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effectivepublic

relationsa guide for Rotary clubs


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The practice o public relations varies

throughout the world. Regardless o

cultural dierences rom one country to

another, all Rotary clubs have audiences

with whom they should communicate,including the media, local government

ocials, the business community, civic

leaders, and other organizations, as well as

qualied prospective members and people

directly aected by Rotary service projects.

Developing a message or these audiences

and nding an appropriate way to deliver it

is public relations in action.

Components ofPublic RelationsTo understand what public relations entails, it helps to breakit down into its separate components:

Understanding news

PR writingMedia relationsExternal relations

Nontraditional media

This guide will help you develop and use traditional andnontraditional PR materials and methods, work with the

media, develop cooperative relationships with non-Rotaryorganizations, and evaluate and measure the success oyour clubs PR eorts.


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News has been described as extraordinarythings happening to ordinary people andordinary things happening to extraordinary

people. The ollowing elements are consid-ered by many to make up news:

Immediacy. Timing, or immediacy, isimportant to getting your story in themedia. Using words like today, yesterday,early this morning, and tomorroware allexamples o using immediacy. Report-ing something that has just happenedor is about to happen is critical or astory to become news.

Proximity. I the story you are pitchinghappened outside your community,city, state, or country, would you beinterested in reading about it? By ask-ing this simple question, you can tell iyour story is newsworthy. Newspapersand other media sources largely ocuson hometown and regional stories. Themore localized a story is, the greater

the chance it will be used.Prominence. Does your story eaturepublic gures or ocials, people orenown, or those who pique curiosity?In general, such people o infuence canmake the news. To qualiy, your clubsvisitor or speaker must be able to gainthe readers attention either by reputa-tion or by the topic being discussed.

Singularity.

In many places in theworld, the unusual and the unexpectedoten make news. For example, i yourclub has accomplished a challenging orunusual project in your community oranother part o the world, or i oneo your members has perormed anincredible service, be sure to use thisangle to create a news piece.

Conict. Unortunately, confict is one

element that makes headlines world-wide. Be proactive and share whatyour club is doing to build goodwill and

peace in the world. An op-ed piece inresponse to a recent story on confictwould be a good start.

Emotional appeal. Oten calledhuman interest stories, news piecesthat elicit the readers sympathy orother emotional responses make greateature-type stories. Does your clubhave a compelling story that will cap-ture the interest o the general publicas well as Rotary club members?

Consequence. For a story to show

consequence, it must be importantto a vast number o readers. Doesyour clubs story aect other peopleslives? Try to ocus on the eorts andreactions o one or two people tohumanize the story as much as pos-sible. Share your clubs eorts on polioeradication, clean water, environmentalstewardship, or other critical issuesto demonstrate that i Rotary werent

active in this area, there would benegative consequences.

What Is News?

Experience shows clubs have beenmost successful in promoting thefollowing types of Rotary stories:

Outstanding volunteers

Interactions between people in

developed and developing countriesLocal Rotary or Rotary Foundationprojects

Rotary International studies andexchange program participants(Youth Exchange students, RotaryWorld Peace Fellows, AmbassadorialScholars, or Group Study Exchangeteam members)

Human interest stories about peoplewho benefted rom Rotary service

PolioPlus activities, particularly inpolio-endemic areas


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The ability to write easily, logically, and suc-cinctly is vital in public relations. The objecto most PR writing is to grab the readers

attention. Most press releases and otherwritten communications or the media usean inverted-pyramid style, with the mostimportant and relevant inormation at thetop, ollowed by gradually less importantinormation.

Writing a Press ReleaseThe headline and the rst sentence are thetwo most important parts o a press release.

Make sure they are compelling enough todraw the editor or reporter in. Use activeverbs in headlines, making them brie andto the point.

Develop a well-thought-out newshook, a persuasive reason or thenews media to pursue a story. Thenews hook provides direction tothe rest o the release.

Always dene Rotary as a globalnetwork o community volunteersin the release.

Determine who will be the contactperson or media inquiries, and placethat persons name, e-mail address,and phone number in the upper-letcorner. A reporter or editor will morelikely ollow up when your contactinormation is easily available. I your

club or district Web site is current, alsoinclude the Web address.

