This week we focus on the Santa Ana Zoo’s Zoofari and the Hampton’s Splash Party.

Camel-lot

Now in its eighteenth year, the 2010 Zoofari to raise funds for the Santa Ana Zoo followed the exotic theme, Hot Egyptian Nights. Roughly 350 guests joined in the festivities presented by the Friends of Santa Ana Zoo (FOSAZ).

Before the event even began, Orange County Register columnist Frank Mickadeit did his part to bring attention to the zoo and the event: He spent three days living in one of the monkey cages, doing his reporting from there! (He was honored for this monkeying around at Zoofari, outside of the cage!)

Come night of, camels were the highlight of the evening. Kaleb and Noah, two adorable, real live camels, launched the love. They were photographed with just about every attendee at the entrance. And Noah had no qualms with trying to hold up the line to get everyone to pet him. “He loves people,” says event chair Cathi Decker.

Unforgettable, and a giving inspiration, were camel-shaped centerpieces, which were hand-crafted by FOSAZ President Rip Ribble. “We lined them up on stage and did a backwards live auction (like a Fund-In-Need) to raise money specifically for the freezer in the commissary,” explains Cathi. “We started at $10K and went backwards to $5,000, $2,000—down to $100. Each person who contributed came up to the stage to pick out a camel centerpiece. Not only did all the camels go quickly, but we raised over $12,000!” The live auction also included a number of outstanding offerings, contributing to the roughly $75,000 the event raised.

The night’s theme lent itself to great costumes. There were several kohl-lined Cleopatras on hand as well as numerous guests donning head-dresses and other Egyptian-inspired fashions. Among the guests were Sandy Segerstrom-Daniels, Frank Mickadeit, and Ed Arnold.

Cathi points out that this year’s emphasis on messaging—that the event raises money to help the animals—was very well received. “Docents brought animals around throughout the evening,” Cathi says. “We had animals out in front of the stage during the auction and auctioned off behind-the-scenes animal experiences. Guests were able to touch and pet the animals and get their photos with them.”

Making a Splash!

On the other coast, we caught up with Sue Cohn Rockefeller and Lois Robbins who teamed up to co-chair the recent inaugural Oceana Hamptons Splash Party.

The event was held at the spacious home of Lois and her husband, Andrew Zaro. It was an ideal Hampton evening. And it was made even more legendary by the private concert with Jackson Browne! “The other special part of the evening,” say Lois and Sue, “was an after-party ride on Lois’s boat with co-hosts, Oceana folks, and Jackson Browne and his girlfriend, Diana Cohen.”

The primary goal of this first-time event was to raise awareness about Oceana and build a growing constituency of ocean stewards. “Having Jackson Browne come play music,” the co-chairs say, “boosted sales of tickets; a fabulous musical talent coupled with great food and venue makes for a wonderful time.”

There was no shortage of well-known guests in attendance to share the Oceana mission with, including Oceana board member Sam Waterston, Senator Frank Lautenberg & Bonnie Lautenberg, Ramona & Mario Singer, Tom & Lori Florio, David & Sybil Yurman, Julie & William Macklowe, Lizzie & John Tisch, and John & Joyce Varvatos. With such luminaries about, style was grand. The co-chairs glittered: Lois in Dior and Sue in a J Crew linen sheath and a pink pearl necklace of her own design, part of her “Oceana” collection. And designer Vera Wang was in gorgeous style as well as Caroline Hirsch in a sparkling gold dress. Beyond great entertainment, wonderful guests, and a stunning setting was the positive energy and love felt for mutual concern for our oceans. The good vibe of music got everyone up and dancing by the end of the party, say the co-chairs. The two plan to team up again next year to keep the passion growing.

Do you have an event you’d like included in ‘Have Gown, Will Travel’?

Please email editor@vivanista.com with your submission!

A closer look at these away-from-home events reveals some unique and wonderful attributes that add to their appeal, giving them a very special place in the hearts of those who create them, and those who attend.

Here we focus on three premier events across the nation to get a snapshot of this philanthropic event niche: “artCRUSH” in Aspen, Colorado (for the Aspen Art Museum); Oscar de la Renta Fashion Show at Lake Tahoe, California (for the League to Save Lake Tahoe); and “An Elegant Affair” in Southampton, New York (for emergency services at Southampton Hospital).

A similarity among these three events is the fact that they all give back to the community they are held in, strengthening key elements of the area’s infrastructure. They serve a critical role in bolstering the health of these beloved and beautiful vacation spots.

