Never pitch a reporter (advice for nonprofits from a longtime journalist)

You've been in the trenches for years. And you've rolled your eyes at news reports more than once. Reporters just don't seem to get the story completely right.

If only they would ask you and your agency for help. 

The obvious strategy here would be to contact the journalist directly. So you cue up an email and start writing. What exactly do you say?

This is where many nonprofits falter. Too often you're so stuck in the process of what you do, that you sidestep exactly why you do it. And when that happens, the passion gets lost in translation.

So, seriously, never pitch a reporter.

When you do, the reporter will be too busy trying to figure out exactly what you're selling. It doesn't matter if you run a small nonprofit that helps stock a local food pantry, or if you organize a national anti-violence campaign — reporters really hate getting pitched.

Try this instead. 

If you're that food pantry nonprofit, for example, identify the reporter who has written stories about anything even remotely related: urban poverty, childhood hunger, food deserts, etc. Then email them. Except this time, tell them you've read their stuff, and that you'd love to talk to them about the issues so that they can better explain them to their readers. 

Reporters don't want stories handed to them. They want sources who can help them tell better stories. 

So, going back to that food pantry example, if you help the reporter contextualize a story about food deserts you just may be quoted in a story. Or, at a minimum, the reporter knows you exist! Yes, it won't mean a front page story about the grant you worked so hard to get. But it does mean that the next time you're inclined to email, you just might have a cell phone number to call instead.

Be useful, offer help. 

Because reporters hate getting pitched. They just want a reliable source.