HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR ROTARY CLUB ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET

1. HOW TO PROMOTE YOURROTARYCLUBON A SHOESTRING BUDGET

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: DIGITAL MEDIA • 2014 Non-Profit Communications Trends • Overview of Social Media • Your Website Is Your Communications Foundation • E-Newsletters and E-Marketing PART TWO: TRADITIONAL MEDIA • Integrate Traditional Media With Digital Media • The Rotary International Brand Center • Rotary Branding Tools Right At Your Fingertips PART THREE: PUBLIC RELATIONS PART FOUR: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

3. EVEN WITH A SMALL MARKETING BUDGET, YOU CAN AFFORD TO USE TODAY’S MOST EFFECTIVE MARKETING & PUBLIC IMAGE TOOLS LET’S LOOK AT THE 2014 NON-PROFIT COMMUNICATION TRENDS

4. • Nonprofit communicators to spend most time on e-newsletters, Facebook, and event marketing in 2014.   • Nonprofit communicators say in-person presentations, e-newsletters, print fundraising appeals most effective.  • In-person events more important to smaller nonprofits than larger ones.  ON SOCIAL MEDIA • Most important social media for nonprofits? Facebook (95%), Twitter (64%), YouTube (38%), LinkedIn (26%) (used as a tool to send prospects to their website) • Nonprofits most likely to experiment with Instagram and Pinterest in 2014, then YouTube and LinkedIn.  ON EMAIL • Most nonprofits (59%) will send an e-newsletter at least once a month in 2014.  KiviLeroux Miller, president of NonprofitMarketingGuide.com and author of this report.

5. AN OVERVIEW OF SOCIAL MEDIA EVEN IF YOU’RE A BEGINNER AT SOCIAL MEDIA, ONCE YOU LEARN THE STEPS, IT’S EASY!

6. TELL YOUR STORY ON FACEBOOK Log on to https://www.facebook.com/pages/create/#_=_ Create your user name and password and follow the instructions. Build your page with club photos, post events, ask members to like the posts, and share with other clubs.

7. SEND YOUR NEWS TO OUR DISTRICT 6990 FACEBOOK PAGE Post your most newsworthy stories and photos on the Rotary District 6990 Facebook page. If you need help, we’ll show you how.

8. USE TWITTER TO SEND OUT TIMELY INFORMATION ON EVENTS AND TO CREATE ROTARY FOLLOWERS Twitter is a powerful medium that gives you the opportunity to speak to people all over the globe about Rotary projects on a daily or minute by minute basis.

9. HOW TO USE TWITTER To Twittersimply write something in the “What are you doing?” section and hit “Update”. These posts must be 140 characters or less, but likely there is a countdown timer that will keep you informed on how many characters you have left. Tweet: this is the basic 140 character message that you type in “What are you doing?”. TweetUp: this is how you “hook up” with other people who are using Twitter. TT (Trending Topics): when you check out the Trending Topics you will be able to see what the most common topics are that people have been talking about across Twitter. You will also be able to see what the top Tweets are. These are posts that have been retweeted more than 150 times. In this way you will be able to find other Twitter users who are interested in the same topics as you are and you will be able to follow them on Twitter and join in conversations with them. Lists: Lists allow you to organize the various people you are following into relevant categories, such as “Work” and “School”. When posting, use hashtags (#) before the topic or word you are writing about so that the main topics that you are Tweeting can becoming easily searchable. Trending Topics are identified through hashtags. If you want to mention a particular person in your Tweets, use an @ sign before their username and they will automatically receive a notification of this mention. Don’t put a space in between the @ and the username. To find out who is mentioning you in their Tweets, check your @Mentions section.

10. USE INSTAGRAMTO SEND INSTANT PHOTOS FROM YOUR PHONE TOFACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST Instagram is also free. Send photos of important Rotary events to your followers and friends. Start the buzz and keep it going with this free tool. Simply sign up and follow the easy instructions for use.

11. FOUR MORE WAYS TO TELL THE ROTARY STORY Our District web site and Facebook page is our emphasis for postingclub events, fundraising projects, service projects and member’s recognition for a job well done. However, below are listed additional opportunities for networking with members, potential members, supporters and business associates. Post your video to YouTube, and link it to your website and social media links. Pinterest is a visual medium. Post pictures to your board of all your events. Linked In is a networking program. Share your profile and about your involvement in Rotary. Invite associates to a Rotary meeting. Newest on the block, this is another visual medium for photos and videos.