And the beauty gives back; both Barbara Brown, co-chair of the Oscar de la Renta Fashion show, and Jean Shafiroff, head chair of “An Elegant Affair,” note that there’s something very special about being able to throw a stunning engagement in equally stunning surroundings. Brown points out as well that it’s a wonderful opportunity to put on a summer dress and sunhat and enjoy the warm summer weather.

All of these events are also all chaired by seasoned philanthropists who live in large urban areas.  Brown and her co-chairs reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, while both Jean Shafiroff and Amy Phelan, co-chair with her husband, John for artCRUSH, call New York City their primary home.  However, all three chairs vacation in the towns where the respective events take place, so, from an organizational standpoint, these events are planned and run no differently than any other gala event. As Shafiroff puts succinctly: “I run this event like a business.”

Many of the attendees, donors, and supporters are also culled from the urban areas where the chairs live. Jeff Murcko, director of public relations and marketing for Aspen Art Museum, recalls one attendee at an “artCRUSH” gala saying to him that the event felt like an opening reception for a Chelsea (Manhattan) gallery given the preponderance of NYC art world regulars who were there. These events are reunions of sorts. For the communities, it’s another great boost of support to their often struggling economies.

Naturally, there are a couple small differences between resort-based and city-based events. One is building awareness in one area—your primary support base—for an event that’s in another, the resort town. Shafiroff had one of her five pre-parties in Manhattan. Pre-parties in the resort area are also key though, mainly because they’re a great way to draw city dwellers out to the event area (where many of them vacation anyway) and build buzz.

In the case of the Southampton and Tahoe events, there’s also the issue of them being held outdoors; weather is unpredictable and getting catering and event staff to location can be a challenge. But it’s also part of the fun and excitement of the events, and, ultimately, what sets them apart.

Who wouldn’t want to see a runway of Oscar de la Renta’s latest resort-wear (and have access to a phenomenal trunk show) next to one of the most pristinely breathtaking natural wonders in the world—and the knowledge that you’re helping it stay that way by being there? What a rare treat it is to experience art, and also support its availability, in the majesty of the Rockies while celebrating world renown artists, such as this year’s “artCRUSH” Aspen Award for Art honoree Marilyn Minter. And of course, what greater incentive do you need to contribute to the primary emergency healthcare facilities in the East Coast’s most storied and revered getaway spots than the Elegant Affair, the “grand dame” of summer galas?

But don’t be discouraged and think that this niche has been tapped out by these outstanding affairs. These resort areas are home to a huge number of nonprofit entities; they have surprisingly active philanthropic communities—a great base for your philanthropic passions to thrive in..

Taking a summer vacation also presents wonderful opportunities for giving!

How do they do it!?

That’s exactly what we wanted to know. So we looked into five 2010 events that did just that, raised $1 million, and in some cases, much more:

• $88M: Robin Hood benefit, New York City;
• $28M: Power of Love Gala for Keep Memory Alive (KMA), Las Vegas;
• $1.6M: Illumination Gala for Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, St. Louis;
• $1.2M: Joffrey Ballet Spring Gala, Chicago;
• $1.2M: Dick Vitale Gala for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, Sarasota, Florida.

Dedicated Support from a Well-Run Beneficiary

“Fundraising can’t go off on this level without dedicated staff,” says Anne Kaplan, honorary co-chair of the Joffrey gala. One of the first aspects of creating a great event is having a great staff at the benefiting organization that will work with your committee and chairs.

Jim Samalis, managing director, marketing, communications, and events for Robin Hood, notes the importance, when it comes to fundraising, of the organization being able to document where funds go. At Robin Hood, for instance, a unique and stringent set of metrics are used to track how funds are used by grantees; if grantees don’t meet the organization’s requirements, they don’t get their funding. “We do the research so the donor’s don’t have to,” Samalis says. “We want to give donors every reason to say, ‘Yes.’”

Strong Committee and Donor Base

It’s unanimous: A strong, dedicated, and passionate board, committee,and chairperson(s) are essential. “You need people on the committee to produce,” says Anne Robins, director or special events for KMA. “A lot of people want to be on committees, but they don’t always want to contribute much. This is a collaborative effort.”

“You need a strong board and key chairs to move the event forward,” concurs Amy Sinclair, manager of events at Robin Hood.

