Media Training for Charities: Best Practice to Communicate with Confidence and Impact

How can charities use media training?  What is involved in non-profit media training? What does media training for charities involve?

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Why Polishing Communication Skills is Critical For Charities

Great communication is an essential skill for charities and for those who work in charities. Whether you’re a charity CEO, a senior leader, or a member of a communications team, you need to deliver your message clearly and compellingly.

Perhaps you want to secure media coverage or deliver powerful presentations and pitches. As a charity, you must constantly find new ways to engage the public, persuade donors, and build public support.

Do You Need Charity Media Training, Pitch Coaching or Presentation Skills?

Media training courses, alongside presentation training, public speaking coaching and pitch coaching, provide the tools and techniques you need to navigate these challenges. With years of experience working with charitable organisations, our expert trainers can help you develop the skills to represent your non-profit with confidence and authenticity.

Charities we have supported include: Action Tutoring, Home-Start, Into University, The GIIN, Impetus, Plunkett Foundation, Princes Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and Scottish Venture

Let’s look at the best practices for media training, share top tips, and highlight how these skills can create a positive impact for your cause.

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CASE STUDY: Coaching the CEO of Action Tutoring to write and deliver a powerful RSA speech

Susannah Hardyman, CEO of Action Tutoring was asked to deliver an important speech at the RSA.  She wanted to make sure that the speech would make an impact and that she would feel comfortable delivering it.

Through a series of Zoom coaching sessions, we helped her edit and re-write her speech so that it grabbed attention from the start and throughout it reinforced the messages she wanted to deliver. 

The event was a huge success and Action Tutoring has been going from strength to strength.

    “Ben has been fantastic to work with…really helped me think differently about the way I deliver talks and presentations…… really practical, full of useful tips and valuable feedback.  I now feel confident delivering talks with only skeleton notes and without PowerPoint and could feel the difference it made to my delivery doing so! Highly recommended.”

    Susanna Hardyman, CEO Action Tutoring

Why Media Training and Communication Skills Are Essential for Charities

Charities operate in a competitive landscape where public trust and support are paramount. Media training courses and related professional development opportunities, such as public speaking and pitch coaching, are no longer optional—they’re a necessity. Here’s why:

1. Build Trust and Credibility
   Charity CEOs and senior leaders are often the face of their organisations. Media training equips them to handle interviews with confidence, while presentation training makes sure they can inspire and engage audiences at events or meetings. These skills help build trust with the public, your donors, and other stakeholders.
2. Raise Your Profile
   If you are good at media interviews, you are more likely to be called upon to speak about charity matters.  If you are good at public speaking, conference organisers will be inclined to phone you first when they need a keynote speaker.  If you are good at fundraising and pitching then you’ll find it easier to build the relationships you need with funding organisations.
3. Maximise Media Opportunities
   Securing positive media coverage is a powerful way to raise awareness. Media trainers with experience as communications professionals or even experienced journalists can teach you how to craft compelling stories, handle tough questions, and give the journalist a story the editor will want to print.
4. Navigate Sensitive Topics
   As a charitable organisation, you probably deal with complex or emotionally charged issues. Media training provides practical tips for addressing these topics with empathy and professionalism, whether in a media interview or a public speaking engagement.
5. Manage Crises
   In times of crisis, how your charity responds can shape public perception. Media training courses can include crisis communication training, helping you protect your organisation’s reputation and maintain public support.
6. Enhance Your Marketing Strategy
   Effective communication is a cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy. By combining media training with presentation and pitch coaching, your communications teams can deliver consistent, impactful messages across all platforms.

What Do Charity Media Training Courses and Related Programmes Involve?

Charity media training and other communication coaching programmes, such as presentation and pitch coaching, are designed to meet the unique needs of charities. Here’s what you can expect from a comprehensive program:

1. Tailored Training Sessions
   Whether you’re a charity CEO, a senior leader, or a group member of a communications team, training sessions are tailored to your role and objectives. Expert trainers work with you to develop new skills that you’ll need in your day to day work.
2. Practical Tips and Best Practices
   From crafting key messages to mastering body language and tone, these courses provide hands-on, practical tips that you can apply immediately. We use extensive role play of real-life scenarios to help you build these essential skills.
3. Mock Interviews and Simulations
   Media training courses typically include mock interviews with feedback from experienced journalists or media trainers. Similarly, presentation and pitch coaching involve role play to help you practice and refine your messages, structure and delivery.
4. Crisis Communication Strategies
   Learn how to manage difficult situations, respond to negative press, and maintain control of your narrative. These skills are invaluable for charity CEOs and communications professionals alike.
5. Public Speaking and Pitch Coaching
   For those who need to inspire donors or pitch to partners, public speaking and pitch coaching include improving your storytelling, persuasion, and audience engagement. These sessions help you connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Top Tips for Charities: Media Training and Beyond