12. YOUR WEBSITE IS YOUR COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATION DRIVE SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS, DONERS AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS TO YOUR WEB SITE… …for the Rotary story, information on fundraising events, donations, or membership inquires. This is the time to convert interested persons into members! If you don’t presently have a website, contact our PI team for help. It is our goal for every club to have a website, to link to the District website, as well as our network of Rotary clubs. We want to Light Up Rotary in District 6990!

13. E-NEWSLETTERS AND E-MARKETING A simple e-newsletter is effective in keeping your supporters abreast of current activity and will increase your PR returns immensely. Whether there is a specific program or event to which you are inviting your members or supporters, or a simple thank you for their previous support, you can maintain a constant connection via email. Check out two of the most popular e-programs. Constant Contact http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp Mail Chimp http://mailchimp.com/ Or you can download the Rotary Newsletter template for a PDF Newsletter

14. INTEGRATE TRADITIONAL MEDIA WITH DIGITAL MEDIA ENGAGE ALL ROTARY MARKET SEGMENTS AGE RANGES - 30 YEARS TO 60+ This includes the Baby Boomers (1943 to 1960’s) Generation X (1960’s to 1980’s) and Millennials and Generation Y (1980’s to 2000) TRADITIONAL MEDIA INCLUDES: Newspaper Magazines Billboards Radio TV Direct Mail Flyers, Brochures

15. THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL BRAND CENTER Our identity is more than our logo and colors. It is the essence of who we are and what we do. Our story hasn’t changed. But how we share it with the world is vital to our future. Through a unified Rotary look and clear and compelling voice, we are enhancing our legacy as one of the most widely recognized and respected organizations in the world. https://www.rotary.org/en

16. HOW TO USE THE BRAND CENTER Log on to MY ROTARY – (once you have a user name and password) Click “Manage” for the Brand Center tools.

17. THE ROTARY BRAND CENTER TOOLS Click on the marketing tool or image you need, view, add your club information, if appropriate, then download to your desktop. Brochures, billboards, and ads are printer-ready. Videos are ready for use. All templates are designed for the addition of club information and your club logo. • Logo • Theme Logos • Ads • TV • Billboards • Presentation Template • Press Release Format • Brochures • Newsletter Format • Event Resources • Videos • Images confidential - not for distribution

18. ROTARY BRANDING TOOLS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS confidential - not for distribution confidential - not for distribution

19. PUBLIC RELATIONS What is Publicity? Publicity is all about getting someone else to tell your story. It is an effective and low-cost way to raise awareness of an issue, a cause, an organization, an event or a campaign.  The Good News About Non-profit / Association Publicity The good news for non-profits wanting to gain publicity is that while you may lack resources, you actually do have an advantage over private companies - the media may be more willing to promote your organization or your cause. The Right Ingredients For Successful Publicity Include: • Effective planning • A truly newsworthy story or message provided in the right format, pitched to the right media contact • There are other residual benefits to gaining publicity – the impact of unbiased media coverage may lead to improved member, supporter or volunteer recruitment and retention. confidential - not for distribution

20. PUBLIC RELATIONS Basic Publicity Tools -The News Release: The most effective news releases offer the most newsworthy or compelling angle – or hook – at the very beginning –  like the lead paragraph of a news story.  In fact, the first sentence of the news release is the most important one and can be the determining factor in getting your story published. But while the lead sentence or paragraph needs to have impact, it also needs to avoid overt "promotionalism.” Event Publicity Tools: If you are trying to gain publicity for an event, along with your event news release, you might also want to develop a media advisory and/or media alert. Media Advisory:  this is like an invitation to the media to attend your event.  It should contain the usual who, what, when, where and why, as well as additional details that are only relevant to the media (e.g. availability of speakers for interviews; venue details; set-up, etc.). Media Alert:  this is used to promote an event to the media. It is usually sent out the week of or day before the event as a brief reminder about the event – with all of the relevant details (who, what, when, where, why and contact information). confidential - not for distribution