To start, personal contacts are invaluable, and the willingness to make the calls—“even those really difficult ones,” says Kaplan—makes the difference in dollars. (Especially in this economy, as the Obama campaign showed, it’s the accumulation of lots of smaller donations that often works best.) Samalis notes that not only did his board fill tables and get financial contributions, they helped bring in donors that provided key services at no cost, such as Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, which provided graphic and technical services gratis. “We received millions of dollars in services pro bono,” Samalis says.

Kaplan also notes that the passion of your committee is directly linked to their ability to inspire checks to get written. And it’s not just right around event time that your committee and chairpeople should be making efforts. “Most importantly, it takes dedicated stewardship of donors throughout the entire year,” states Weddle, “Our cause is such a noble one, but people are busy, so continuing to talk about its importance with our community of supporters throughout the year is crucial.”

Create a Memorable Event

Absolutely, an exceptional affair will result in more funds raised. Kaplan mentions the effective afterglow from the ballet’s gala; the organization received numerous post-event donations because people had had such a wonderful time the evening of.

What makes these events stand out?

Excellent décor, food, and environs are the base. “Add splashes of unexpected fun throughout the event,” Weddle says. “This will make guests remember it and want to keep it on their calendars next year. This year, in sync with our basketball theme, we had the TNT Dunk Squad and Traveling Marching band open the show, and basketball ‘characters’ that showed guests to their seats.”

Along with throwing a stunning event for over three thousand people, the Robin Hood benefit always has surprise entertainment; this year it was Sting. And Power of Love features outstanding wine (guests are welcomed with flutes of Dom Pérignon), world-renown chefs (attendance is limited so that the quality of each dish can remain superb; “We have a waiting list of people who want to attend,” says Anne), and top entertainment—for 2010, Barry Manilow performed.

The primary draw of the Dick Vitale Gala is guest appearances by sports celebrities; it’s their donation (each of them pay for their own expenses for the appearance; the high-profile attraction allows for the high-priced tickets, $1,000 per person, which account for a large portion of the monies raised). The Illumination Gala also utilizes celebrity appeal. “One of the keys to the success is choosing the right celebrity or spokesperson for the event,” says Illumination’s Sherman. “I think this distinguishes our event from others in town. Al Roker, Christina Applegate, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all add sex appeal, and having them available for meet-and-greets and photos prior to the event at a patron, high-end donor cocktail is fun, and gets everyone jazzed for the evening ahead.”

Sherman also suggests that “an after-party needs to be a highlight of the evening.” Among other features of the Illumination Gala’s post-event festivities, including a DJ, candy, and desserts, “flip flops were passed around to the ladies so they can take their Louboutins and Manolos off. These are the touches that people talk about for days and weeks after.” Keeping things fun and fresh is also paramount to continually bringing in new people every year, notes Robins.

Ways to Raise Funds

There are several different tactics these events employed to create generous giving. The Joffrey benefited from old-fashioned hard work; board members sent out hundreds of letters and made loads and loads of phone call. The personal touch from your chair people and committee members cannot be encouraged enough.

Robins singles out a particularly successful offering featured at the Power of Love: getting specific. Tables at the event feature donation cards, each for a KMA specific program: Give X number of dollars to fund this particular service. “People love to know where exactly their funds are going,” Robins says. During the live auction, the fund-a-need presents similar opportunities. For instance, asking those wanting to donate $1,000 to a certain program to stand. “Almost the whole room stands up,” says Robins. It’s also a way to get people to stand and give more than once.

“We tailor our tactics to the times,” notes Samalis. In the past, the Robin Hood fundraiser featured pricey auction items that only 3 or so percent of the attendees could participate in bidding for. This year, the event also provided devices at the tables that allowed attendees to donate any amount anonymously; to make it fun, the room was divided up into three sections and there was a competition between them to see which could raise the most money. Real-time totals appeared on big screens, and each section featured a celebrity “cheerleader” to encourage his or her group. Seventy percent of attendees donated with the device and the gala raised over $26 million from this effort alone. Every donation helps create a larger total.

At the Vitale gala, commemorative basketballs serve as table centerpieces and double as auction pieces; attendees at each table compete between themselves for the now coveted prize. It’s become such an anticipated tradition over the past five years the gala has taken place, that the bidding gets fierce, says V Foundation Vice President of Special Projects Joyce Aschenbrenner; bids have gone as high as $5,000 to even $10,000. The event also always features impromptu auction prizes (yes, totally unplanned, but they always happen), often game tickets: coaches regularly offer up great seats, and Vitale will, say, throw in a private jet ride to and from and himself as chaperon; this year, a walk-on role in Vitale’s annual Hooters commercial was on the block.

