Beyond Coverage: Building Trust and Authenticity in Nonprofit PR

Whether you've worked in the corporate world or the nonprofit sector, you've likely heard this question before as a Public Relations (PR) professional or perhaps you've even asked it yourself, “Can You Guarantee Us Coverage On The Work We Are Doing?" It's a common question that highlights a misunderstanding of what PR truly entails. Too often, people fail to grasp the full scope of what PR can achieve. This is why it's so important to have a fundamental understanding of PR. When a business or nonprofit hires a PR professional, it’s crucial to leverage PR effectively in order to maximize its true benefits.

In an age where many believe, “If it bleeds, it leads," it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends and flashy antics to get your story at the top of a journalist’s inbox or convince the world that your work matters and should be shared. But the reality is, whether you want to hear this or not, EVERYONE thinks their story is newsworthy. Yet the truth is, YOU don’t get to decide that for others. Many believe PR’s role includes pitching every news story because the executive director or staff member feels it’s newsworthy. PR’s role goes far beyond just pitching your story.

PR is about crafting a brand that authentically represents the voice of the nonprofit. It's about creating stories that highlight how we're solving pain points, building strong relationships with partners and the community, and engaging our target audience. At the same time, it’s important to showcase the work being done, all while staying true to what leadership scholar Bill George would call our North Star. In PR, our North Star means remaining true to your brand and ensuring everything aligns with it.

The Authenticity Audit

Nonprofit PR isn’t about projecting perfection because, as much as we want to create that polished look, sometimes it makes us come across as too sterile. Sterile brands rarely spark the kind of revolutionary change that moves the cultural or activism needle. It’s about crafting your brand through the lens of authenticity. This means deciding what it really means to have a transparent, real relationship with your audience and stakeholders. The more genuine and authentic you are, the more people will connect with your mission.

Yes, you can spend money on grand photo shoots, pick the best SEO words, and highlight your top expert as the go-to thought leader. But what if I told you that you could win the authenticity game by using real pictures of your staff, volunteers, and community members that show who you are and what you do every day, embodying your mission? What if your thought leader didn’t

have to be the face of your organization, but instead it was the young mother you just helped get back to school or the first-generation college student you helped earn a scholarship?

This doesn’t mean you can’t harness the power of a thought leader or professional photo shoots, but they shouldn’t be the main components of your branding. If you’re unsure how to tap into your nonprofit’s authenticity, ask yourself these questions, adapted from Bill George’s article titled “30 Questions to Help You Discover Your True North”:

What kind of legacy do you envision for your organization? Ten, twenty, or even fifty years from now, what do you want your name to represent?

If you could choose one word to describe your organization, what would it be? And what do you think people are actually saying about you right now?

What do community members, stakeholders, and partners consider to be your organization's greatest strength?

On the flip side, what do they see as your biggest weakness? Be candid and honest.

List your organization’s core values. Compare them to your mission statement—do they align?

By starting with these questions, you’re championing your North Star process. These questions help frame your brand story for PR. They personify your nonprofit, helping you get to the heart of what your future legacy will be, how others view the organization, and identifying both your biggest strengths and your biggest flaws, all while staying rooted in your mission and core values.

Peter Drucker’s 5 Questions: The Foundation of Strategy

Now that you've completed the authenticity audit, it's time to strategize your nonprofit’s next steps. You now have a guiding light that is crucial in PR; this strategy will take your authenticity audit and help you craft another key component: identifying who your customer or target audience is. After all, how can you shape your story if you don’t even know who you’re talking to? That’s where Peter Drucker’s five essential questions come in. These questions are the compass that can guide your PR and overall planning efforts to ensure you're always aligned with your mission:

What is our mission? Your nonprofit’s mission should always be front and center in any PR campaign. If you don’t know what your nonprofit stands for, neither will your audience.

Who is our customer? Understand your audience, whether it’s donors, volunteers, or the community you serve. Tailoring your message to your target audience ensures that your PR is both relevant and effective.

