Charity media coverage, promoting your event for free & eating insects

We like to bring you a regular selection of unique perspectives, innovative ideas and inspiring insights from across the charity sector. Here are some of our favourite recent blogs and articles from 2016 so far...

Karen Barker: Media scrutiny of charities is going to continue – and what to do about it
Published by nfpSynergy
2015 saw a major shift in how charities are being covered in the media. There does indeed seem to be a ‘new normal’ – whereas charities were once seen as trustworthy institutions unless they did something badly wrong, it now feels like we’re going to have to work to win the trust of a sceptical public. It’s not all bad news though – have a read of the more positive stats from a survey of journalists’ attitudes and some practical suggestions for media and communications staff.
 
Richard Turner: A new approach to fundraising – why you should be accessing your donors’ networks
Published by SOFII
Our current fundraising model is broken because it ignores the way that marketing has changed over the last 10 years. So says Richard as he argues that we shouldn't just analyse our fundraising activities as separate units with their own return on investment. We all have ‘social capital’ and the ability to influence our friends, family and colleagues. No matter how much your supporters donate, they could open a valuable door to a company or foundation or champion you to their friends. Shouldn't we all be making more of this?
 
Don’t Miss Your Chance - Brand Messaging Makes People Eat Insects
Published by PSFK / The Guardian
Here’s a fascinating insight into how companies get people to buy and use their products – including highlighting their own weaknesses, telling us what our peers do (spot the link to ‘social capital’) and making us feel like we’re missing out. Charities could definitely use some of these ideas to inspire their appeals and event marketing – after all, it’s got to be an easier sell than eating insects!

Mark Walker: The Ultimate Guide to Free Event Promotion Ideas
Published by Eventbrite
If you’ve created a great fundraising event but don’t have much budget for promoting it, we bet you could benefit from a few free marketing ideas. Well how about 58 of them? Mark, an expert at Eventbrite, has produced the most comprehensive guide we've seen for a long while. Be prepared to supercharge your efforts on social media and beyond in no time! We're excited ourselves to check out some of the great recommendations for free tools, including SocialBro, Sumome and Wisestamp.

Nisha Kotecha: 5 free tools to use to share your organisation's story
Published by Localgiving
Regular readers will remember our Christmas blog about the power of storytelling. Charities are increasingly harnessing the power of storytelling to stand out in a world filled with good causes, as they enjoy the natural advantage of having powerful and inspiring stories to tell. If you've already created a compelling story then Nisha – founder of Good News Shared – has some top tips for sharing it with the world.