Can you imagine if Dr. Dolittle was real and worked in public relations?
His ability to talk with the animals would allow them to dictate an interview that would be, “paws”-down, one of the best-read stories in the world.
Since we don’t have a real Dr. Dolittle to do the translation, however, we find other ways to communicate. Animal advocates work hard to deliver a message about the animals they serve to the public.
But sometimes the chatter from other worthy causes makes it difficult to get the word out about your wild animal foundation. When this happens, you need a strong animal welfare public relations plan so the public can hear your roar.
Raising Awareness
One of the ways to elevate your foundation is to educate the public about what it is you do and why you do it. PR can help you explain your mission to a larger audience and draw attention to your unique work.
When the public better understands how your foundation solves the plight of the animals you protect, it inspires action. These actions usually result in adding more volunteers to your roster and more donations to your foundation.
Making Emotional Connections
For a non-profit organization, creating a buzz and sharing compelling stories of the challenges you face and how you work to overcome them is often the best way to get your name in the news. This means making an emotional connection to readers and viewers who may become potential supporters.
Nearly everyone knows the ASPCA commercials featuring singer Sarah McLachlan. Her song, “Angel,” playing while images of cold and starving animals appear on the screen elicits a personal reaction in most humans.
While you don’t have to opt for that much drama, you do want to tell the animals’ stories. Public relations is the art of building relationships through the telling of personal stories.
Ongoing PR helps you build on these stories and tell them through objective, earned media placements so that the public sees how your advocacy is making meaningful changes. The animals can’t tell their story, but a PR partner can.
Building a Positive Image
All this culminates in helping your foundation build a positive image and create a memorable brand identity.
This is key in raising more donations because most donors give to charities they trust. Donors want to know that their donations will be used properly and for the greater good. If you’ve built a positive image, are transparent in your operations, and enjoy coverage by trusted media outlets, you are likely to see an increase in donations.
But building an effective PR plan can be difficult for people to do alone when they’re more focused on their cause.
The professionals at Orange Orchard are here to help. Our team is not only made up of PR experts, we are also compassionate about helping animals. We want to live in a kinder world.
If you’d like to increase your wild animal foundation’s presence, call us at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online.