Lead paragraph

Include the ve Ws in your rst paragraph,ideally in the rst sentence:

Who? The main ocus o your story a person or group o people that is theessential element o the storyWhat? The event or project withwhich your club is involvedWhere? The location o the event,including a street addressWhen? The time, day, and date o anevent or the time period involved ora person or project

Why? The reason this event, person,or project is signicant to the generalpublic

Additional paragraphs

In subsequent paragraphs, describe detailsabout the event or project or how theperson achieved something extraordinary.

Keep your release concise. State opinions

in quotes rom club leaders, project bene-ciaries, or person being eatured or hon-ored. Decide what inormation is necessaryand then ocus on one or two main points.Limit the release to one page.

I youre sending a release to a televisionstation, think o its visual needs. Suggestgood video ootage opportunities, suchas unusual events, colorul scenes, smiling

children, or celebrity appearances.

Pitching Yourself as The ExpertJournalists are always looking or experts ona variety o topics or eature stories. Send aletter to a specic reporter with an idea ora story and oer your help in developing it.Describe why you or someone in your clubqualies as an expert on a particular issue,

such as literacy, water, eliminating globalpoverty, environmental stewardship, or

PR Writing

Lead

Most Important Inormation

Additional Facts

Background


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confict resolution. Include the names opeople available or interviews, projectinormation, and related story angles. Tailorthe letter to the reporter and the mediumas much as possible. Consider these tips:

Summarize your pitch in one page.

Explain why readers would beinterested.Detail the scope and signicance oyour project.Provide a ew interesting details.

Oer alternate approaches to thestory when possible.Describe possible photo opportunities.

Letter to the EditorThe editorial page is one o the most-readsections o the newspaper, and your lettercan reach many people. Keep these tips inmind when sending a letter to the editor:

Make one or two points and state

them clearly, ideally in the rstsentence.

Make your letter timely. I you arentaddressing a specic article, editorial,or letter that ran recently, tie yourcomment to a recent event.

Familiarize yoursel with the cover-age and editorial position o the paper.

Reute or support specic statementsand address relevant acts that hadbeen ignored, but avoid attacking themedia in general or the newspaper inparticular.

Check the letter specications o thenewspaper. Length and ormat require-ments vary rom paper to paper (abouttwo short paragraphs are ideal). Re-member to include your ull name, title(i applicable), mailing address, e-mailaddress, and daytime phone number.

Op-EdAn op-ed (positioned opposite the edito-rial page) is an opinion piece written by anindividual who is not on the newspaperssta. Beore writing an op-ed or your paper,

learn what topics are o interest to yourcommunity. An op-ed should:State a point o viewProvoke thought

Stimulate discussion

Review the op-ed pieces in your paperbeore submitting your own. Like a letterto the editor, an op-ed should be brie andclearly stated.

A picture is worth 1,000 wordsPhotos increase interest in your storyand give your release an extra edge.They should be an essential part ofevery PR plan. Consider these tips tohelp ensure a great photo:

Plan ahead. Determine the messageyou want to convey, and fnd a way tocapture it in a photo.

Use a proessional photographer orhigh-quality digital camera.

Take action shots. Images eaturinghands-on activity create more interestthan posed shots o people shakinghands and standing and acing thecamera. A creative, active shot couldbe the deciding actor or an editor onwhether to run a story.

Keep deadlines in mind. Send timelyphotos to the media well in advanceo publishing deadlines. Make sureto include a caption with the correctspelling o names and a sentenceexplaining the event. Use the who,what, where, when, and why ormat towrite captions.

Download current photos o RI ofcersat www.rotary.org.


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Fact SheetA act sheet provides details aboutRotary programs to ensure journalistshave accurate background inormation. Youcan download Rotary act sheets rom the

Public Relations section at www.rotary.org.

Media KitOn occasion, reporters require moreinormation than appears in a press release,particularly at events.

A media kit is a pocket older, preerablywith a Rotary identier, that holds general

inormation about Rotary and your club aswell as materials tailored to the event.

Your media kit should include:A act sheet or brochure aboutyour clubA act sheet or news release aboutthe project or eventA act sheet about the Rotaryprogram involved

PR Writing Case Study

Rotary Responds to News of

U.S. Polio Cases

In 2005, U.S. health ocials weresurprised to discover that ve childrenin an Amish community in Minne-sota were inected by the poliovirus.