21. PUBLIC RELATIONS Identify your media audience – for example: • Are you looking for local coverage (newspaper, radio, TV)? • Is your event focused on the environment and therefore you’d want to target the environment editors • Is it a community event – that might target community newspaper editors; cable stations; political editors, etc. Would your event appeal to Business Reporters or Lifestyle editors, etc. You can use online newswire services to get broad coverage your media release – for example: Free-Press-Release.com; PR Web; PR Newswire, PRLeap, etc. Some of these services are free and others have non-profit rates and some charge from $49 to $149.00 per release. Google News: Merrick Lozano of PRLeaphttp://www.prleap.com/) suggests the most important step is getting your press release included in Google News (http://news.google.com/). He offers the following 5 tips if you want your press release to get picked up by Google News: • The press release should be more than 80 words • The headline should be between 2 and 22 words (Ideally 7 words) • The body should have paragraphs of a few sentences each • Bullet points and lists tend to cause a problem when they are preceded by 1-2 sentence paragraphs • If  you need to reference an old date in the body of the press release, make sure the publish date of the press release is at the top Off-line Publicity Ideas: Fundraiser Events: In your non-profit, everything practically qualifies as a “fundraising event”, but more specifically, plan an event that offers the community something in return for their time and money. Offer a minimal entry fee to make the event more attractive to the public. For example, if you operate an animal rescue agency, offer a walk your dog event, in which people can bring their dogs, pay a nominal fee to support an upcoming worthwhile project, and meanwhile be introduced to all your agency offers. Free Seminars and Learning Programs: Especially if your non-profit is new to the area, offer a free in-house seminar or learning program in which you offer a valuable free lesson on one of your company’s missions. Again, for example, in the case of a non-profit animal rescue agency, you could offer a free train your dog weekend. This way, you get tons of valuable contacts and potential financial supporters visiting your agency. Introductions such as this are priceless when it comes to your non-profit’s short and long term PR. Online Publicity ideas Online marketing offers unprecedented reach and efficacy when you are competing for government and private grants; donor funding; acquiring and retaining members; and overall financial support. Even at its most basic and low-cost level, Internet marketing through a variety of methods and mediums will necessarily widen your membership and/or support base, exponentially. Here are the most easy-to-facilitate and no-to-low-cost online strategies to gaining widespread public recognition and support for your non-profit. Articles: There are thousands of online article sites in which you can introduce your non-profit’s expertise and mission and provide a link back to your company website for free. For articles, you could consider introducing a short piece on industry advice and programs while providing a link back to your website. Forums: Take part in online forums (e.g., LinkedIn forums): again, this is free, and will help you communicate the importance of your company to not only your local community, but also, the world at large. You can join the discussion and/or add information and link to your organization’s website – creating awareness and driving additional traffic. Online Press Releases: Press release sites come just as varied online. If you have a new program, campaign or event you are introducing, do a quick search for online press release sites, and post a quick description about it-highlighting your organization’s name and contact. For press releases, draft up a quick and informational piece on a new addition to your site or program initiative, and provide a link back to your site. Either way, you are adding new information to a highly trafficked network. Maximizing Your Website: Hopefully, you already have a website for your organization. It is absolutely crucial that you keep an eye on it, updating when necessary, gathering user feedback, and keeping track how it ranks for certain generic keywords your potential funder/supporter may use to find you or organizations that offer the same services. This doesn’t mean that you need to invest thousands of dollars in an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) firm for super-elite optimization strategy in making your site top ranked in Internet search. But you should make sure that your website is easy to find, attractive, professional, and easy to use. Also be sure that you offer current news and updates on your organization.  For example: be sure that news releases are posted right away publicize events as well as post-event news & fundraising or awareness-building success highlight noteworthy press coverage and/or organization/board activity or accomplishments  Blogs: Once you have a great website, start your own blog. To the Internet beginner, this may seem an intimidating task; but it is much easier than you would imagine. A blog is a free and effective way to get your organization’s mission and objectives across, while soft-selling potential supporters on how they can help. E-newsletters and Email Marketing: While ensuring that you avoid spamming your prospective funders, members or supporters, a simple e-newsletter is effective in keeping your supporters abreast of current activity and will increase your PR returns immensely. Whether there is a specific program or event to which you are inviting your members or supporters, or a simple thank you for their previous support, you can maintain a constant connection via email. Integrating Social Media Into Traditional Public Relations Social media is now recognized as the next wave in marketing. However, many organizations have yet to understand that social media can and should be integrated with traditional marketing and PR strategies. Social networking can be integrated into media relations, events, public relations, fundraising and sponsorship campaigns, advertising, internal communications/ employee-member communications, and many other aspects of outreach. confidential - not for distribution

