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Publicity Portfolio
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Much of what I know about publicity comes from my years as a photographer,
magazine picture editor, and later as the founder and executive director
of a nonprofit. I believe in the power of words and pictures.
Just weeks after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the gulf coast in August
2005, I was deployed by the Red Cross to Mississippi. My experience there,
led me to found the nonprofit Mississippi Home Again. We helped people
get back on their feet, so they could take care of themselves again.
By photographing and writing stories about the people we helped and
those who still needed help, we were able to bring millions of dollars
worth of appliances, beds, building materials and skilled labor to struggling
residents.
My New Hampshire hometown newspapers published regular features as did
the Mississippi newspapers and radio and television stations. This helped
the national media find us on the internet which lead to stories in People
Magazine, ABC World News, the Associated Press, The Boston Globe, Bay
Windows and dozens of other outlets.
This publicity produced partnerships with larger nonprofits, private
and corporate donations and grants. It also inspired hundreds of volunteers
to come down and hang sheet rock, pound nails and do anything that needed
doing.
When I returned home to New Hampshire in 2007, I began working with
businesses and nonprofits to tell their stories and reach a broader audience.
Publicity works.
-Annie Card
Creative Solutionist
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After developing two logos, two brochures and a website makeover, we began a publicity campaign. Newspaper and on-line feature stories pointed readers to the BJB website for more information and to register for their upcoming Adventure Weekend and seasonal retreats.
Each media placement created another web presence which was multiplied many fold as it was shared on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking platforms. |
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Small Business
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We love working with Annie! She has a knack for getting
to the heart of things and then taking
that information and making
it newsworthy. We're grateful she really captured our story,
then made the right contacts
so our story appeared in print for the world to see.
- Alicia and Tina
Affirm Water, owners
Two moms, concerned about the devastating environmental impact of the
bottled water industry, launched a reusable bottle company with a positive
message and a mission. Their goal is to reduce throwaway plastic bottles,
by getting people to use tap water in reusable bottles-- one choice being
their stainless steel Affirm Water bottles.
They had a website, but needed media exposure to drive people to it
and educate them why reusable bottles make sense. A front page story in
the business section of the Union Leader lead to a spike in online sales
and nearly a dozen wholesale inquiries. Media placement gets results.
www.affirmwater.com |
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Oldest organic farm in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Union Leader, August 2010
"We had people come to the farm for the first time because they saw the
story in the paper. Once people visit, we know they'll keep coming back.
Annie's photos are beautiful. The story brought us lots of new customers. We're
thrilled."
-Rosaly Bass, owner
Rosaly's Garden |
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Oldest organic farm in New Hampshire
Just because her organic farm is the oldest and the biggest and even
the best, doesn’t mean everyone knows about Rosaly’s Garden. Yes, she
has customers who have been coming to her farm stand for more than three
decades. Their kids and now their grand kids come every year to pick strawberries
and blueberries, and can hardly wait until pumpkin time. Local restaurants
serve her greens, tomatoes, herbs and squash.
But Rosaly Bass knows that’s not everyone. To remain sustainable, she
works hard to attract new customers and keep the old ones coming back.
Rosaly hired Annie Card Creative Services to contribute to her website
makeover, brochures, and to keep her in the press. Because of our publicity
efforts, her farm has become a destination for seasonal television and
newspaper stories. Rosaly was featured in YANKEE Magazine’s issue “25
New Englanders You Must Meet.”
www.RosalysGarden.com |
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Businesses benefit from all sorts of
partnerships. The public loves businesses that support programs that
help others and simply make our world a better place. The key is to get
these goodwill stories in the press.
Two health care businesses combined forces to help an Iraq War veteran
with a traumatic brain injury find purpose and hope in his new community.
Twice a week, Mico Morin was driven from his home at Robin Hill Farm
to his volunteer job at Summer Hill Assisted Living. There he delivered
mail, set up a recycling program and visited with the residents. He said
he felt lucky to have the time to "do something nice for someone
else."
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Nonprofits
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Volunteering is good for you. It can help you beat the blues if you're
spending too much time alone. It's a great way to boost your resume, make
contacts and use your skills if you're between jobs.
After a debilitating back injury, multiple surgeries and medication
addiction, Ken Skrable found relief and meaning by volunteering at a teen
center, helping young adults find success.
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Nonprofits that tell their stories throughout the year, see results.
The more people know about an organization, the more they recognize and
appreciate their presence in the community. Stories that spotlight an
organization's volunteers, a particular project or other success story
can prompt action: new board members, cash donations, volunteers or in-kind
donations.
Retirement has Mary Ann Grant, 64, working harder than ever. And she
loves it. Library fund raisers, food baskets at Thanksgiving, gardening
projects and fuel assistance for neighbors challenged to keep warm through
New Hamsphire's long winters.
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The moms who chair and steer the oldest PTA in the nation needed help.