Polio hadnt been seen in the UnitedStates or 26 years. In response to aWashington Post article covering theoutbreak, RI posted a sample let-ter to the editor in its Rotary PR Tipsnewsletter, emphasizing that no childis sae rom polio until the diseaseis eradicated worldwide. It stated:

Rotary members worldwide are com-mitted to immunizing every child andhave made eradicating polio their toppriority since 1985. Rotary and its part-ners at the World Health Organization,

U.S. Centers or Disease Control andPrevention, and UNICEF have immun-ized more than two billion children in

122 countries.

RIs Public Relations Division alsodeveloped an opinion piece and sent itto district governors and club presi-dents, encouraging them to submit itto their local newspaper. Throughthese actions, many letters and opinionpieces were published, and Rotarianvoices were heard all over the world.

Media RelationsJust as manuacturers market their products,Rotary members must sell stories to themedia. Understanding the media will helpyou market Rotarys message successully.

Identifying Media TargetsBeore sending stories to a journalist, getto know your audience. Read your localnewspaper and watch television programsto identiy particular columns or segmentswhere a Rotary story could be placed.Consider inviting a local journalist to speakto your club about how to work with themedia. This will give you an opportunityto get to know the journalist and betterunderstand the news process.

Identiy your target media. These mightinclude regional or suburban newspapers,local radio stations, media that cover onespecic topic or instance, educationor health and local television and cablestations.


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Developing a Media ListAter identiying media targets, put togethera contact list or each story that includesthe names, phone numbers, ax numbers,and e-mail addresses o journalists, editors,

or news directors who might take a specialinterest in Rotary. Larger newspapers orbroadcast stations may have departmentsor reporters specializing in certain topicssuch as business, eatures, medical news,event calendars, or education. A businesswriter may be interested in a clubs careerday or students, while an education writermay wish to interview an exchange studentor an Ambassadorial Scholar.

Contacting the MediaYou can take your story to the media sev-eral ways. Whatever approach you choose,be persuasive, persistent, and riendly butnot aggressive. The most eective methodsdepend on the journalists preerences. Hereare some suggested approaches:

E-mail.

Most reporters use e-mail andappreciate the time it saves identiy-ing worthwhile stories. Like a head-line, your subject line should be wellthought out; it can make the dierencebetween your e-mail being read ordeleted.

Phone. Many editors preer a brie(less than two minutes) phone descrip-tion o a story, along with the reasons

it would interest readers or viewers.They will then tell you i they areinterested and i they need additionalmaterials.

Fax. Faxes are an inexpensive and astway to send inormation requested bya reporter or editor or to deliver time-sensitive materials. Most reportersdiscourage unsolicited axes. A news

advisory concisely ticks o the who,what, when, where, and why otenwith times and places underscored tocatch a busy editors eye.

Mail. Use the mail or sending one-page letters outlining your ideas orbackground materials or stories with-out an immediate deadline.

Personalized letter. Sent alone or

with a press release, a letter can pointout a specic angle or suggest storyideas or good interview subjects andshow youve taken the time to considerwhat might interest that particular

reporter.

Press kit. A press kit can be eective iyou have several related stories to tellor a number o related events to pro-mote, such as a month-long series o

speakers. In addition to a act sheet andrelease, it may contain photos (withcaptions attached), a calendar o events,and brie biographies o the Rotaryclub members involved.

Some news should be targeted to specicmedia, including:

Calendar items. Magazines, news-papers, and radio and TV stations havecalendar editors, who list upcomingevents. To inorm the media about yourclub meeting or event, send the calen-dar editor one paragraph detailing theprogram, place, and time.

PSAs. Public service announcementsare nonpaid commercials that RI hasdeveloped or clubs to send to theirlocal media outlets, including TV and

radio stations. Both DVD and Beta SPtapes are available. Contact the stationspublic service director to see i thestation would be interested in receivingRotary PSAs. Send all requests [email protected].

Conducting Interviewswith the Media

Journalists are always looking or goodhuman-interest stories. Equally valuableis a knowledgeable messenger. Develop


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Quick tips

Familiarize yoursel with the publica-tion or TV news program that you

would like to publish or air your story.Keep media lists current. Personalizeyour materials as much as possible.

Contact the media only with news-worthy story ideas.

Call reporters during times other thandeadline. Mornings are usually best.

Know your story and anticipatequestions.

Send background materials immedi-

ately ollowing contact.

Be available. Make sure you areavailable to take journalists calls ithey need more inormation or wantto check a act or accuracy.

