Why & what media matters for your campaign.
You don’t have to be on CNN– you need to be in the news that matters for your campaign
No matter what change you’re trying to win, it can be very helpful when an outside voice tells the broader relevant community about your campaign— and especially if it does so in a flattering way. Fundamentally this helps because it tells other people (potentially including key influencers and decision makers) that your proposal is worth serious consideration. Additionally, for that point to come from someone who is not you, who has a larger platform than you do, and is “neutral” is extremely powerful for winning over more supporters, getting more volunteers and ultimately swaying the decision makers.
I say, “outside voice” and not “media outlet” and “broader relevant community” and not “everyone” because what coverage you need depends wildly based on your campaign. So, while you might think you need round-the-clock glowing national news coverage of your cause…the good news is that your needs are actually much smaller, specific and attainable than that!
In other words, if you are trying to get your college to provide a frequent student shuttle– you don’t need the Los Angeles Times or Washington Post to write about your effort (though it helps!); you need your school paper, the alumni magazine, and maybe some local news to cover the issue.
Or, if you are working on an esoteric but potentially highly impactful campaign like getting fire code changed in your city so it is easier to get bus-only lanes built– then positive coverage in the National Fire Protection Association Journal might be even more helpful in winning over your Fire Marshal than any CNN coverage would.
Or if you are working on something hyper-local, like getting sidewalks in your rural community, then having a long positive post on NextDoor from a long-term resident of the community is worth its weight in gold (whereas glowing coverage on MSNBC might even backfire!).
As you seek to grow awareness of your cause, focus on getting your message to the essential information sources that resonate with:
Your potential allies
The influencers of the final decision
The Decision Maker(s)
It can often be overwhelming when to run a campaign– there is a lot that can be done and a lot that is helpful– but keep focused on what is essential and be ready & open to capitalize on unexpected opportunities and you will have a much easier (and more enjoyable) time.
Want a personalized training session to help you through the issues you need to overcome to win the change you want for your community? Email me at Carter@carterlavin.com and let’s schedule a session!
How I’m walking the talk these days:
Remember that press release I mentioned in a previous post? Well, a local reporter did one better and did a whole piece about the overall campaign. You can check it out here.
(Want to beef up your media relation skills? Book a training session)
Upcoming Free Training-- “A beginner's guide to getting a protected bike lane in your community.” Tuesday March 28th @ 5:30pm PT on Zoom. Register here.
Action/activist of note:
The 986 people who have currently signed on to the “Safer Streets, Smarter Spending for Oakland” petition. Without whom the effort to reimagine public safety and make Oakland safer for all would have just been a small wistful idea. But because of them, we have a real chance at changing our streets and making Oakland a more accessible, joyous, and just city.
Meet your fellow transportation advocates at the March Open Discussion Zoom Happy Hour! This month’s topic: "What's going on with Slow Streets in your community, what's next and how do we build on their success?" Come share your thoughts, hear from allies, and make some friends. Join the conversation on March 22nd
Free personalized training sessions are available for:
An activist working on making their New England community a better place for remote work– 3 sessions have been comped thanks to sponsor Alisa L.
An activist working on changes that would make it easier to go car-free in New Jersey or New York State– 1 session has been comped thanks to sponsors Lisa. G & Doug L.
If you or someone you know are working on this issue and are interested in the training sessions, let me know!
Interested in sponsoring the training of an activist working on an issue you’re passionate about? Let’s chat. Carter@carterlavin.com
Thanks for reading, thanks for forwarding this along, and most importantly– thanks for working to make the world better!
Sincerely,
Carter Lavin