Exceptional service and a personal touch make a difference over at the Power of Love Gala. “We personally handle all of the details for the winners of the auction items,” says Robins. “We provide a unique level of hospitality.”

Build Your Message before and during the Event

Messaging, messaging, messaging!

“It’s all about the messaging,” Robin Hood’s Sinclair succinctly states. People need to have an understanding of what your benefactor does and feel that their money will be well spent, and they need to be excited about your event, so clear messaging about both is key.

One way to draw attention to your event: Create buzz. “Advance buzz is key,” says Sherman. “I would do more social networking in the future, maybe even getting a chairperson to have a blog, which she or he updates as the party moves forward. Use the social media more.” Also build up with “a kickoff party in someone’s chic home,” continues Sherman, “a cover story in a society magazine—advance press that makes it a ‘must attend’ is de rigueur.” The Joffrey gala committee convened months ahead of its event to work on its messaging verbiage.

At the Robin Hood event, building the charity’s message was a primary mission of the evening. “We hit with messaging at cocktails,” notes Samalis, “featuring many grantees in videos, pictures, and stories, showing what the funding has been doing. And we reiterate that throughout the night.” A good key speaker can also help this along; Samalis credits Robin Hood’s speaker, NBC’s Brian Williams, with inspiring donations.

“A combination of messaging and an enjoyable evening,” concludes Samalis, “puts people in the right frame of mind to give.”

Robin Hood

Power of Love Gala

Illumination Gala

Joffrey Ballet Gala

Dick Vitale Gala

But how exactly do you do that?

What’s going to relay to journalists that your event is well organized,professional, and most important, fresh and fun?! That it’s as completely brilliant as you know it’s going to be? That it’s story-worthy? How much is enough? What’s not enough?

Here’s a checklist of what you should make available to media, and how and when you should get it to them:

1. Press Release(s)

This is an obvious one, but questions still often arise as to what exactly one’s press release should include. Opinions vary, but a safe guideline is to include all of the pertinent information up front, even in a bulletedlist, and then flesh it out as you go down the page. The primary idea is to grab your audience and, once you have them, provide fine details. But don’t overwhelm your audience! If you can do it, one page is perfect; two is just fine, but any more than that and you’re going to lose your audience before you even get started. I have never met an event that needed that much explaining. Keep it simple, clean; let the journalist add the adjectives. A sample press release can be found here. In most cases, you’ll have one press release to send to all media—a general “this is my amazing event” piece. But if there ever is the opportunity to pitch a unique story angle about your event to a publication, make the extra effort and tailor a unique press release to that entity

As for how to deliver: E-mail! Paper PR almost doesn’t exist because that’s just not how journalists work these days. Everything is digital. Also, make sure to link to your PR on your Website (we’ll get to that in a moment). Concerning when to get information out, the answer is always as early as possible. Four months out is a good goal, especially if you’re hoping to get into print publications; they plan months in advance. Regardless, everyone in media is busy, so the sooner you get on their calendar, the better. Sending a Save the Date mini–press release or e-mail with key information before your big PR blast is also advisable. Again, the sooner this goes out, the better.

2. Website

Even if you just create a couple of basic static pages, it’s important to have a Website. And, yes, one reason for this is that everyone’s doing it; it makes your event look credible. Some social editors are actually leery of events without a Website. And, journalists like to be able to access information quickly and easily. If your event is an annual affair, this gives you a presence year-round as well as a place to plant details about next year’s happenings long in advance, keeping the excitement up. It also shows that your event is alive and well. Take note, however: keep information up-to-date. Having an outdated site is almost worse than having nothing at all; it gives the appearance that the event is perhaps not happening again or that it’s simply poorly organized.

In addition to linking to press releases and providing key information about your event—name, benefactor(s), date, time, venue, contact information (e-mails and phone numbers), names of all people involved in the organizing (chairs, committee members, honorary chairs, etcetera)—links to past media coverage, images of past annual events or pre-parties (an added bonus: provide links to high resolution images that the media can download and use in editorial), and information about how to get tickets or donate (if you can set up online and donating purchasing, so much the better) are musts. And information about your benefactor—always! Messaging is hugely important!

