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Sometimes the most effective way to raise funds is to launch a media campaign.
Publicizing your story through newspapers, online news websites, radio stations,
news programs, and other television programs can both educate and attract the public.
A press release is a document you distribute to the media. It is a quick
and easy way to get the attention of the media so they will share your story with
the larger community on their TV show, radio program, newspaper, etc. Creating a
document and distributing it to as many places as possible, increases the likelihood
that your story will catch the attention of someone who wants to help or to give
money. [See “How to Write a Press Release”]
Step One: Write your press release [see “How to Write a Press Release”]
Step Two: Choose the media outlets you will contact.
Make a list of all the places you would like to contact. Some ideas are: newspapers
in your local community (or the local communities of your relatives); public interest
media shows (such as local talk shows or local news shows); cable TV stations that
broadcast in your native language (for instance, Univision). You may want to use
the internet to find out about newspapers, television and radio stations, and other
media outlets in your area. You can also look in the local telephone directory,
or at newspapers.
Step Three: Find a contact person at each media outlet.
Most often, press releases are sent to people with titles such as: “editor,” “news
director,” or “news desk.” These people decide what goes into a newspaper/publication/radio
program. As you research media outlets, make note of the e-mail addresses or fax
numbers of these people for your list.
Step Four: Send your press release by internet, mail, fax, or e-mail.
Some newspapers and radio stations offer an option of submitting a press release
via the internet, on their website. You will need to look at a newspaper’s website
to find this section. Sometimes, you can fax press releases. As a last resort, you
can mail it.
Step Five: Share the press release with your friends and family and ask them
to distribute it.
You can send your press release to media in other cities or countries. All you need
to do is change the contact information to someone who lives in that local community,
such as a relative or friend who is willing to be contacted. It might be most helpful
to find as many relatives or friends as you can to help distribute the press release,
especially in places where there are many media outlets, like the U.S. and Canada.
Click here to download and print a copy of
this resource.
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