How can you create a successful PR campaign for a nonprofit organization?

I think it is important for non-profits to remember that not only are their fundraising events about fundraising, but they are one of the key PR platforms that they have. While the main focus is to raise money, development events are also about raising awareness before, during and after each event. A few ideas include; Hold press conferences announcing title sponsors at the sponsors place of business, deliver pre-event fun packages to all sponsors offices for them to share to get all employees involved and aware, not just the ones that will attend the fundraiser, find creative ways to get media involved ie; having media do announcements of "who is arriving" on a "red carpet" as guests enter the event and stream it live on social media.

I agree with Lori, that any special event is first and foremost a FRIEND raiser. Featuring sponsors in collateral, social media and on your website is vital. Also making your event stand out, personally connecting with each sponsor, and giving top contributors an opportunity to tell about their work and shine front and center. Following up afterwards with phone calls, newsletter mentions, photos, announcements, and thank you notes are good ways to continue conversations and engage corporate employees.

Start by understanding what the real outcome is that you want to achieve -- and target your program to a specific outcome. In today's complex media world -- with audiences highly segmented -- one comprehensive PR campaign addressing the full range of everything your organization does may just muddy the waters and fall short of producing measurable results. Particularly for small organizations, design several small, target initiatives, each of which may communicate a single message through media appropriate to the audience you wish to reach. Throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks may seem cost-effective, but may actually waste precious resources.

It′s key to have clarity on your fundraising goal, and align it with the PR communication objective. Both Comms and Development should work together and understand the nature of their roles and objectives.

One thing I've found to be helpful is using specifics. Specific numbers, specific stories and specific asks. Clarity is kind and the clearer you can be, the more effective the messaging is. I've also found that it is important to connect to both the head AND the heart. Sometimes that's easier said than done, but when accomplished, the results are beautiful.

Knowing your audience helps you segment your market according to their preferences, motivations, and values, and in that way, develop content and messages that call to action and help accomplish the campaign's goals. We need to use as much as possible about our target.

Knowing your target audience will help with choosing your channels. We regularly survey those that financially contribute to our work to learn what channels they prefer. Social media posts are shorter than newsletters and emails.