I always look forward to the excitement of Give Miami Day (GMD)! There is so much energy and so much hope in the air. Having a front seat to the activities The Miami Foundation hosts on that day never disappoints. So it was with great enthusiasm that I recently presented to nearly 70 nonprofits to help them think about leveraging media opportunities on Give Miami Day.

The big takeaway: do the work it takes to tell a great story and do it very well, with depth and precision… or don’t do it at all! It’s ok not to make media outreach a part of every event you do – pick and choose well. That will help you gain the respect of busy media working on getting meaningful stories on the air.

If you are wondering whether to do a press push on GMD, I hope you will listen to the entire presentation – it’s quick and designed to give clear takeaways. But just in case, here are a few time-honored suggestions: 

1). Goals: Define what you want your goal for media outreach to be. Then, have a clear plan and stick to it. Don’t just write a press release at the last minute and expect success. 

2). Media Relations: Be clear on your media relations goal. If it’s just to raise money, you are thinking too narrowly about the Give Miami Day platform! 

3). Mainstream Media: It’s just that – mainstream! General media is designed for broad audiences. So rather than pitching daily news, consider alternative outlets that speak directly to your target audiences, such as trade publications or community newspapers. Sometimes a hit in a smaller outlet can lead to other stories down the road. Learn how you can elevate your mission through media for Give Miami Day, watch the full seminar, click here.