In 2021, Rotary’s Communications team secured more than 300 news stories in a variety of international media outlets. Those stories focused on Rotary’s efforts to end polio, support COVID-19 mitigation and vaccination efforts, protect the environment, and empower girls. Making Rotary’s impact more visible helps the organization connect with people who don’t know about Rotary. It also inspires more engagement, participation, and support. So when you’re working with journalists to identify timely and relevant stories that convey Rotary’s impact in a compelling way, make sure your story pitch includes as many of these elements as possible: ......
A news hook: A clear reason for telling a story at a particular time
Timeliness: News that is about to occur, ongoing, or near completion
Proximity: News related to issues, people, or events within the location of a particular media organization and its audience
Human interest: News that elicits sympathy or emotional response
Prominence: Stories that involve public figures, celebrities, and notable personalities
Consequence: News about the result of something that has significant impact on the news organization’s audience or an influencer’s followers
Data: Relevant statistics and research that support the story
Visual appeal: New or unique and attention getting images that dramatically convey the message
To learn more about securing news coverage of your stories of impact, check out the Learning Center course "Public Relations and Your Club" at rotary.org/learn