Always work within a reportersdeadlines.

Let your club members know whenyou send out inormation to the press.

Take no or an answer. You have agreat story and compelling photos but still no interest. What can you do?Accept the reporters decision. Arguingwith reporters only alienates themand will hurt your chances o placinguture stories.

inormed, articulate spokespersons whoare easily accessible and well-versed aboutRotarys programs. Good candidates includeinternational, district, and club ocers andpeople who have beneted rom Rotary

programs, such as Ambassadorial Scholars,Group Study Exchange team members,Youth Exchange students, Rotary WorldPeace Fellows, and Rotary Volunteers. Whena non-Rotarian expert or celebrity is par-ticipating in a Rotary event, make sure theyare adequately inormed to convey the rightmessage about Rotary.

Consider the ollowing points, to ensurethat when a journalist calls or an interview,you present your story in the best light:

Provide the reporter with backgroundmaterials, including a short biogra-phy o the person to be interviewed,beorehand.Know your main points and rehearsethem beore the interview.Remember your audience. Make com-ments that will interest the people

who read the article or see or hearthe broadcast.Be articulate and concise. Present theacts in a simple, direct manner.Avoid Rotary jargon (or example, PDG,GSE, makeups).Ask the reporter to clariy his or herquestion, i necessary.Understand that everything said to

a reporter is on the record, regard-

less o a reporters assurances to thecontrary.I a reporter asks a negative question,answer honestly and try to steer theconversation to positive ground.Its OK to ask when the story will run,but avoid asking the reporter to showyou the story beore it appears.Make sure the reporter has a phonenumber where he or she can contactyou or additional inormation.

Managing CrisisDespite your best eorts, problems maydevelop that are sensitive in nature. Beorthcoming i a reporter calls, but avoidinitiating contact with the media aboutunfattering stories.

When a situation arises that you think willneed immediate attention, contact RotaryInternational beore you speak with the

media (phone: +1-847-866-3237; e-mail:[email protected]).


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Keep in mind these general rules or crisiscommunications:

Provide a straightorward response.Dont speculate.Shit to a more neutral or, i possible,

positive message.When inormation gets out quickly, rumorsare stopped and nerves are calmed. The goalis to terminate the crisis, limit the damage,and restore credibility.

Consider the ollowing actors to help less-en or alleviate potential negative publicity:

Surprise. A public relations crisis isusually unexpected. You may learn othe situation only when a reporter callsor comment. Dont eel pressured togive a quote immediately. Instead, ndout what the reporter wants, assurehim or her that you will respond, andthen get o the phone. Seek advicebeore making a statement or answer-ing a critical question. Contact RotaryInternational i needed, but dont hide

rom the media.Insufcient inormation. Rumors mayfy. Avoid reacting or commenting onsomething that hasnt been substanti-ated. Also avoid saying no comment,which could be used to insinuate guilt.Instead, say that you will check out thematter more ully and get back to the

journalist.

Escalating events. The crisis broadens.Additional media pick up the story orthe situation becomes more com-plicated. Remain calm and keep thelong-term picture in mind. As much aspossible, tell the ull story and tell itpromptly.

Too long o a delay could put your clubin a negative light.

Increased scrutiny. The public eed on

rumors. Helpul politicians, local lead-ers, and others may make observationsthat complicate the situation. Channel

all Rotary comments through onespokesperson and ask club membersto rerain rom speaking about theincident and to reer journalists to thedesignated club spokesperson.

Siege mentality.

When an organiza-tion eels attacked, it tends to immedi-ately shut down to deend itsel. Resistthe natural impulse to protect yoursel.Seek legal and public relations counselwhen necessary, but remain as open tothe media and the public as possible.Rotary is not a secret organization andshould not be portrayed as such.

Panic. Nerves start to wear thin when

the possibility o negative publicity aris-es. Remain calm, seek counsel, tell thetruth, and position the club as an openorganization. This will help to stemurther eruptions and most eectivelycommunicate Rotarys message.

When a dicult situation has been re-solved, contact the press and let themknow immediately.

