©2024 SignUpGenius Giving, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Do Not Sell
or Share My Personal Information
How To Pitch Your Fundly Campaign To The Media
No spaces and special characters.
As a final step, please enter your mobile number to receive a text message which will allow you to verify your account.
(This is a one-time text to your mobile)
Welcome to Fundly’s guide to pitching your campaign to the media, where we will teach you the basics of publicizing your campaign outside of your network. Whether it’s your local news station, radio, newspaper or television station, getting your campaign in front of an audience will help you raise more money. This may sound intimidating but its not and could make all the difference in your campaign.
For starters, you might be asking, what’s a pitch? A pitch is a description of a potential story/article to a reporter or editor, which lays out why the story matters. We’ve put together a few key steps to get you started.
It’s important to find the right person to write because reporters are busy and their inbox gets filled with hundreds of pitches a day. That being said, they are always looking for a fresh angle on an existing issue. A reporter always wants to “break” a story or wants something that will touch their readers hearts. This is a good time to get creative and write from your heart.
Helpful hint: Do some research on the reporter, see what topics they cover, what they’ve covered recently, what they’re interested in, etc.
This is an important step because you are identifying who you will be reaching out to. There are several types of media: print, radio, television, bloggers, local, national, etc. Do some research, it’s important to make sure that the reporters you find have covered similar stories. This is a good time to search your local media outlets, as they will be more willing to cover your campaign because it’s local news.
Helpful hint: You can search Google News for local news in your area.
This part can get tricky, without the “professional tools” that PR folks use it comes down to a simple Google search. You will be come a master at stalking after this! (joking…kinda!)
First, try finding the reporter’s contact information on the news publication’s website. Look for the names of the reporter, often times their name will link to their email address.
You can also search the reporter’s name in Google. For instance, look up terms like “Joe Schmo email,” “Joe Schmo contact email,” “Joe Schmo Huffington Post email” – you get the point!
We also recommend searching their social media pages, sometimes they will have a website or link to their blog on their Twitter page, or even an email on their LinkedIn page.
If you’re still unsuccessful after this point, try sending them a note over social media asking for their email.
If you find other journalists emails at the same publication with a similar email address, try it. For instance, their email is first initial plus last name ([email protected]) then try using that, if it bounces…you tried!
After doing your research and figuring out the right person to pitch see if you have any mutual connections so you have a “way in.” Don’t have any connections? Not a problem, you’ve already increased your chances for success because you’re targeting the right reporter.
Helpful hint: Be sure to create a media list, which is a document where you put the reporters contact information: name, publication name and email.
Draft a personalized email to each reporter with the basics about your campaign. Keep it short and sweet while making sure to include the who, what, why, where, how and when of your fundraising campaign. Make sure to include links to your Fundly campaign and organizations website.
In this step, it’s important to not send a mass email. Create a separate email for each-and-every person on your media list. The media list that you created in Step 3 will come in handy during this step so you can keep track of who you’ve reached out to.
Helpful hint #1: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to send out your pitch.
Helpful hint#2: Don’t forget to personalize the beginning of each email. For example, “ I read your recent article on [topic] and think you’d be interested in [spark their interest with why you’re raising money].”
Don’t get discouraged if you didn’t get a response. Wait a day or two then conduct follow ups. This is your second chance to get on top of the reporters inbox. Grab the reporters attention, give an update on your campaign, etc. Again, get creative – make yourself stand out amongst the rest.
Congrats, all your hard work has finally paid off! After awarding yourself with a pat on the back, make sure to share the news with your donors and supporters, blast your social networks, and thank the reporter to build that relationship for future campaigns.Let us know if you’ve gotten coverage, send us a note at [email protected] or Tweet us a link to the article.
Helpful hint: Make sure there is a link to your Fundly campaign in the article, this makes it easy for readers to support or donate to your cause. If there isnt a link, follow up with your media contact and ask for it to be included.
We know this takes time, but just one article in a local newspaper or TV station can make a difference of dollars to your campaign. Here are just a few recent Fundly campaigns that made the news:
Don’t be shy! We’re happy answer any questions about pitching the media, etc, just ask them in the comments below! We’re always excited to help Fundly campaigns raise more money for a cause that’s important to you! We want to know how your campaign is doing, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and keep us in the loop!