22. PUBLIC RELATIONS Off-Line Publicity Ideas Fundraiser Events: In your non-profit, everything practically qualifies as a “fundraising event”, but more specifically, plan an event that offers the community something in return for their time and money. Offer a minimal entry fee to make the event more attractive to the public. For example, if you operate an animal rescue agency, offer a walk your dog event, in which people can bring their dogs, pay a nominal fee to support an upcoming worthwhile project, and meanwhile be introduced to all your agency offers. Free Seminars and Learning Programs: Especially if your non-profit is new to the area, offer a free in-house seminar or learning program in which you offer a valuable free lesson on one of your company’s missions. Again, for example, in the case of a non-profit animal rescue agency, you could offer a free train your dog weekend. This way, you get tons of valuable contacts and potential financial supporters visiting your agency. Introductions such as this are priceless when it comes to your non-profit’s short and long term PR. Online Publicity Ideas Online marketing offers unprecedented reach and efficacy when you are competing for government and private grants; donor funding; acquiring and retaining members; and overall financial support. Even at its most basic and low-cost level, Internet marketing through a variety of methods and mediums will necessarily widen your membership and/or support base, exponentially. Here are the most easy-to-facilitate and no-to-low-cost online strategies to gaining widespread public recognition and support for your non-profit. Articles: There are thousands of online article sites in which you can introduce your non-profit’s expertise and mission and provide a link back to your company website for free. For articles, you could consider introducing a short piece on industry advice and programs while providing a link back to your website. Forums: Take part in online forums (e.g., LinkedIn forums): again, this is free, and will help you communicate the importance of your company to not only your local community, but also, the world at large. You can join the discussion and/or add information and link to your organization’s website – creating awareness and driving additional traffic. Online Press Releases: Press release sites come just as varied online. If you have a new program, campaign or event you are introducing, do a quick search for online press release sites, and post a quick description about it-highlighting your organization’s name and contact. For press releases, draft up a quick and informational piece on a new addition to your site or program initiative, and provide a link back to your site. Either way, you are adding new information to a highly trafficked network. Maximizing Your Website: Hopefully, you already have a website for your organization. It is absolutely crucial that you keep an eye on it, updating when necessary, gathering user feedback, and keeping track how it ranks for certain generic keywords your potential funder/supporter may use to find you or organizations that offer the same services. This doesn’t mean that you need to invest thousands of dollars in an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) firm for super-elite optimization strategy in making your site top ranked in Internet search. But you should make sure that your website is easy to find, attractive, professional, and easy to use. Also be sure that you offer current news and updates on your organization.  For example: be sure that news releases are posted right away publicize events as well as post-event news & fundraising or awareness-building success highlight noteworthy press coverage and/or organization/board activity or accomplishments  Blogs: Once you have a great website, start your own blog. To the Internet beginner, this may seem an intimidating task; but it is much easier than you would imagine. A blog is a free and effective way to get your organization’s mission and objectives across, while soft-selling potential supporters on how they can help. E-newsletters and Email Marketing: While ensuring that you avoid spamming your prospective funders, members or supporters, a simple e-newsletter is effective in keeping your supporters abreast of current activity and will increase your PR returns immensely. Whether there is a specific program or event to which you are inviting your members or supporters, or a simple thank you for their previous support, you can maintain a constant connection via email. Integrating Social Media Into Traditional Public Relations Social media is now recognized as the next wave in marketing. However, many organizations have yet to understand that social media can and should be integrated with traditional marketing and PR strategies. Social networking can be integrated into media relations, events, public relations, fundraising and sponsorship campaigns, advertising, internal communications/ employee-member communications, and many other aspects of outreach. confidential - not for distribution

