Public Relations Strategies: Philanthropy

Whether you are starting from scratch or seeking to grow an established business, public relations gives you the power to reach your target audience through highly credible, third-party sources. While there are dozens of ways to kick off a successful PR campaign, many businesses overlook the most obvious and close-to-home approach: philanthropy.

I’m not talking about writing a check to your favorite local charity and going on about your day. While this is still a wonderful thing to do, it’s not something that you can incorporate into your marketing or public relations campaign. Rather, find a local charity or local chapter of a national non-profit that you believe in and for whom you feel you could make a difference.

Helping a charity means so much more than giving monetary donations. Below is a list of other meaningful ways that you can help:

• Donate your time – Find several hours per month where you can give your time directly to the cause (e.g., spending time at a nursing home or volunteering at a hospital), volunteering at an event or fundraiser, getting signatures from neighbors, etc. Each organization will have different needs, so make sure that you are comfortable with their requirements.

• Donate your services or expertise – If you own a painting business, find a charity that builds or repairs homes for the needy. If you are a web designer, offer to build or redesign the charity’s website. Being in PR, I volunteer as the PR Director for a local charity and help them get local media exposure.

• Donate tangible items – Own a screen printing business? Offer to make t-shirts for the volunteers. Real estate agent? Donate 100 pens (with your logo) for the organization to use in their offices or at events.

• Donate your staff – No matter what size your team, find one day year to make your “philanthropy day” (make it a work day and build team spirit!). You can participate in a street cleaning project, refurbish low-income housing, cook and serve at a soup kitchen, etc.

So now what? You’ve gotten involved, are helping your local community and feeling great! Now is when you use public relations to not only let others know of your local involvement, but also help spread the word about the charity.

• Write a press release – Send a release to the community/city editors for all of the local papers, community newsletters, local business-focused publications and your trade publications (e.g., California Home Builders Weekly). Follow up with a quick call and offer to send a photo(s) of the event.

• Create a page on your website dedicated to your “Pay it Forward” efforts. Write a brief description of your efforts, with photo, and include a PDF of the full release.

• Put a brief sidebar on your home page with the charity’s logo and a link to your “Pay it Forward” page.

• Stay involved – The more that you do, the more good news you have to share.

And remember, while this is a great way for you to expand your PR efforts, this is an even better way to improve your community and positively affect the lives of others. I once had a client turn down a volunteer opportunity because, as he put it, “the attendees at the event aren’t our target client market.” That event is soon to be featured in one of our area’s top “luxury” magazines. Sometimes being in the business of helping people can be great for business!

-Melinda M. Staab, PR Latitude