Media Relations Case Study

Local Story Makes National News

An article in the San Diego Tribuneabout Fary Moini, a member o theRotary Club o La Jolla Golden Triangle,Caliornia, USA, caught the eye o aproducer rom NBC Nightly News. Ater

reading it, he contacted the club todiscuss doing a story about her. Honor-ing Moini as a hometown hero, thearticle praised her extraordinary workto aid Aghan reugees in Pakistan andAghanistan and highlighted her Rotaryexperience and its impact on othersin the world. In the story, she said, Ibelong to a great organization, RotaryInternational, and with their encour-agement, with their support, I was ableto do these small things with love.


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Ater gathering background inormation,the NBC Nightly News produced a humaninterest piece eaturing Moinis eorts aspart o the shows Making a Dierenceseries. The 2:40-minute broadcast was

seen by millions o viewers. It ocusedon how Moini worked with her Rotaryclub to raise US$250,000 to constructa school equipped with a science lab,library, and computer room or 2,000children in war-ravaged Jalalabad,Aghanistan. The NBC team ollowedher to Aghanistan and shot ootage othe opening o the mixed-gender school.Moini was interviewed during the piece

and was able to share Rotary with theworld, all o which provided great cover-age or Rotary and allowed viewers tosee how Rotarians are active in boththeir communities and around the world.And, it all began with local news coverage.

External RelationsWorking with other organizations, known asexternal relations, is an important componento public relations today. Rotary clubs anddistricts are encouraged to collaborate onprojects with other groups locally, nationally,and internationally.

Rotary International has a long history oworking with other organizations. The rst

Rotary service project the building opublic washrooms near Chicagos city hall was completed through the cooperation ocivic agencies and key local business leaders.Today, Rotary is a spearheading partner in theGlobal Polio Eradication Initiative, an alliancethat serves as a model or private-public sec-tor collaboration. Working with other organi-zations can help increase public awareness oyour clubs activities, multiply the impact o a

project, and expand your access to technicaland nancial resources.

Recognizing the importance o developingand maintaining partnerships, Rotary Interna-tional established the Rotary representativenetwork. More than 20 representatives tothe United Nations, its agencies, and other

major international organizations participatein international meetings and events on behalo Rotary. These representatives, appointedeach year by the RI president, are listed inthe Ofcial Directory. Draw on their expertisei your club is considering working withanother organization with which RI hasocial relations.

Tips for Collaborative Relationships

Develop clear guidelines o what is

expected rom each party.Ask the cooperating organization toeature inormation on your joint projecton its Web site. Make sure the site alsoincludes inormation about your club ordistrict and a link to your Web site.Host local events such as sports compe-tition, parades, or musical activitiesto raise unds or your mutual cause and

highlight the cooperation between yourclub and the other organization.Issue joint press releases to keep themedia inormed o your activities.

Find out more about working with otherorganizations at www.rotary.org.

External Relations Case Study

Rotary Clubs Partner with

Center for Global Safe Water

More than one billion people throughoutthe developing world live without saewater, and over two billion lack adequatesanitation. Every year, more than 2.2 mil-lion deaths occur because o contami-nated water, mostly children under ageve. In response to the ongoing need to

provide sae water in developing coun-tries, the UN Millennium DevelopmentGoal or water and sanitation was devel-


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oped, created to reduce the propor-tion by hal o the worlds populationwithout access to sae water by 2015.

The Rotary Sae Water Project, atwo-year initiative in Kenya, started in

April 2005. The Rotary Club o Atlanta,Georgia, USA, and Rotary clubs in Ken-ya partnered with Emory UniversitysCenter or Global Sae Water (CGSW),and the U.S. Centers or DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC) creat-ing the Sae Water and AIDS Projectin western Kenyas Nyanza Province.This Kenyan-based nongovernmentalorganization mobilizes rural com-

munity-based HIV/AIDS groups tobecome vendors o the Sae WaterSystem, enabling them to earn anincome, provide access to sae water,and support AIDS orphans and widows.

Additionally, the Rotary club projecthas drilled more than 100 boreholesin two dry districts o eastern Kenyaand acts as the local agent in managing

the implementation o the well-drill-ing operation. A CGSW sta memberin Kenya oversees the project andsubmits reports on its progress. CDCprovides logistical help or the proj-ect, and the Center or Global SaeWater and the CDC perorm jointresearch on the projects health impact.

Through this nonprot project, thecooperating organizations have madehousehold water treatment andstorage units available via commer-cial distributors and local artisans. In

addition, local HIV/AIDS help groupshave educated community membersabout health and home-based ap-proaches to making water sae.