3. Social Media

The power of social media is wide and strong. It’s here to stay, and it relays that yourevent is with it. Use it. Clearly, Twitter and Facebook are the leaders in the field, and the best part is that, save your time, they’re completely free. For media outreach, this is a way to get tidbits to journalists, most of whom have their own Twitter and Facebook presence (so, of course, follow or friend/fan on all social media), as well as blogs. Tweeting about preparties (from said preparties, in real time), the great new entertainment you just landed, insight into who’s wearing what (or should I say, who’s wearing who), or any other juicy info all work to create buzz and excitement. And social writers are always looking for insider, to-the-minute info to Tweet, post on Facebook, and blog about. If you provide fun and repeat-worthy information, it spreads and keeps your event in the public, and media’s, eye. Susan Sherman, a former co-chair of Illumination 2009 to benefit Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, says, “Advance buzz is key. I would do more social networking in the future, maybe [if the] chairperson had a blog which she/he updates as the party moves forward in planning.”

4. Calendar Listings

It’s not as glamorous as a full story written by your favorite social writer, but calendar listings should not be overlooked. Many local and online publications (do a thorough search) allow you to submit directly to the calendar via a form. Right here on Vivanista, you can do just that; please submit your event listing here. For publications that don’t offer such a service, find out who the calendar editor is (it’s often a different person than the social writer) and submit.

5. Personal Touch

Even if you provide all of the right information in all of the right places all at the right time, it’s still critical to have a designated media liaison for your event. Journalists may have questions or will often want quotes—no writer wants to regurgitate the press release; having firsthand words from someone involved makes a story unique, exclusive to that publication. For journalists, someone they can connect with is always appreciated.

Great! Now all that’s left is to deliver. Create the event that’s as glorious as you have said it will be and the media will follow. It’s a straightforward formula: great times, great cause, great to write about!

[Feature photo by FaceMePLS, Flickr.com]

Backing up for a moment, note that any media you do host at your event—that is, any publication representative granted a press pass—should be expected to deliver with coverage. It is completely appropriate, especially with bigger, most costly events, to voice these expectations with press representatives before granting complementary access to your event, and inquire as to when you can expect the coverage to appear.

However, you shouldn’t expect coverage if you don’t offer a press pass to your event, nor should you expect a warm reception from journalists if you offer to let them experience only a portion of the evening’s offerings. “We are clear with events that it’s important for us to [for instance] be seated at dinner,” says Society and Travel Editor for the Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee, Rusty Terry when addressing this topic. “And the press should also be served the same meal as the guests.” Terry’s sentiments about inclusion are echoed by Linda M. Herold—who runs the society blog lindalandaz.com in Scottsdale, Arizona—as well as social writers in various other regions. All note they and their colleagues have refused to cover events where the press was excluded from all (yes, all—it’s happened) or portions of the goings-on. Again, one cannot write about what one does not experience.

A key component to ensuring proper coverage is to make sure that media representatives have the information they need. For starters, make sure that they know where to check in and be sure an event representative is there to receive them when they arrive. Terry notes that the Swan Ball, one of Nashville’s premier annual galas, does this seamlessly. Each publication has an event representative assigned to it; that representative can then point out and introduce the publication’s journalist and/or photographer to key participants at the event, such as sponsors and event chairs; this is critical. The journalists and photographers cover the people they interact with or know or are introduced to.

Of course, most events can’t supply each publication with its own event representative, but it is very important to have at least one person dedicated to greeting and assisting the media at your event. “I don’t think people always understand how important it is to provide a press liaison at an event,” says Terry. He goes on to note that this is especially true of photographers, who are put in charge of photographing key people but may not always know who those people are.

If your event is a seated affair, it’s advisable to incorporate media into the general seating chart, instead of at a media-only table. Would you prefer to have a write-up about conversations with other local press or about your key sponsor’s wonderful hospitality and great sense of humor? If your event does decide to seat media separately, make certain they’re not placed too far from the action and at least have access to the main event.

In sum, treat the media with respect and guide them to the best your event has to offer. They are event supporters, too, just as much as your sponsors or other guests. And as such, relations with them are key for any gala. Give the press something delightful to cover, and they will cover it with delight.

[Photo from Flickr]

And how do I make sure they keep covering my event? These are questions that producers of philanthropic events often contend with. Obviously, certain traditional high points on the calendar will always get coverage, but even then, it’s important to make sure all of the details are attended to; this is a competitive field and even blue-chip events must be diligent about their media outreach efforts.