What does our customer value? What’s important to your audience? Is it transparency, impact, or the feeling of being involved in something greater than themselves? This understanding will help you communicate in a way that resonates.

What are our results? Measuring success is crucial to any PR strategy. Are you effectively raising awareness, increasing donations, or mobilizing volunteers? Start by defining clear, realistic goals for the type of results you want to achieve. These goals should serve as your benchmarks for success, and remember, not all of them need to be tied to numbers.

What is our plan? A good PR strategy requires planning. What are the key messages you want to communicate? What platforms will you use? A clear plan will guide your actions and ensure your resources are used efficiently.

By answering these questions, you create a strategic foundation that can guide all of your PR efforts, ensuring that everything you do is aligned with your core purpose.

The Halo Effect: Using Your Network To Create a Positive First Impression

In communications, there's a saying: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." In PR, that first impression is everything, and this is where the Halo Effect comes in. The Halo Effect is a psychological phenomenon where one positive trait or endorsement can shape how people perceive everything else. So, how can nonprofits harness this power in their PR strategy?

Think about the Halo Effect in action. It’s been used (and misused) by people who didn’t use it in the most ethical way. Take Elizabeth Holmes, the infamous founder of Theranos, who leveraged this effect to gain investments and build a board of influential figures. While her case is an example of manipulation, it shows just how powerful the Halo Effect can be.

Now, imagine using this power for good. What if a nonprofit could leverage an influential community leader or a respected public figure who truly believes in your mission? When they endorse your cause, their reputation can transfer to your nonprofit. It’s like getting a great recommendation for a new restaurant from a trusted friend; you’re more likely to give it a try based on their positive reputation.

For nonprofits, this means collaborating with community partners, local influencers, or respected figures who genuinely align with your mission. Consider the Obama Foundation, President Obama’s reputation alone significantly enhances its credibility and fundraising potential.

The Labor Illusion: Showcase the Real People Behind the Mission

The heart of nonprofit PR isn’t just about your mission; it’s about showing the people who are bringing that mission to life authentically. Yes, we’ve all seen those perfectly crafted stories that make a nonprofit’s work look effortless. But here’s where you’re going wrong! The truth is, nonprofit success comes from hard work, long hours, and real, behind-the-scenes effort.

YOUR AUDIENCE WANTS TO SEE THIS!

This is where the Labor Illusion comes in. It’s a concept that taps into the appeal of seeing the effort and passion that goes into creating change. Think about it: when we see volunteers working on-site or hear stories about the sweat and tears behind the scenes, it humanizes your nonprofit. It’s not just a faceless organization; it’s a group of people working tirelessly to make a difference.

So, embrace the messiness. Show your audience the real, raw efforts behind your nonprofit’s success. Yes, it’s okay to show the finished product, but what about showing the process through the long hours it took to pull together that gala or charity golf event? Whether it's volunteers building homes or staff planning a major event, let them see that it’s driven by passion and hard work.

Many would argue that this is what helped build the connection for so many with Habitat for Humanity. What made their mission real was seeing behind-the-scenes footage of President Jimmy Carter building homes, not just the final product. Imagine the image of President Carter from 2019, with a black eye and 14 stitches, yet still building a home after taking a fall.

That moment not only compelled others to consider joining the mission, or even donating but also showcased his unwavering dedication to the cause. It proves that he didn’t let a setback stop him, and this kind of authenticity is what builds trust.

Stay True to Your Mission

PR for nonprofits doesn’t have to be a complicated maze of strategies and tools. At its core, it’s about staying true to your mission, being authentic, and understanding how human psychology works to connect with your audience. Whether you’re leveraging the Halo Effect through endorsements or the Labor Illusion, the key is consistency and staying aligned with your North Star.

Before your next campaign, ask yourself: Are you staying true to your mission? Are you building trust through authenticity? Are you leveraging the right psychological principles to connect with the people who matter most?