Our East Texas neighbors in Bullard are already gearing up to host a Veteran’s Day extravaganza again this year called the Red, White, and Blue Festival to honor our vets.
Even though the grand finale of all this planning is still months away, the first big question is how to get the word out. Implicit in this task is the same problem faced by all people doing good deeds; there’s never enough money!
Which got me to thinking that I should share some basics here about how to get attention for your community project without breaking the bank.
-Call up the local paper and offer them a feature idea about one of your people. Offer to set up the interview, then, provide a fact sheet about your nonprofit beforehand via email.
-Write letters to the editor about your non-profit. Let folks know how they can help, either by volunteering or making donations. Be sure and thank people publically after any events.
-Plan newsworthy pre-events. Nearly all non-profits plan events these days in order to fundraise, if for no other reason. It is better to think in terms of events that serve a need in the community. Invite folks to participate in special events and contests leading up to a main event.
-Ask local school principles to announce your event during morning announcements.
-Post videos on Facebook or Youtube and encourage your friends to click on them and share them around.
-Contact the local TV stations about being on their interview programs. Surprisingly, they are often looking for people who are willing to get up before dawn and talk about community service.
-Keep signs simple. Design them so they can be used again next year. I like thank-you posters after the fact that sponsors can keep up year round.
-Save money by using email first. Only spend postage on those who don’t have email addresses or on big, beautiful invitations. One exception, send formal thank you’s via post; they are oh-so-much nicer to receive among all the usual bills and junk mail.
-Invest in a user-friendly website. It’s worth the money.
Finally, choose wisely when spending your media dollars. For events, you will want to broadcast via TV or radio. Be sure and check their websites as you decide, so you can get more bang for your buck. It’s a good idea to supplement with a newspaper ad because it won’t cost nearly as much.
If its brand name identity you are cultivating over the long haul, then newspaper is a better choice because of the cost factor. Plus, people get used to seeing your ad and they begin to count on it for it for your address, email, and website.
By November, most of these ideas will be Red, White, and Blue tested. In the meantime, please share your ideas here, too. Our non-profits can use all the help we can give them.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
