How can you raise money and awareness if few people outside the Board and the staff know what your organization does? A public relations strategy is often dismissed as a pointless frill but Monica Collins, communications expert, will speak about the myriad ways a media strategy can be a key investment. This seminar will address how well-placed story ideas, a targeted social media campaign, and carefully crafted pitches to local and national press can result in welcome public attention and donor dollars.
Takeaways:
- A practical plan for press relations and community outreach
- A reasoned approach to writing and telling the story straight without jargon and fog
- An explanation of how to bring outward communications inside the organization so outreach and transparency are intrinsic qualities of the organization, which wins regard from donors, the public and political establishment.
- Suggestions for how to deal with “crisis” communications when your organization does not want any press attention.
- Why a paper newsletter remains an important publication for your non-profit.
 Monica Collins‘ varied career has been spent for many years on staff at national and local newspapers. She currently appears on radio and syndicates a column nationally. While on the Board of the Women’s Lunch Place, a day shelter for women in downtown Boston, she helped devise the mission statement, logo and first communications plan. She is currently Board vice-president of the Ford Hall Forum, the nation’s oldest continuing free public lecture series. |
 Monica Collins has helped clients with newsletters in which she designed and wrote the publications; she has pitched stories to national publications and has seen clients’ stories picked up by The New York Times and USA Today; she has worked on mission statements, press releases and local news strategies. |
