Erie Times-News, Showcase, GoErie.com and Go Crawford. Receive a list of contacts, and find out about projects they’re currently working on.
10:00-10:50 am
Raising Your Media Profile: A Freelance Writer’s Perspective with Paulette Dinniny
Tips on how to raise or improve your group’s chances of receiving media coverage, including what makes a good article, hints on establishing a relationship with media outlets, publications to target, how to use your website effectively, and ways to grab the attention of writers, editors and readers.
11:00-11:50 am
Making Sense of Digital Media with Michael Haas
Digital Media cannot be ignored. The rapid growth of platforms online have made digital adoption a necessity, rather than a luxury. In this presentation, Michael will walk through the various types of digital media and guide you through the process of how to choose the best strategy for your organization.
12:30-2:00 pm
Media Experts Panel
The panel provides tactics for successfully working with television and radio stations. Attendees will learn how to develop long-term relationships with journalists, become a trusted source, and think like a journalist to anticipate their needs. Panelists include Lisa Adams, a news reporter and anchor for WICU and WSEE who has worked in the Erie television market for 35 years, Ben Speggen, managing editor of Erie Reader, Larry Wheaton, producer for WJET TV’s flagship shows, the 6 and 11 newscasts, and Jim Riley, Erie Market Manager for Cumulus Media.
And best of all…the boot camp is free to members of The Nonprofit Partnership, ArtsErie and Erie Yesterday and includes lunch! The boot camp will be held in the Jordan Room at the Knowledge Center, Knowledge Park.
Space is limited, so register soon. Register through The Nonprofit Partnership by calling (814) 454-8800 or e-mail TNP@thenonprofitpartnership.org. Download the registration brochure.