But what exactly are the efforts social writers look for to decide when (and when not!) to cover an event? We went to the source to find out, discussing the topic with five such writers throughout the country. Sharing their media wisdom is: Jennifer Brett in Atlanta, Georgia; Joanne Davidson in Denver, Colorado; Jose Lambiet in Palm Beach, Florida; Linda M. Herold in Scottsdate, Arizona; and Shelby Hodge in Houston, Texas.

Jennifer Brett

Writes the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Peach Buzz celeb and social column and tweets at: @AJCBuzz

Jennifer Brett notes that she’s getting more and more information through Twitter and Facebook and e-mail. Gone are the days of the paper press kit. She sees event producers getting more technically savvy, engaging her on Twitter by following her and retweeting her posts. They develop a relationship and then approach her about covering their event. One example she cites is some clever organizers who start the buzz via social media outlets that she’ll be at the event; that sort of creativity and effort catches her eye. She also notes her interest in being inclusive, representing the diversity of Atlanta. “I don’t want to go to the same $1,000-a-plate, black-tie event all the time,” she says.

Of course, Brett acknowledges that there is a divide; you don’t send out Evites to a formal Opera event. But for a wine tasting fundraiser, have some fun and use contemporary social media outlets. “Tailor your pitch to your audience, including me,” she says. “Hit me where I live. Send a text or a twitter feed, not a piece of paper or a voicemail message.” But, as regards media outreach, don’t overdo it. Less is more, she advises. Sending a slew of attachments that overload the system and overwhelm an already busy writer is likely to go unread. “Hit me between the eyes,” she says. “My eyeballs and your invite are going to have an intense three-second romance. Make it count.”

Joanne Davidson

Social Editor for the Denver Post

“Basically,” says Joanne Davidson, “I will cover almost anything—once. If I don’t think that it was well-organized, or worth the price of admission, it’ll take some talking to convince me to return for subsequent editions.” Her ground rules are pretty simple: the event must be a benefit for a legitimate charity—not political or religious in nature, and it have a minimum of a hundred guests. “I don’t cover weddings, private parties, or political fundraisers,” she states. “Events that catch my eye are those with clever themes, good entertainment, and dynamic leadership.”
Davidson notes that Denver is fortunate to have a very active philanthropic community; in any given year, she receives invitations to at least two thousand charitable fundraisers, and generally attends a minimum of five events per week. “The overwhelming majority of events I attend,” she says, “are well-organized and well-attended.”

Jose Lambiet

Gossip, celeb, and social writer for The Palm Beach Post and Jose Lambiet’s  Page2Live

Jose Lambiet doesn’t always write about the prettiest part of an event—he prints gossip as well as good deeds—but always reminds promoters that publicity is publicity; get the media that you can, always. (On that note, Jose did mention never seeing television cameras at events and suggests reaching out to T.V. for coverage of your event.)

When deciding which events to cover, he looks at ticket price and elements, such as how opulent the auction items are (one recent event auctioned off a $1.3 million Bugatti; “You can’t not cover that,” he notes) as well as what celebrities, speakers, or entertainment will be attending. Other factors include what charity is benefiting and how many members and donors are affiliated with it in his area. He’s mindful of his audience; if many of his readers are involved or interested in those involved, he covers it.

A surefire way to get his attention for a smaller event is to hold it in a private mansion. He notes that such venues are often donated for the evening at no cost. “I never say no to an event held at one of the spectacular properties in our area,” Jose says.

Linda M. Herold

Image Courtesy of: Julia C. Patrick

Founder/owner of LindaLandAZ.com

Linda M. Herold immediately notes that if you want her to cover an event, you need to ask. “Someone has to contact me and ask me to be their media guest, if they expect me to attend,” she says. And she looks for information early (she’s already blocking out her October calendar); save the date cards, fact sheets, press releases. A good press handler is also key, before, during, and after the event. “I have relationships with the PR firms in town that handle a lot of the bigger events,” Linda says. “They are very professional and organized.” As a result, Linda attends a lot of the events they’re associated with; she always appreciates events who have able media relations representatives.

A most critical aspect of getting coverage is paying attention to the details of common courtesies when dealing with media. Simple things like providing access in the form of a seat at a table/full experience of the event, making sure media representatives’ names are on the guest list, having a contact person for media at check-in to attend to questions or introductions. “I see a lot of people who don’t understand the business of media relations,” says Linda. She’s left events that bumble things up enough, or simple not attended for being treated poorly beforehand. In sum, if you seek coverage, give the media representatives the needed tools and attend to them as you would any other business client or guest.