23. PUBLIC RELATIONS Here are the most easy-to-facilitate and no-to-low-cost online strategies to gaining widespread public recognition and support for your non-profit. Articles: There are thousands of online article sites in which you can introduce your non-profit’s expertise and mission and provide a link back to your company website for free. For articles, you could consider introducing a short piece on industry advice and programs while providing a link back to your website. Forums: Take part in online forums (e.g., LinkedIn forums): again, this is free, and will help you communicate the importance of your company to not only your local community, but also, the world at large. You can join the discussion and/or add information and link to your organization’s website – creating awareness and driving additional traffic. Online Press Releases: Press release sites come just as varied online. If you have a new program, campaign or event you are introducing, do a quick search for online press release sites, and post a quick description about it-highlighting your organization’s name and contact. For press releases, draft up a quick and informational piece on a new addition to your site or program initiative, and provide a link back to your site. Either way, you are adding new information to a highly trafficked network. Maximizing Your Website: Hopefully, you already have a website for your organization. It is absolutely crucial that you keep an eye on it, updating when necessary, gathering user feedback, and keeping track how it ranks for certain generic keywords your potential funder/supporter may use to find you or organizations that offer the same services. This doesn’t mean that you need to invest thousands of dollars in an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) firm for super-elite optimization strategy in making your site top ranked in Internet search. But you should make sure that your website is easy to find, attractive, professional, and easy to use. Also be sure that you offer current news and updates on your organization.  For example: be sure that news releases are posted right away publicize events as well as post-event news & fundraising or awareness-building success highlight noteworthy press coverage and/or organization/board activity or accomplishments  Blogs: Once you have a great website, start your own blog. To the Internet beginner, this may seem an intimidating task; but it is much easier than you would imagine. A blog is a free and effective way to get your organization’s mission and objectives across, while soft-selling potential supporters on how they can help. E-newsletters and Email Marketing: While ensuring that you avoid spamming your prospective funders, members or supporters, a simple e-newsletter is effective in keeping your supporters abreast of current activity and will increase your PR returns immensely. Whether there is a specific program or event to which you are inviting your members or supporters, or a simple thank you for their previous support, you can maintain a constant connection via email. Integrating Social Media Into Traditional Public Relations Social media is now recognized as the next wave in marketing. However, many organizations have yet to understand that social media can and should be integrated with traditional marketing and PR strategies. Social networking can be integrated into media relations, events, public relations, fundraising and sponsorship campaigns, advertising, internal communications/ employee-member communications, and many other aspects of outreach. confidential - not for distribution

24. PUBLIC RELATIONS Maximizing Your Website: Hopefully, you already have a website for your organization. It is absolutely crucial that you keep an eye on it, updating when necessary, gathering user feedback, and keeping track how it ranks for certain generic keywords your potential funder/supporter may use to find you or organizations that offer the same services. Make sure that your website is easy to find, attractive, professional, and easy to use. Also be sure that you offer current news and updates on your organization.  For example: be sure that news releases are posted right away publicize events as well as post-event news & fundraising or awareness-building success highlight noteworthy press coverage and/or organization/board activity or accomplishments  Blogs: Once you have a great website, start your own blog. To the Internet beginner, this may seem an intimidating task; but it is much easier than you would imagine. A blog is a free and effective way to get your organization’s mission and objectives across, while soft-selling potential supporters on how they can help. E-newsletters and Email Marketing: While ensuring that you avoid spamming your prospective funders, members or supporters, a simple e-newsletter is effective in keeping your supporters abreast of current activity and will increase your PR returns immensely. Whether there is a specific program or event to which you are inviting your members or supporters, or a simple thank you for their previous support, you can maintain a constant connection via email. confidential - not for distribution

25. PUBLIC RELATIONS Integrating Social Media Into Traditional Public Relations: Social media is now recognized as the next wave in marketing. However, many organizations have yet to understand that social media can and should be integrated with traditional marketing and PR strategies. Social networking can be integrated into media relations, events, public relations, fundraising and sponsorship campaigns, advertising, internal communications/ employee-member communications, and many other aspects of outreach. Excerpts of the PR article by Lori Halley (Engaging Apricot), with substantial contributions by Mark Buzan, APR of Action Strategies. confidential - not for distribution

26. Questions & Answers confidential - not for distribution

27. YOU’RE INVITED TO THE RORTARY DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP & PUBLIC IMAGE SEMINAR JUNE 21, 2014 Total Wine Community Room • 15980 Pines Blvd. Fountain Square (West of I-75) • Pembroke Pines, Florida 33017 Bring your Passport and get your stamp worth (8 points) SESSION #1 THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INCREASING MEMBERSHIP 10 AM TO 12:15 PM SESSION #2 HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR ROTARY CLUB ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET #2 1:15 PM TO 3:30 PM Register now on the District Website – go to DACdb confidential - not for distribution