About the Book

CONTACT: Courtney Goethals
800-621-9621, ext. 4322
courtney.goethals@kaplan.com

New Guide Helps Nonprofits Stretch Marketing Dollars for Maximum Publicity

CHICAGO, Ill. – June 2006 – A new book from an award-winning publicist helps nonprofit organizations large and small discover and use the tools and techniques that will help transform them into high-profile media darlings.

In Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure That Leads to Awareness, Growth and Contributions,($23.95 Kaplan Publishing, June 2006)author Sandra Beckwith taps her 25 years of hands-on publicity know-how to outline successful media relations strategies tailored for nonprofit organizations. This detailed, step-by-step guideincludes examples of press releases, op-ed articles, pitch letters, public service announcements and other important outreach tools. 

This timely and practical guide doesn’t just explain why publicity is important – it shows how to use cost-effective publicity plans and tactics to reach fundraising goals, educate and influence consumers, and recruit employees and volunteers. In Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure That Leads to Awareness, Growth and Contributions, Beckwith offers fascinating case studies, detailed instructions, and a rich array of publicity tools and tactics that will help nonprofit organizations learn how to:

1. Create an affordable publicity plan that integrates goals, objectives, and key strategies
2. Determine which tools and tactics will have the most impact on the organization’s goals
3. Develop and pitch newsworthy stories with powerful messages that will capture media attention and resonate with audiences
4. Maximize the publicity potential of an organization’s activities, talents and resources

“When I speak to nonprofit groups about publicity, they are never interested in theory,” says Beckwith.  “They want to know how to do it – what tools and tactics will get them the farthest? Which approach will have the greatest impact with the least amount of expense? When is a press conference a good idea and when is not the best choice for communicating information? I wrote this book to give them the answers and information they need to succeed in a highly-competitive, increasingly complex media world.”

Sandra Beckwith has more than 25 years of award-winning public relations experience. A recipient of the coveted Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America, her public relations background includes assignments at one of the world’s largest public relations firms and a large national consumer products company. Now a consultant who helps others learn how to generate their own publicity, her clients include several nonprofit organizations.

Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure that Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions ($23.95, 256 pages, 7 ¼ x 9, paperback, ISBN: 1-4195-2299-X) is available at neighborhood and online booksellers or by calling 800-245-BOOK. 

Kaplan Publishing is one of the nation’s leading education, career and business publishers.  Kaplan Publishing, with offices in New York and Chicago, produces more than 150 books a year on test preparation, admissions, academic and professional development, general business, management, sales, marketing, real estate, finance and investing.  Kaplan Publishing is a unit of Kaplan, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).  For more information, please visit www.kaplanpublishing.com

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About the Author

Sandra Beckwith, author, Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure That Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions

Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith has more than 25 years of award-winning public relations experience. A recipient of the coveted Silver Anvil award from the Public Relations Society of America, she is a repeat Silver and Bronze Anvil judge. Her public relations background includes assignments at one of the world’s largest public relations firms and a large national consumer products company.

Self-employed for 20 years, she was a seven-year member of the communications team for a national initiative funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and has executed communications programs for several nonprofits.

Today, instead of providing publicity services to clients, Beckwith teaches them how to generate valuable media exposure themselves. She presents keynote speeches and workshops at conferences hosted by a wide range of organizations, including the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, the Greater Kansas City Council on Philanthropy, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, and the Association of Lutheran Development Executives.

This is her second publicity book; the first is Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement, a how-to guide for small business owners. She is also the author of Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates for authors.

For more information, please visit www.sandrabeckwith.com/aboutsandrabeckwith.htm.