SPIN Works!

Spin" is not a dirty word. What matters is the integrity of the "spinner"... Robert Bray manages to bring the idea down to earth with short, spicy examples, written in accessible language...By honing their media skills, community organizers will have more success saving the world, perhaps literally. Let's hope this message spreads through the nonprofit community and inspires activists to do a better job communicating with the public that they serve so well.Over the past few years, media-savvy community organizers have written a handful of books aimed at activists who want to get more media coverage but do not know how. This is the best of the bunch.Jason Salzman, author of Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits and Activists, is president of Denver-based Rocky Mountain Media Watch, a nonprofit organization focused on pressuring journalists to meet the highest standards of professional journalism.

As a non-profit community manager, relations with the media is one of the toughest, but absolutely essential, parts of my job. It's not something I like to do. I didn't start working for community organizations to get my face on camera. But I believe in our mission and, in order for it to be heard beyond the walls of our office, I have to talk to the media. Even if I don't like doing it. Even if sometimes, I feel about as photogenic as a dish towel. That's why I can't stress enough what an invaluable book Robert Bray's Spin Works is. It lays out, precisely, how to make your organization media savvy, from how to write a press release, to how to stage a full scale news event. It's not loaded down with silly jargon and doesn't tell your organization to be slick, pr-mongers. It's a direct, honest, easy read. And it's written from the activist's point of view. This book knows us and what we're up against. It's made a ton of difference for my organization. Now the entire city knows who we are and the great work we do. Get this book, read it, have your staff read it, keep it around. Your organization and the people you serve will notice the difference.

As someone who works in the nonprofit sector, I found this book very useful. It contains handy checklists and easy-to-read information for folks who find themselves cast as the media expert in their organization. Broad range of information for varying skills levels. Definitely one of the most useful media guidebooks for nonprofit organizations & activists.