Shelby Hodge

Editor at Large for culturemap.com

As did many of the other writers we talked to, Shelby Hodge, who’s in Houston, notes that there are a lot of events in her area. Events with a large attendance that bring in millions of dollars certainly get her attention. But she also seeks to cover a variety of different types of events. For smaller or upstart events, Shelby advises to do something different, something special. One example, one organization created a Dancing with the Houston Stars event (a take-off on “Dancing with the Stars,” of course); dancers from the Houston Ballet were paired up with local celebrities and attendees voted on their performances. “I look for what will keep my readers entertained,” she says. “So, keep it fresh.” She also suggests holding smaller events at someone’s home or in a beautiful setting, such as a garden. And think about planning your event at a non-peak-season time; if you’re competing with fewer other events, you’re more likely to get attention. Finally, she emphasizes that if you want someone to cover an event, you need to make sure you contact them, personally, with an e-mail or phone call.

[Photo from Flickr by billingham]

So, as anyone who’s worked on getting press coverage knows, it’s challenging. It can become much more rewarding, for you and your chosen media outlets, if you develop good relationships with their editors. Having been on the editorial side of the equation for over a decade, I have dealt with a huge variety of approaches from those seeking my attention. Some have inspired wonderful, mutually rewarding relationships and some have inspired me to cover something else. We all seek the first option, and it’s not as difficult or mysterious to master as you might think. Here are my top five dos and don’ts to creating great relationships with editors.

DO

1. Know the publication: This might seem like obvious advice, but it’s amazing how few people follow it. Consider: why would an editor be interested in working with someone who doesn’t take the time to know what her publication is about? It’s both a matter or respect as well as efficiency: if you know the publication, you’ll know what type of story about your event to pitch. A well thought and appropriate story idea is far more likely to be of interest to an editor.
2. Be mindful of an editor’s time (or lack thereof): Editors are often on deadline or juggling multiple projects; they’re busy just like everyone else, and it’s easy to catch them at a stressful time. So be efficient in your dealings. Yes, your event is important; it may be your top priority. But it’s only one of numerous other things that editor is dealing with. Be mindful of her side of the situation, too.
3. Know what you’re looking for: There are three basic ways events get coverage: a calendar listing, post-event coverage/a story about the event itself, a story about someone or something linked to the event. Know what you’re looking for before you call or e-mail a publication. If you’re looking for story coverage, present some compelling storylines to follow. What’s inspiring, unique, or newsworthy about your event? Give an editor something to work with, and you’re more likely to get in the publication.
4. Be politely persistent: It’s a good idea, recommended even, to make sure your materials reach the right person. Start the process by sending your materials via e-mail. If you haven’t received some sort of response within a couple days, a follow-up e-mail is completely appropriate. E-mail gets lost or sometimes accidentally passed over; it’s OK to just ensure that yours actually got seen. If that second attempt doesn’t get a response, phone the editor. If you’re still not getting any response, make one last attempt and then move on. Editors are always looking for content; if you know they’ve seen your materials and they’re not responding to you, it’s safe to assume they’re not interested. Put your efforts into finding another outlet that is.
5. Get materials in on or before deadlines: This applies both to your original press releases as well as any requested materials. Know when a publication starts planning its issues; know that some magazines plan months in advance. Time your submissions accordingly. If you are working with an editor who’s interested in covering your event, make sure she has everything she requests when she requests it. If you show yourself to be a reliable resource, you’ll be top on that editor’s list of people to work with again.