Welcome to Fundly’s guide to pitching your campaign to the media, where we will teach you the basics of publicizing your campaign outside of your network. Whether it’s your local news station, radio, newspaper or television station, getting your campaign in front of an audience will help you raise more money. This may sound intimidating but its not and could make all the difference in your campaign.
For starters, you might be asking, what’s a pitch? A pitch is a description of a potential story/article to a reporter or editor, which lays out why the story matters. We’ve put together a few key steps to get you started.
It’s important to find the right person to write because reporters are busy and their inbox gets filled with hundreds of pitches a day. That being said, they are always looking for a fresh angle on an existing issue. A reporter always wants to “break” a story or wants something that will touch their readers hearts. This is a good time to get creative and write from your heart.
Helpful hint: Do some research on the reporter, see what topics they cover, what they’ve covered recently, what they’re interested in, etc.
This is an important step because you are identifying who you will be reaching out to. There are several types of media: print, radio, television, bloggers, local, national, etc. Do some research, it’s important to make sure that the reporters you find have covered similar stories. This is a good time to search your local media outlets, as they will be more willing to cover your campaign because it’s local news.
Helpful hint: You can search Google News for local news in your area.
This part can get tricky, without the “professional tools” that PR folks use it comes down to a simple Google search. You will be come a master at stalking after this! (joking…kinda!)
First, try finding the reporter’s contact information on the news publication’s website. Look for the names of the reporter, often times their name will link to their email address.
You can also search the reporter’s name in Google. For instance, look up terms like “Joe Schmo email,” “Joe Schmo contact email,” “Joe Schmo Huffington Post email” – you get the point!
We also recommend searching their social media pages, sometimes they will have a website or link to their blog on their Twitter page, or even an email on their LinkedIn page.
If you’re still unsuccessful after this point, try sending them a note over social media asking for their email.
If you find other journalists emails at the same publication with a similar email address, try it. For instance, their email is first initial plus last name ([email protected]) then try using that, if it bounces…you tried!
After doing your research and figuring out the right person to pitch see if you have any mutual connections so you have a “way in.” Don’t have any connections? Not a problem, you’ve already increased your chances for success because you’re targeting the right reporter.
Helpful hint: Be sure to create a media list, which is a document where you put the reporters contact information: name, publication name and email.
Draft a personalized email to each reporter with the basics about your campaign. Keep it short and sweet while making sure to include the who, what, why, where, how and when of your fundraising campaign. Make sure to include links to your Fundly campaign and organizations website.
In this step, it’s important to not send a mass email. Create a separate email for each-and-every person on your media list. The media list that you created in Step 3 will come in handy during this step so you can keep track of who you’ve reached out to.
Helpful hint #1: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to send out your pitch.
Helpful hint#2: Don’t forget to personalize the beginning of each email. For example, “ I read your recent article on [topic] and think you’d be interested in [spark their interest with why you’re raising money].”
Don’t get discouraged if you didn’t get a response. Wait a day or two then conduct follow ups. This is your second chance to get on top of the reporters inbox. Grab the reporters attention, give an update on your campaign, etc. Again, get creative – make yourself stand out amongst the rest.
Congrats, all your hard work has finally paid off! After awarding yourself with a pat on the back, make sure to share the news with your donors and supporters, blast your social networks, and thank the reporter to build that relationship for future campaigns.Let us know if you’ve gotten coverage, send us a note at [email protected] or Tweet us a link to the article.
Helpful hint: Make sure there is a link to your Fundly campaign in the article, this makes it easy for readers to support or donate to your cause. If there isnt a link, follow up with your media contact and ask for it to be included.
We know this takes time, but just one article in a local newspaper or TV station can make a difference of dollars to your campaign. Here are just a few recent Fundly campaigns that made the news:
Don’t be shy! We’re happy answer any questions about pitching the media, etc, just ask them in the comments below! We’re always excited to help Fundly campaigns raise more money for a cause that’s important to you! We want to know how your campaign is doing, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and keep us in the loop!
Easily customize your page and start accepting online donations.
Start For Free