BeyondTraditionalMediaRotary clubs can improve their public imagein ways other than news coverage. RotaryInternational provides pre-produced PSAsor billboard and Internet advertisementsand encourages all clubs to localize thesematerials or use in their communities.

Cable and Public-Access TelevisionIn many areas o the Rotary world, publicaccess or cable television provides commu-nity-based programming. Consult a cablecompany in your area to learn how yourclub might broadcast its service activities or

weekly meetings or highlightspecial events and speakers.Some Rotary clubs have eventaken advantage o cable tele-vision by producing and airingentire programs devoted toRotary.

Public ServiceAnnouncements

Television and radio stationssometimes broadcast shortannouncements and messages


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at no charge to community organizationssuch as Rotary. In addition, print media otenhave unsold advertising slots they oer asremnant space or ree or at reduced ratesto nonprots. Notices o undraisers, projects

that benet the community, scholarship avail-ability, or public events sponsored by Rotaryare suitable subjects or PSAs.

Print PSAs are available or download atwww.rotary.org and can be used or news-paper or magazine placements. They can alsobe used or posters, air or rail terminal dis-plays, community directories, program book-lets, and banners. In addition, Rotary has PSAsand commercials that Rotarians can oer totheir local radio and television stations.

Building an Effective Web SiteClubs and districts are encouraged to createWeb sites as an important way to communi-cate the Rotary message to the world. Aneective Web site is designed with specicaudiences in mind by developing dierent

sections which ocus on dierent users.Remember to keep your content clearand concise while avoiding Rotary jargon(e.g., DGE, PP, etc.). Updating your contentregularly is important as well as making itinteractive. Uploading images, audio, andvideo adds to the overall eel o the site.Rotary International encourages club anddistrict Web sites to link to resources andarticles at www.rotary.org. RIs ocial Web

site also eatures an RSS news eed that clubsand districts can incorporate into their sitescontent or requently updated Rotary newsheadlines.

Billboards, Posters, and SignageBuild Rotary awareness by creating billboards,posters, or signage to show what Rotaryis and what Rotary does. Use resources

available through the RI Web site to createRotary signage. The graphics may also be use-ul or publications, stationery, or other printmaterials.

Newspaper SupplementsSpotlight the good work o Rotary at homeand abroad by arranging or a local news-paper supplement. Ask club members tosupport the supplement by purchasingadvertising space or their businesses. Then,work with the newspapers editor to developstories that ocus on Rotarys service locallyand globally. Include inormation on suchinternational programs as Rotary Scholars,GSE teams, humanitarian grants projects, andPolioPlus. A sample newspaper supplementis available or download at www.rotary.org.

Special EventsSome radio and television stations regularlybroadcast programs devoted to stories aboutworthwhile community service organizationsand their activities. Most o these programsare interviews, but some TV stations may lmor videotape a visually interesting project oractivity to air during a broadcast.

Many radio and TV stations also cooper-ate with Rotary clubs on special undraisingeorts, sometimes turning the microphones


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over to Rotary members. Occasionally,clubs have participated in the undraisingeorts o other community groups.

Club BrochuresIn addition to using inormational materialsavailable through the RI Catalog, such as theThis Is Rotary(001-EN) brochure and WhatsRotary?(419-EN) wallet card, develop aproessional-quality, printed brochure tohighlight your clubs service projects andprograms. Prole Rotary Scholars, GSEparticipants, or other beneciaries oRotary service, and provide inormation

and statistics about the club. Include yourclubs history and service accomplishmentsand photos showing Rotary members inaction. Distribute the brochures to local

journalists, prospective members, programspeakers, and guests at club meetings orevents.

Presentations and Speeches

Rotary members may be called upon asexperts in their communities. When askedto speak whether beore an audience ostudents, other community organizations, orproessionals be sure to mention Rotary.Explain that Rotary is a global networko community volunteers, and share ex-amples o Rotarys work locally and aroundthe world. Consider these tips or publicspeaking:

Remember your audience, and makecertain the topic is meaningul to them.Get to the point.

Use the power o threes: Make yourspeeches captivating, compelling, and acomplete package.Tell a story.End with your opening: Repeat themain point you want to make.

All RI materials can be ordered through theRI Catalogor at www.rotary.org.

