How to maximise your press coverage to boost your charity donations

As we've seen in recent days, hitting the headlines can lead to a huge boost in your fundraising. Luckily, I know how you can get your story in the media...

I was going to write about something totally different this week but the sudden catapulting of ocean rowing into the headlines changed my mind.

Not every ocean rowing crew is going to be mistaken for a migrant boat by a member of His Majesty’s Government. But - unless you have been living under a rock or, indeed, out at sea - you will know that this is what happened to Row4mnd as they took part in their circumnavigation of Great Britain.

Cue not only a £1000 donation from one fairly embarrassed (but trying to style it out) Rupert Lowe, independent MP for Great Yarmouth and a huge uptick in donations from well-wishers around the UK and very possibly abroad too.

The story travelled far and wide on X and on to the front cover of the Daily Star as well as several newspaper websites, and according to the crew, boosted donations by £38,000 in 48 hours and counting.

Well, it’s the perfect silly season story (albeit with some troubling undertones, like aggrieved protestors following the boat’s progress on the beach). Anyway, as someone pointed out on Instagram, migrants don’t usually arrive into Great Yarmouth in a £75,000 boat.

So it got me thinking - for this week’s newsletter why not impart my best advice for getting your adventure into the press and thereby not only boosting your donations, but also getting your sponsors the attention they deserve for making your challenge possible.

If you don’t already know, I am a journalist of some 25 years or so standing (bar 14 months out being CEO of a society lottery - that’s another story!). I spent several years editing weekly celebrity magazines New and Star and quite a while as a freelancer.

Now I’m a commissioner on the general lifestyle desk at the Daily Telegraph (often to be found bothering the sports desk about all things rowing). I got that job right after launching this newsletter - it’s been a busy few months!!

What that means is I am very good at knowing what makes a great story. Plus, I also know how you can get the attention of my colleagues across the media. I handled the press campaign for the Mothership for the final six months before departure (I was a late addition to the crew) and landed pieces in The Observer, the Express, the Telegraph, the Sun, and Psychologies magazine among others.

A good image is everything

I also handled the press enquiries before arrival which saw us do an early morning chat with Lorraine, Naga Munchetty on Radio 5 Live and a slot on the News at Ten.

So here are my thoughts on how you can best maximise press: