Marketing and Public Relations

1. Marketing and Public Relations Designing a Blueprint with the Club Marketing/PR Kit

2. Marketing • Defined in Webster’s Dictionary as: the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service • Four P’s • Product – what you are “selling” or promoting • Price – the cost • Place or Distribution – how it gets to the audience • Promotion or PR – is only a part of marketing

3. Public Relations • Defined in Webster’s Dictionary as: the business of inducing the public to have understanding for and goodwill toward a person, firm, or institution • How to Do Public Relations: • News Releases • Public Service Announcements (PSAs) • Word of Mouth

4. Why Should We Market Our Clubs and Activities?

5. How It’s All Connected • Marketing/public relations, service and growth are important to every Optimist Club. • Clubs provide service, which they promote to the media and local community. • This marketing generates interest in Club activities and helps the Club gain new Members. • New Members allow the Club to provide more service!

6. The Secret’s Out… • Marketing can seem like a daunting task, but it is easier than you think! • Every Optimist Club and Member can do marketing.

7. An Exciting New Resource • There are many marketing tools already available to Clubs. • The important thing was making sure Clubs were aware of the resources and how to use them. • The Club Marketing/PR Kit was developed to introduce these materials and provide simple how-to instruction guides.

8. The Nuts and Bolts of the Kit • Each of you has been given a kit. • We will go through the kit and discuss the uses of each of the materials. • Please let me know if you have questions as we go along.

9. Left Side of the Kit • Welcome Letter – commending you for deciding to market your Club and its activities • Optimist Background Information: • Fact Sheet about Optimist International • Organization description, mission and vision statements, Optimist Creed and purposes

10. Just the Facts • Information on the organization, such as the number of Clubs and Members • Major Service Programs • Scope of Service • Officers • History

11. Why Background Information Can Be Important • All of these items would be useful when introducing someone to Optimism • A newspaper will not run an article about an event unless they know who is sponsoring it • The reporter may want to include information about what the mission of the Club is and what other activities you run • A potential new Member would want to know the Creed and about the International organization

12. The Optimist Mission and Vision • Mission Statement – By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids. • Vision Statement – Optimist International will be recognized worldwide as the premier volunteer organization that values all children and helps them develop their full potential. • How can these statements be used to market your Club and the Optimist organization?

13. Express Your Club’s Optimism • Motto: a phrase the expresses the ideals of a group or organization • Friend of Youth • Branding: a name, logo or slogan associated with an organization that tells people who you are and what you do • Bringing Out the Best in Kids

14. Table of Contents • This is the 1st page in the right pocket of your folder. • It details all of the materials you can find in the kit and also what is on each of the CDs and the DVD. • It also provides details on each of the useful tools.

15. I Am An Optimist DVD • Show this to prospective Members to explain what Optimist Clubs do and what being an Optimist means. • This is great for use at NOW events! • Share it with potential Members at every opportunity. • Show Optimists in Action and encourage others to get involved!

16. Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) • Included in the kit is a CD of radio PSAs and a “how-to” guide on how to use them. • Research your local radio station to find our the name of the Program Director and News Director. • Review your Optimist International background information and take Club flyers or brochures to the station with the CD.

17. How to Use the Radio PSA CD • Introduce yourself to the appropriate people and share the information with them. • Thank them for taking the time to meet with you and learn about Optimism. • Invite a representative from the station to an upcoming meeting. Just Ask! • Make sure to follow up with your new contact.

18. More How-to’s • Add the station representative to the Club’s list of contacts and send them future news releases and stories about your Club. • The PSAs are also available on the Optimist website.

19. And In Conclusion… • If you have space at the end of a radio public service announcement, sum up with a tagline specially designed for your Optimist Club! • Taglines are typically 10 seconds at the end of a public service announcement. • Typical taglines for Optimist public service announcements should include the name of the event, time, date and phone number for more information.

20. Television PSAs • Optimist PSAs have been distributed to more than 1,100 TV and cable stations throughout North America! • Three 30-second and two 15-second messages show Members working with children and the narration explains what Clubs do.

21. What Clubs Can Do • Members can find out what stations in the area have received the PSAs by following the link on the Optimist website. • If a station in your area has received the PSAs, encourage them to air them. • Clubs can add local contact information to a PSA in their area can do so for $85 through the company handling the distribution.

22. Coming Soon… • Distribution to Canada and Jamaica will be done as soon as the necessary government approval is received.

23. Read All About Optimist Clubs • Sample press releases are available on a variety of topics: • All the International programs and activities • Honor Club • Naming New Officers • Optimist in Action • CPA Winners

24. Make Sure Your Club is in the News! • The news releases are available on the Optimist website and on the CD enclosed in your kit. • Just fill in the blanks and print it out on Club letterhead. • Make sure to complete a news release before and after the event. • News releases can be sent to all the local media outlets: newspapers, TV stations and radio stations.

25. Optimist Road Signs

26. Did you know…? • Optimist International will reimburse your Club up to $100 for the purchase and installation of a road sign. • You must purchase the sign through Shumsky or Corall. • Send a copy of the receipt and a photo of the installed sign to the International office by September 30th of the Optimist year the sign was purchased.

27. Road Sign Tips • Select a site with good visibility that will not interfere with traffic safety. • Place the sign approximately 6 feet high for maximum visibility. • Contact local authorities to make sure you have permission to install the sign. • Ensure you are installing the sign in a safe location (far from underground pipes and wires).

28. Make Your Sign Stand Out • Add an additional sign below the traditional road sign that denotes Club name, meeting time and location. • Add seasonal signs below the traditional sign and the meeting place sign to promote special Club events, wish children a safe summer vacation, welcome students back to school, etc. • Finish installation by placing a waterproof label on the back of the sign that lists a Club contact in case of future problems with the sign.

29. Spice Up Your Club Materials • Logo – a signature symbol or icon used by an organization • A wide variety of Optimist logos are available for Club use (in high-resolution and low-resolution versions.) • Clubs can use them on their websites, in their newsletters and in promotional materials. • All the Optimist logos can be found on the Optimist website and on the CD in your kit.

30. Logo Information • To request special file formats for printing banners or apparel, contact graphics@optimist.org • Permission is required to use logos in certain situations. Read the trademark policy on the website for information.

31. The Optimist Magazine • If one of your Club Members receives multiple copies: • Pass them on! Ask businesses with waiting rooms if you can display the magazine for their clients. • Hand them out! Pass them out to attendees at events and make sure to include membership information. • Gather them up! Display them at a NOW meeting

32. Need Extra Copies? • Contact the International office at: 800-500-8130 or via e-mail at magazine@optimist.org

33. Optimist Annual Events • Clubs and Members should take every opportunity to get the Club’s name out to the public. • Optimist International sponsors a few events that may help Clubs attract media attention.

34. Optimist in Action Day • Optimist in Action Day is the third Saturday in October and is a single unified day to promote the mission and values of Optimism to the public. • Clubs can participate in any way they choose. Sponsor a community service event or a fundraiser. • The idea is for every Club to spread the word of Optimism in a way that best suits their Members and their goals. • Invite the media to your event! Send press releases!

35. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month • June is Optimist International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. • Clubs are encouraged to start a program that creates awareness in their community or they may conduct a fundraiser to support the CCC and donate the funds to support the Optimist International research initiative and the matching grants program. • Funds can also be used to support local cancer initiatives, hospitals or families dealing with childhood cancer.

36. Optimist Earth Day • Optimist International has proclaimed the first Saturday in June as Optimist Earth Day in connection with World Environmental Awareness Week. • The International Board of Directors has approved the event through 2010.

37. How Can My Club Participate in Optimist Earth Day? • Plant a tree, flowers or bulbs • Clean up a park, playground or stretch of road • Take recyclables to a local drop-off point • Develop an educational program for local children to teach • Clean up a building that has become a victim to graffiti • Pledge to walk, bicycle or use mass transit for a day

38. JOOI of Reading Month • In connection with the JOOI of Reading, JOOI Clubs can designate a month to promote reading for fun to the students in their schools. • Contact your local JOOI Club to see how you can help with their plans for JOOI Reading Month.

39. Club Marketing/PR Kit CD • The enclosed CD contains a wide variety of resources: • How-to Guides • Fill in the Blank News Releases • Logos • Proclamations – CCC Month, Youth Appreciation • And much much more!

40. Top Ten Easy Marketing Ideas for Your Community • 1. Newspapers – allow you to communicate more information than radio and TV stations. Send those news releases! • 2. Radio PSAs – these announcements cover specific Optimist programs as well as general information about what Optimist Clubs do. Make sure to give the CD in your kit to a local radio station.

41. Top Ten Easy Marketing Ideas for Your Community • 3. Cable TV – if your community has a local cable TV company, contact them about putting your message on their local access channel. • 4. Libraries – Give extra copies of The Optimist magazine to your local library. Attach a sticker with contact information for your Club.

42. Top Ten Easy Marketing Ideas for Your Community • 5. “Welcome” kits – many communities have kits that are given to new residents with promotional materials from local businesses and organizations. • 6. Colleges – many colleges and universities have internal cable TV and radio stations and publications that reach students, staff and faculty.

43. Top Ten Easy Marketing Ideas for Your Community • 7. Community Events – participate in local parades, fairs, sports tournaments and holiday celebrations. Wear your pins, display your banner and give out handouts. • 8. Official Proclamations – local, state and even federal officials issue a proclamation for a special event or anniversary. Included in on the kit CD are proclamations for CCC Month and Youth Appreciation.

44. Top Ten Easy Marketing Ideas for Your Community • 9. Billboards – billboard companies frequently carry messages by nonprofit organizations as a public service. Clubs will have to pay for the cost of printing. • 10. Club Business Cards – print up special cards with your meeting time and place and a contact name and number. Distribute them to friends, co-workers and at community events.

45. Discussion • Please share the ways your Club markets themselves. • Has your Club utilized any of the news releases on the Optimist website? • How many Clubs have shown “I Am An Optimist” DVD to potential Members? • Any there any public relations strategies that have worked well for your Club?

46. Questions