They wanted to get more parents involved if just to bake one batch of
brownies a year, or volunteer an hour or two in the classroom.
And they wanted voters to know how important it was to give a thumbs
up to the new school building bond. They managed to make all their points
and garner support on every front.
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Suicide survivors are those left behind when a loved one commits suicide.
There is a stigma with suicide, a tendency to not talk about it, perhaps
even pretend a suicide was an accident or something else.
Cilla DeHotman inspired survivors to come to her support group by sharing
her own painful story in a newspaper story. Nonprofits get results by
sharing stories that matter, stories that inspire action.
Your article helped promote our mission beyond the immediate
community, which is very important
to us and also to the Monadnock United Way. It also yielded phone calls
from interested volunteers and survivors. We are grateful that this
story increased awareness of The Samaritans.
We sincerely appreciate all that
you do.
Carmen Trafton
Program Coordinator
The Samaritans
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Kitty Rescue and Adoption cares for over 150 rescued cats, under
one roof. They needed volunteers, in-kind donations and cash, and they
just needed more people to understand what they do.
We have had a great response from the article. Lots of people wanting
to volunteer. The greatest success came from twin sisters who read
the article. They celebrated their 13th birthday last week and instead
of gifts they asked for donations to KRA. They raised $500. Just amazing.
Thanks again for your support,
the article is really paying off.
All best,
Carol Gove
Kitty Resue and Adoption
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This brand new organization raises money through various races to help
youth and adults be active and challenge themselves in the outdoors.
Erin Lyons was launching her inaugural triathlon and needed to rally
sponsors, volunteers and participants. Reluctant at first to be in the
spotlight, Lyons finally agreed to our publicity proposal and carried
her mountain bike into Cunningham Pond, where her triathletes would be
swimming in just three weeks.
The photo shoot produced fun, dynamic photos of Lyons and the accompanying
story inspired readers to get involved.
The newspaper publicity helped Lyons exceed her goals-- with over 100
participants, dozens of volunteers as well as donated prizes, food and
beverages at the finish line. |
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The best publicity is a story that matters, a story that resonates and
warrants retelling.
This story gave the community a peek inside a place most only know if
they've had to bring a loved one for rehabilitation following a fall,
illness or an operation. It showed how much life and companionship is
provided and gained by volunteering a couple of hours. These kinds of
stories boost morale for staff and residents and inspire others to volunteer.
It's a powerful side door approach to putting a feel good spin on a care
facility.
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Nonprofits all seem to know each other. They see each other at conferences,
attend each others’ fund raisers and compete for the same grant money.
However, the public often gets them confused and may not give credit where
it's due, thus an opportunity is missed.
Compelling stories in newspapers and magazines, on radio and television
can help make your nonprofit mean something to people. This story about
a Big Sister who also played sax in the nonprofit's biggest fund raiser
of the year, was a hit. It showed the power of the mentoring program and
celebrated the success of its matches. Readers were inspired to volunteer
as Bigs, and to support the fund raiser.
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Assisted Living Facility, Peterborough NH
It can be hard for an assisted living community to look happy and vibrant,
a place you actually want to go. But 11-year old Oriana showed us there's
no place she'd rather be.
Once a week, the sixth grader walked from the school bus stop to The
Scott-Farrar Home. There she would visit with Edna and Gordon, or any
of the other 16 residents.
Inspired by Oriana, readers young and old called to learn how they could
volunteer. Staff and residents were proud to be featured in such a warm
light, and family facing the dilemma of finding a new home for a loved
one learned that the Scott-Farrar Home is one big family.
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Peterborough NH
How do you get the word out about all the great things your favorite
nonprofit does? Hopefully you have a website, maybe a brochure. Your board
of directors are your ambassadors. And the people you help may spread
the word. But what about others who confuse you with another organization across
town, or just don’t really know what you do?
Focus on one of your programs and tell
the story so even an 8 year old can understand, and get excited about
it.
At The River Center, Larry Schwartz
is the Money Coach all year long, helping families make sense of their
upside down finances, working with them to design a strategy that can
create independence and calm. This story brought dozens more families
to The River Center for free tax preparation. |
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Dublin NH
Without volunteers like Brian Barden, lots
of things just wouldn’t get done in the little town of Dublin. He’s been
putting flags on veterans’ graves for nearly 40 years. And he’s been the
Fire Warden and a volunteer fire fighter that whole time as well. He helps
residents through blizzards and ice storms and stops to change a flat tire
when he sees the need.
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Jaffrey NH
Stories get results. Stories about real people. Readers are drawn in
and inspired to act. Some volunteer. Others donate money or badly needed
items. And some join the board of directors or offer to write a grant.
These 13-year old sisters will explain why they told their friends,
“No gifts for our birthday, please. We’d rather you make a donation to
Kitty Rescue.”
www.kittyrescueand
adoption.org |
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