These practical tips will help your charity make the most of media training and related communication skills:

1. Prepare Your Key Messages
   Whether you’re speaking to a journalist, donor, or stakeholder, clarity is key. Develop a few powerful key messages that will work with your target audience.  This is often the hardest part of great communications.  That’s why we frequently run messaging cracker sessions for our clients.
2. Tell a Story
   Stories mean more to audiences than statistics alone. Use case studies or real-life examples to illustrate your impact and connect emotionally with your audience.
3. Practice Active Listening
   In media interviews or pitches, listening is just as important as speaking. Pay attention to questions or feedback, and respond thoughtfully.
4. Stay Authentic
   Let your passion for your cause shine through. Authenticity builds trust and credibility, whether you’re speaking to the media or a room full of donors.
5. Invest in Professional Development
   Communication is an evolving skill. Regular training sessions and workshops can help your team stay sharp and adapt to new ways of engaging audiences.

Why Pick Benjamin Ball Associates for Your Media Training and Communication Coaching

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we’ve been coaching business people to improve their business communication skills for over 15 years.  Our coaching is fast and effective.  We work with individuals and with companies, one-to-one and in groups.  Call us today to learn more.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

Our most popular training courses include:

• Presentation Coaching
• Public Speaking Coaching
• Investor Pitch Support and Coaching

Trusted by some of the most innovative charities

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

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The Positive Impact of Media Training for Charities

Investing in media training for charities and related programmes can have a transformative impact on your charity. Here’s how:

• Increase Visibility: Media training helps you secure more coverage, while presentation and pitch skills make sure you make a lasting impression in person.
• Build Stronger Relationships: Build trust and rapport with journalists, donors, and stakeholders through confident, authentic communication.
• Enhance Confidence: Equip your team with the skills to represent your charity in any situation, from media interviews to boardroom pitches.
• Make Greater Impact: Deliver messages that inspire action, whether it’s donating, volunteering, or partnering with your cause.

CASE STUDY: Helping Impetus with better charity fundraising

Impetus is the leading UK venture philanthropist, supported by some of the world’s top Private Equity firms.  Impetus accelerates the growth of innovative charities and social enterprises that alleviate poverty.

Impetus initially approached us to help their CEO achieve more in fundraising meetings. We saw that she was charismatic and excellent, but was hampered by a couple of issues.

We had to re-engineer how the CEO approached each meeting and we re-worked the materials she used during the meetings.

Over the years we have continued to help Impetus and their investee charities, with messaging, media training, presentation preparation and pitch-winning coaching.

“In a few powerful sessions, BBA completely transformed the way we describe Impetus and deliver our key messages. They quickly captured the trust of our chief executive with constructive and creative suggestions. They really understand the art of communication, and helped us develop some new presentation tools to boost our effectiveness. We look forward to working with them whenever we have important things to say.”

Amy Stillman, Impetus Communications Director.

Media Training For Charities Will Help You Create a Positive Impact

For charities, effective communication is not just an essential skill—it’s a strategic priority. Media training courses, presentation coaching, and pitch coaching provide the tools and techniques needed to amplify your message, engage your audience, and achieve your mission. Whether you’re a charity CEO, a senior leader, or a member of a communications team, these skills can help you create a positive impact for your cause.

At Benjamin Ball Associates we offer a range of programmes designed specifically for charities. With years of experience working with non-profit organisations, our expert trainers provide tailored training sessions that deliver real results. If you’re ready to take your communication skills to the next level, get in touch with us today. Together, we can help your voice get heard in the right places.

Testimonial

“Thank you so much for an absolutely brilliant session yesterday! It was exactly what we were hoping for, and you did an incredible job covering such a range of issues with four very different people in such short a session. It really was fantastic – thank you!”

James Alcock, Chief Executive, Plunkett UK

By investing in media training, presentation skills training, and pitch coaching, your charity can unlock new opportunities, build stronger connections, and create a brighter future for the cause you care about. Don’t let your message get lost in the noise—let us help you make it count.

Start Your Journey to Better Charity Communications Today

Call us today to discuss how we can help you. We’ve been media training and presentation coaching for 15+ years and know how to support charities with their communications through coaching and training.

For more information, click here, speak to Louise Angus on +44 20 7018 0922 or email her at the link below.

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Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Some recent clients

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation

FAQ: Media Training for Charities

By investing in media training and related communication skills, your charity can amplify its message, build stronger connections, and create lasting change for the cause you care about. Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help.

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