Case studies are the bread and butter of charity comms. They tick the boxes of everything a journalist is looking for: a strong human story, lived experience, and a real-world example of an issue a charity or social impact business is working to address. 

A charity’s chances of getting media coverage are significantly improved if it can offer a case study of someone willing to share their story with the media.

But there are a few caveats. Here are some practical things that can make a big difference:

Personal information: For most media interviews, a case study will need to be named and be willing to share other personal details, including their age, where they live, and their profession. Exceptions are generally made in very sensitive situations, for example, when a person is a victim of abuse. 

Find the angle
Always find a strong angle when pitching a case study. Busy journalists often won’t read beyond the subject line before deciding whether to open an email, so it’s important to craft a line that captures the story clearly and makes them want to read more.

Think about your target media
Avoid a “spray and pray” approach. Think carefully about where the story would fit best, whether that’s a women’s weekly magazine, a feature slot in a national newspaper, or a story for local media. Take time building your media list, using a media database if you have one, and cross-referencing journalist names on LinkedIn. 

Exclusive or not
Sometimes a case study will have more value if it’s offered as an exclusive. In practice, it’s often fine to place the story with a national newspaper and another type of outlet, such as a women’s weekly or local title, as long as they are not direct competitors. The key is to be clear and transparent with journalists about where else the story is going.

Line up strong images
More often than not, a journalist won’t use a case study without strong images. Source high-res photos in advance and let the journalist know in your pitch that images are available. 

Charity credit
Journalists are under no obligation to share an article with you before it is published. That said, many are happy to do so, particularly if the piece is written as a first-person account in the case study’s own words, which they may want to fact check with the individual in advance. Similarly, journalists are also often willing to mention the charity involved if it fits editorially. Backlinks are not guaranteed, but it is reasonable to ask.

Finally…
Make sure the person sharing their story understands what a media interview involves and feels comfortable throughout the process. Where possible, try to get questions in advance and brief them on any key messages you would like them to weave into the interview.