DON’T

1. Insist that your event or story idea is perfect for the publication: That’s the editor’s job; she knows her publication and decides what will work and what won’t. Offer the information, and share what you honestly believe will be of interest to the readers (and not just serve to be self-promotional). If there’s still no interest, move on.
2. Pull rank: If you’re unhappy with a decision or something that ran in the publication, talk to the editor you dealt with. Do not go over her head. There’s no faster way to ensure that you’ll never be called on by that media person again than if you undermine her authority or go bothering her boss about something you should be calling on her to handle.
3. Pitch the same story to everyone: If you have a great story idea, send it to the publication you think it would fit best. There are multiple ways your event could be talked about; find a unique angle for each publication you approach—focus your efforts. No editor wants to see the same story you pitched her in someone else’s publication. The same can be said of photo submissions; send different images from your event to different publications. Everyone likes exclusives!
4. Ask to approve a story: I know it’s tough because this is your big moment to shine and you want to make sure that everything is exactly how you think it should be, but the fact is, the story isn’t yours, it belongs to the publication. Go ahead and offer to check facts or make yourself available to answer questions, but in the end, you have to trust the abilities and talents of the editors and writers working on your piece. They’re the professionals, let them do their job.
5. Flip out over an error: It happens—mistakes occasionally slip through. Be sure of this: the editor responsible for the mistake feels worse about it than you. It’s the biggest fear in publishing, getting something wrong. Knowing that, your best approach is moving forward. Let the editor know the mistake occurred and what she can do to amend the situation. If it’s online, it can be corrected. If it’s in print, a correction in the next issue can run. Also, if you want error-free copies of the print version—for archiving purposes or to send to sponsors, friends, etcetera—some publications may be able to correct the original digital file and create a PDF for you of your story which you can print out.

What about you?  Do you have any stories to share about working with the media in relationship to a charitable event?

Let us know in the Comment section below.

This year, the “Rolls Royce of garage sales,” as it’s known—the event features merchandise from over two hundred prominent fashion designers, including Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Theory, and Diane von Furstenberg—takes place July 26; those who can’t attend the event in person can participate in the shopping for a cause through the QVC. Super Saturday was co-founded and has been underwritten every year by Donna Karan who, along with Charla Lawhon, Managing Editor of In Style magazine, and Kelly Ripa, will host the event in Water Mill, New York. Last year’s event raised over $3 million.

Vivanista wanted to find out, where does all that money go?

The OCRF, founded in 1998, is the nation’s largest nonprofit entity focused exclusively on funding research about ovarian cancer (most of the rest of the funding for research about this disease comes from the Cancer Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Defense). The monies raised by Super Saturday primarily become grants for research, both for younger researchers as well as senior investigators. “We support a range of researchers,” says Sarah DeFeo, the OCRF’s director of grants and programs. Since its inception, OCRF has given away 147 grants totalling $33 million. A small percentage of that funding is used for education and awareness. According to DeFeo, this is a relatively nascent field of research primarily because ovarian cancer is a relatively rare disease when compared to breast, prostate, and lung cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2009, there were 21,550 new cases of ovarian cancer reported in the U.S., and 14,600 deaths equating to a 32% survival rate.  By comparison, last year in the U.S. there were 194,2800 new cases of breast cancer, and 40,610 deaths equaling a 79% survival rate.

It is, however, also a very tough cancer to overcome.  “It’s very appealing to researchers,” states DeFeo, “because there’s so much to do and because it’s so deadly.”

Because research is in the early stages, much is focused on learning about the disease—doctors still don’t know where it originates—and creating methods of early detection. “There currently are no means of detecting this disease early on, like a PAP smear does for cervical cancer or a mammogram does for breast cancer,” DeFeo states. “That’s one of the reasons it’s so severe; it only gets diagnosed in the late stages.”

DeFeo shared some of the exciting and very promising results OCRF–supported entities are achieving. In the area of early detection, one OCRF–sponsored researcher has discovered that small sugar molecules in the blood called glycans appear to distinguish between healthy women and those with ovarian cancer. A pilot test has shown that results using this method are superior to the current standard, indicating that we now have the potential for a diagnostic test based on a different biologic process than the current biomarkers used for ovarian cancer.

In the realm of increasing the ability to identify high-risk women, a group of OCRF–supported researchers have identified a new genetic abnormality that may significantly increase a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer; up to 15 percent of women may carry the flaw.

Additional researchers supported by OCRF are finding ways of understanding the underlying genetics and molecular biology of ovarian cancer (evidence suggests that most serious tumors designated “ovarian” may actually originate from the end of the fallopian tube), and one team is identifying new, better targets for treatment. Another investigator is focusing on how to boost a woman’s immune response with injections of immune cells engineered with modified T-Cell receptors so it can better fight ovarian cancer. And one researcher—because of his exploration into how and why ovarian cancer spreads, and how to stop it—was able to convince a pharmaceutical company to test a drug for ovarian cancer that was previously being developed only for colon and lung cancer.

DeFeo notes that the most critical aspect of making headway in treating ovarian cancer is continued support. “This is incremental research that takes years,” she says. “It’s a sustained effort.”

What better incentive does any woman need to sustain her love of fashion and get out there and shop!

Purchase your tickets to Super Saturday.

Find our more about the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.