Rotary Public Relations

Sandra Prüfer

Senior Media Relations Specialist Europe and Africa

I am here to talk to you about the RI resources that are available for you, for your clubs and districts – to help enhance the image of Rotary.

We all know that the general lack of understanding of Rotary’s good work impedes membership growth and hampers The Rotary Foundation’s efforts to partner with corporate and individual donors to generate support for key humanitarian initiatives, such as the PolioPlus program.

Improving Rotary’s public image is critical to making sure our organization remains a vibrant community force for good. At the same time, Rotary International board and leaders also recognize that Rotary is not Coca-Cola, Volkswagen, Samsung or any other major corporations -- Rotary does not have billions of dollars to spend on marketing and advertising.

However, Rotary’s strength lies in the 33,000 clubs and 1.2 million Rotarians, atremendous resource that can rival that of many large corporations.

Today, I will give a summary of the PR resources available for Rotary clubs and districts -- and resources to help you in your role as Rotary Public Relations representatives.

What does Rotary mean to others?

Wer bin ich? Und wenn ja, wie viele? This is the title of the acclaimed bestseller by Richard Daniel Precht.

I haven’t read it , but I love the title.

For Rotary this could be reworded as follows What is Rotary? And if yes, how many?

Most non Rotarians have either no idea what Rotary is and does or lots of misconceptions.

All About Communication

• "One cannot not communicate.“Paul Watzlawick

• Enhancement of Public Image is a key priority of RI’s new strategic plan

• PR is managing communication between an organization and its publics

I’m sure many of you are familiar with Watzlawick’s famous aximon. Man kann nicht nicht kommunizieren.

That means every behaviour is a kind of communication. This is also true for Rotary’s public image.

RI Director John Blount put it this way: “If you don’t craft your brand, the public will craft it for you.|”

The RI Board of Directors confirms that improving Rotary’s public image is critical to making our organization a vibrant community force and essential for membership growth. That’s why one of the key priorities of the new strategic plan is to enhance Rotary’s public image.

The German saying “Do good and talk about it” is wildly seen as a basis definition of PR. This is a new concept for Rotary. For many decades, Rotary has been doing good without talking about it.

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK defines PR as

“The discipline which looks after the reputation - w ith the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort t o establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisati on

PR definition of UK Institute of Public Relations

“The discipline which looks after the reputation - with the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics .”

I’m sure many of you are familiar with Watzlawick’s famous aximon. Man kann nicht nicht kommunizieren.

That means every behaviour is a kind of communication. This is also true for Rotary’s public image.

RI Director John Blount put it this way: “If you don’t craft your brand, the public will craft it for you.|”

The RI Board of Directors confirms that improving Rotary’s public image is critical to making our organization a vibrant community force and essential for membership growth. That’s why one of the key priorities of the new strategic plan is to enhance Rotary’s public image.

The German saying “Do good and talk about it” is wildly seen as a basis definition of PR. This is a new concept for Rotary. For many decades, Rotary has been doing good without talking about it.

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK defines PR as

“The discipline which looks after the reputation - w ith the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort t o establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisati on

PR is about reputation

• What you say• What you do • What others say about you

Public relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.

Every organisation, no matter how large or small, ultimately depends on its reputation for survival and success

Rotary’s public image is the responsibility of …

every single Rotarian

Rotary’s public image is the responsibility of every single Rotarian —

The Rotary public image initiative can only succeed when clubs and districts are mobilized to actively reach out to their communities and to the media.

We cannot afford to blanket the public with paid advertising on a massive scale. But, if we “Think Locally and Act Locally,” and tap into the connections and talents we already have at the grassroots level, our resources will be multiplied to achieve significant results and impact within the communities you serve.

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Rotary’s PR Division Support

• Creative resources • Financial resources• Human resources

What are we doing now?

1) We provide Rotary clubs and districts with creative resources and counsel

2) And provide financial resources to Rotary clubs and districts through PR Grants

3) Our final resource is human.

First, the president-appointed Public Image Resource group, short PIRG. Next year they will be called Public Image Coordinators. These are Rotarians who are in public relations, marketing, journalism or have working knowledge of communications..

Second, the Public Relations Division

Public Relations Division

• Media relations – working with the media to promote Rotary

• Public relations – helping Rotary clubs promote Rotary

• External relations – promoting Rotary to the international community

Humanity in Motion PSA campaign

2007 2008 2009

Download at rotary.org/humanityinmotion

First PR resource is: Creative

Rotary’s Humanity in motion public service announcements are pre-produced: television,

radio, print, billboard and Internet materials available in nine languages. Rotary Clubs are

encouraged to customize materials to create a more regional message.

The focus again -- is on telling our story: how the power of working together -- or building communities – such as improving literacy, and providing clean water, ending a disease and Rotary’s programs and network that promote peace and understanding.

All of Rotary’s public relations tools can be downloaded at www.rotary.org/humanityinmotion.

Promotional Resources

Wallet cards

Postcard

Brochure/poster

Wallet cards

Brochure

All items can be ordered via shop.rotary.org Downloadable pdfs are also available at rotary.org

This is Rotary DVD

This 27-minute DVD can help you share Rotary in many ways: as an inspirational club program, to introduce the organization to prospective members, or to encourage public service in your community. Clubs are also encouraged to take this DVD to local community access television stations. Working with the station, you may be able to have all or part of This Is Rotary broadcast to your community. The station may also be interested in learning about – and reporting on – what your local club is doing.

Training materials

Effective Public Relations guide offers insight on PR 101, PR writing, media training, case studies, beyond traditional media. It is a purchase item. It also has a section on new media and includes new case studies of how clubs have had success with their PR efforts

The Media Crisis Handbook helps clubs and districts implement a crisis strategy and offers communication tips while dealing with the media in times of crisis.

Press releases, fact sheets, training

PR Tips newsletter

Rotary PR Tips reaches more than 13,000 people in 120 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. This bi-weekly e-newsletter is a great opportunity to learn how the media works and how other cultures promote their projects. Subscribe at www.rotary.org/newsletters

Stories will be translated and shared in other Rotary publications including Regional magazines and Rotary Leader

Financial Resources

Financial PR resources include

Paid advertising placements

PR grant program

PR Grants

Grants

In millions (US$)

$2M $1.2M $4.5M

District Contribution In Kind Donations Public Relations Value

$7.6M

The program budget is US$2 million allocated throughout the world.

Each grant must include at least 1/3 matching contribution from the district, and some donated value from a partner media.

Here is where the dollar value is multiplied as districts use contacts to gain price discounts or donations from media

– donations can be extra airtime on TV or radio, additional billboards and print ads or other discounts on typical prices.

The result based on applications from Districts in 09-10, the program could yield an estimated US$7.6 million in public relations value.

2 images

The membership focused faces ad on screen in a South African

supermarket

With PR grant funding French districts launched a national advertising campaign to promote Rotary’s youth programs

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Brand Confusion

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Simplify to Identify

Questions?