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Thrivent Builds Publicity Newsletter Archive

April 2009

Note: The next issue will be in July. These newsletters will now be created and distributed quarterly instead of monthly.

Share updated news releases with media, churches, and other audiences

We know you're busy. Media outlets are busy now, too, including many newspapers and television stations with reduced staff. To make media outreach as easy as possible for you to send—and easy for the media outlets to print—we've updated many of the Thrivent Builds news releases templates and outreach tools. Much of the language in these templates was updated to highlight that it is the members of Thrivent Financial that make this Thrivent Builds alliance possible. Please make sure that you're giving the members the recognition they deserve in your news releases and media outreach.

To spread the word about the need for volunteers, family selection, your upcoming Thrivent Builds Homes celebrations, general awareness about the need to fight substandard housing in your community, Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip opportunities, or any upcoming tour stops for the Thrivent Builds Mobile, use the updated templates available at www.thriventbuilds.com/resources/type/newsreleases.html!

Updated outreach tools include:

If you'd like to create your own outreach language about Thrivent Builds, please make sure that you follow the updated Thrivent Builds Writing Guidelines. These guidelines are invaluable when you're trying to decide whether homebuilding is one word or two, or when you can refer to "Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity" as just "Thrivent Builds." Following our writing guidelines will help us to keep our message consistent and accurate. The Thrivent Builds alliance is not always easy for someone outside the organization to understand and following the writing guidelines will help!

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Matte release proves successful

During the past six months the Thrivent Builds communications team tried a new outreach tactic that has proved to be quite successful. This new tactic is called a "matte (or mat) release."

A matte release is an article written by a company or organization that is then made available to editors by a distribution company to use as additional content in their publications. The term was first coined when newspapers were physically laid out or formatted.

Some positive aspects of this type of outreach include:

  • The matte release format offers an opportunity to highlight the Thrivent Builds alliance as a good example or a good option from a (seemingly) third party viewpoint.
  • The general public does not realize that the article was written by someone within the organization cited in the release. Matte releases definitely operate "under the radar."
  • This format offers the freedom to compose the article in the way we wish it to be presented, rather than relying on a reporter to do so. It also gives us the opportunity to stress specific aspects of the Thrivent Builds alliance at different times of the year.
  • Newspapers appreciate matte releases because they can be dropped into their publication quickly with no editing required. With newspaper staffs being cut to the bone, this type of content is becoming an essential editorial tool. Matte releases are also available free to media outlets. Fees from the customer/author cover the costs/profits of the distribution company.
  • Matte releases result in a lot of media coverage across a widespread area.
  • Matte release distribution is cost effective. Depending on what distribution company and what services are used, the cost per feature ranges from $2,000 – 6,000. This is a great value when considering the number of people reached with one release and the cost of an equivalent amount of ad space.
  • This same article can also be offered to media outlets as a bylined article, if desired.
The average total placements is 200-300 placements through the distribution service we used. So how did our first matte release, entitled Retired? Travel Too Expensive? fare? The release was available to media outlets from 10/20/08 to 2/20/09 and during that time there were:
  • 77 print placements at a value of $43,699.95 and with 1,389,749 circulation
  • 446 online placements at a value of $22,709.00 and with 13,743,288 unique site visitors (site audience)
  • 523 total placements at a total ad value of $66,408.95
  • 1 print placement as a bylined article in The Senior Connection, 192,000 circ.
A second matte release, Suffering from Recession Depression? Try Volunteering, is now being distributed and has already appeared on over 300 websites. If this article appears in any of your local newspapers, please contact Cheryl Winget.

Think either of these articles would be a good fit for your local paper? Send a quick note to Cheryl Winget and let her know. She will send them the matte release as a bylined article.

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Thrivent Builds Mobile will kick off 2009 tour in May

The Thrivent Builds Mobile (aka the Big Red Truck) is gearing up for another tour across the country to tell the story of poverty housing in America and the simple steps everyone can take to be part of the solution. Visit the 2009 Tour Schedule page on www.thriventbuilds.com to see if it will be stopping at an event near you.

The Mobile is scheduled to attend 16 events in 8 states between May and September, including state fairs in Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This year's tour model will be similar to last year. The truck will travel with three full-time staff members and be supplemented with local paid support and volunteers.

Updated support materials including a news release template and key messages are available from the Thrivent Builds Mobile section on www.thriventbuilds.com/resources. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to get noticed by local media by getting involved with the Thrivent Builds Mobile this year!

If you have any questions about how you get can be involved, please contact Miranda Moderson at 1-800-847-4836, ext. 84173.

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Combine your goals of traveling and giving back—join a Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip!

A fun, affordable and charitable way to satisfy your wanderlust and give back is to take a "vacation with a purpose." The Thrivent Builds Worldwide program, in alliance with Habitat for Humanity, sends teams of volunteers to locations in the U.S. and abroad to help build homes for families in need.

You'll experience a different culture. Learn new skills. Make new friends. And you'll do something really amazing: help change lives! A Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip can be organized by an individual or group from one or more Lutheran organizations. At least 50% of the trip participants must be members of Thrivent Financial. While non-Thrivent members can also join these teams, Thrivent members enjoy lower costs because of their membership.

Consider joining a Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip this summer or fall! Find open trip dates and destinations at www.thriventbuilds.com/worldwide/index.html.

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Media Watch: January-March 2009

Our first quarter media results (excluding those hits for the matte release above) for 2009 were reflective of our nation's economic picture—that is to say, media hits were in a "recession" of sorts. Even with a carry-over of announcements of Thrivent Builds funding received for 2009, there were fewer than usual media hits in January. February followed with even lower numbers than January and March came in at significantly less than the same month last year.

However, there were still some wonderful Thrivent Builds stories that were published and we'd like to share three of them with you in this newsletter:

  • Jo Riester, Thrivent Builds specialist in Arizona, took advantage of an opportunity to gain media coverage for a Thrivent Builds project by writing a letter to the editor of the Arizona Daily Star, 94,055 circ., published on January 2, 2009.
  • Hendricks County (Ind.) Habitat for Humanity included information about their Thrivent Builds home when talking about their 2009 projects in the Indianapolis Star, 354,312 circ., on February 1, 2009.
  • On March 21, 2009, a story appeared in the Tampa Tribune, 198,273 circ., that highlighted the Thrivent Builds homebuilding project in that area of Florida and also mentioned the number of homes being built across the U.S.
We know that you are working hard to publicize your Thrivent Builds project and we look forward to working with you to reach many more people with the Thrivent Builds story in the second quarter of 2009. if you need any specific help or advice regarding media outreach, please contact Cheryl Winget or Kelsey Midthun.

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What's new on www.thriventbuilds.com: New look coming soon!

www.thriventbuilds.com - new look coming in mid-April!
Keep your eyes on this website: in mid-April, thriventbuilds.com is getting a facelift. The overall look and feel, as well as navigation style will be getting an update similar to the new thrivent.com and Lutherans Online websites. The same great information - new updated look.

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Feedback

Is this newsletter helpful to you? Do you have additional ideas for articles you'd find helpful? Please send your feedback to Nicole Doebert.

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Newsletter Archive

If you would like to read previous issues of the Thrivent Builds newsletter, simply access the Newsletter Archive from this link or from the left navigation bar.

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This document was last updated on Friday, April 24, 2009.