INSIGHT
People love a feel-good story. When you do good work, all it takes is a little PR to get the ball rolling.
STRATEGY
REED’s goals for the campaign were to secure media coverage in mainstream national publications, develop fruitful and long-standing relations with top-tier Christian media outlets and build stronger relationships with local media outlets in Lancaster, Pa.
Our team took time to learn the ins and outs of HOPE International’s work. While their presence in the Christian community was strong, it was most evident amongst a very targeted group where HOPE had first made an impact 15 years prior. Our team conducted an audit of donor demographics for similar organizations, which informed our targeted media outlets, outreach strategy and pitching angles.
Additionally, two members of our team went with HOPE International on one of their mission trips to the Dominican Republic to meet with entrepreneurs who had been helped by HOPE’s service. This gave our team a first-hand look at HOPE’s mission, allowing us to be better partners.
ACTIVATION
Throughout the year, REED identified and secured articles that highlighted key initiatives and leadership team members. While our focus was primarily on local placements and long-lead features in national and Christian outlets, REED also worked to showcase HOPE’s mission, milestones and team in order to position them as experts in the non-profit field. REED secured all types of media coverage, from feature stories to bylined columns, and the executive team often served as resources for commentary surrounding national trends related to HOPE’s mission.
REED also worked to build relationships with media by hosting phone or in-person meetups with targeted reporters. At each regional event hosted by HOPE, we invited relevant local media to attend and see the impact of the organization first-hand. Overall, the media strategy was nimble, tailored and creative, which allowed our team to secure quality stories.
RESULTS
REED met and exceeded all of HOPE’s expectations for the campaign. Several top-tier media hits were secured, including a placement on Inc.com, multiple pieces of coverage in Christian World News and Christianity Today and regular coverage in the Central Pa. area including The Central Pennsylvania Business Journal and Lancaster Online.
In total, REED secured more than 22.3 million media impressions for HOPE International in 2017, exceeding our goal of 2 hits per month by averaging 3-5 hits per month. The media relations strategy our team employed resulted in the HOPE International story being shared with a new donor base who now engage with the organization and help them support communities around the world.
