Successful media relations, or public relations, requires its own set of learned skills. To quote an article from the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits, your nonprofit may be doing incredible work, but "if you don’t know how to market it effectively, you'll remain a 'best kept secret'".

These days, successful public relations planning also demands knowledge of all the different types of media in the communications universe. Traditional channels like radio, newspapers and television are now accompanied by online outlets such as social media, blogs and news web sites. For resources specific to online media, read our Knowledge Base Article about online engagement planning >>

Key to successful media relations is the "relations" part - getting to know which news outlets are most likely to carry your story, who the reporters are, and what they might consider "newsworthy". In addition, organizational information - history, mission, goals, key staff profiles - should be clearly accessible on your organization's website for reporters to find. Selected web sites below cover public relations tips and best practices in greater detail.