Beyond TraditionalMedia Case Study

French Rotarians Raise

Rotary Awareness

For their second National RotaryAwareness Day, Rotary club mem-bers in France organized a movietheater event called Hope in Mind.They sponsored a special premiereo Laurent Tirards movieMolire ouLe Comdien Malgr Luiin nearly 300theaters throughout the country.The objectives o this multidistrictevent were to raise 1 million orsix research projects selected by theFdration pour la Recherche sur leCerveau (Federation or Brain Re-search), an organization that studiesdegenerative brain diseases, and topromote Rotary to the general public.

All district governors were invited toparticipate and mobilize their clubsinto action. Rotarians raised aware-

ness o the event through the Rotaryregional magazine Le Rotarien andcoordinated the campaign nationallyby creating promotional materials witha consistent message and distributingthem to all the French districts andby managing toll-ree number lines.The movie night began with a six-minute documentary about Rotaryand a presentation on degenerativebrain diseases, which aect about10 percent o the population directlyor indirectly. The event raised about600,000 or brain disease researchthrough the sale o nearly 60,000tickets in 250 movie theaters nation-wide. The act that the Rotarians choseto ocus on and support an issuethat aects so many people greatly

contributed to the events success.


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New Trends in MediaCitizen-generated media (CGM) gives usersthe ability to produce content on a varietyo topics, easily uploading it to the Internet.

CGM provides an interactive medium orusers to share inormation by posting ideasand opinions to sites including: discussionorums, blogs (short or Web logs), and mes-sage boards.

Throughout the world, the Internet hasbecome one o the most popular mediumspeople use to gather inormation. Some us-ers are beginning to trust others like them-

selves more than traditional news sources.

CGM also aects marketing and advertisingtrends because this content is easy to locatewith the aid o search engines. When usinga search engine to look up a person or anorganization, many users nd inormationposted by another user. CGM is changinghow inormation is shared and how opin-ions are ormed.

BlogBlogs started in the early 1990s simplyas a version o the online journal. Today,blogs are dened in many dierent ways,oten with conusing media buzz. From atechnology standpoint, they are simplytemplate-based Web sites that allow anauthor to quickly make regular updates.

They also regularly allow or user interac-tion through comments and subscriptionservices via RSS (Real Simple Syndication).

There are more than 50 million blogs onthe Internet. They have become extremelypopular because they oer an easy, user-riendly approach to uploading contentoten including text, images, and sometimesvideo.

What has separated blogs rom regular Websites and traditional media is the type ocontent they publish. The most successul

blogs ocus on a single subject and cover itwith passion, depth, and sometimes wit. Themost successul writers have a strong voiceand are able to build trust through theirexpertise, honesty, and ability to create agood conversation with their readership.

Another phenomenon o blogging and blogsis the regularity with which they commenton, respond to, and link to other blogs and

bloggers. The universe o bloggers theblogosphere can be looked at as agiant conversation. Blogs can also incor-porate other orms o media, includingaudio (podcasts), video (vlogs), and images(photoblogs).

Blogs oer an easy, inexpensive way topublicize your clubs projects and events.And because many journalists search blogs

or stories, they also oer an opportunityto reach the media with your Rotary sto-ries. So, the next time a local journalist islooking or a human interest story, whatwill they nd on your clubs blog?

PodcastPodcasts (the term podcast combines iPodand broadcast) consist o digital audio les

distributed over the Internet, usually througha subscription-based service. Some smartprogrammers gured out a way to mix RSSwith the audio posts to allow or automaticdownloading to the popular media players.Now, people oten reer to podcasts as anymedia le available via download rom theInternet.


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Like blogs, the most successul podcastsare oten short and ocused. Ideally, listen-ers should eel attached to the voice o thepodcaster, viewing him or her as an insideror a real person. That sense o honesty is

what gives nontraditional media its power.Podcasts are commonly reerred to aspush technology because o it subscrip-tion capability. Podcasts are dierent romother digital media because they can bedownloaded automatically through sub-scription. It is inormation that a providerchooses to receive instead o searchingor pulling it rom the Internet.

In the past, producing a proessional-qualityshow was cost-prohibitive. But with con-temporary technology, the cost o entry hascome down considerably. The only limitingactors are time to learn the technologyand coming up with a great idea.

Electronic Press ReleaseAlthough traditional print axes are stillaccepted in newsrooms, an electronic pressrelease provides several advantages to boththe sender and the journalist. New technol-ogy allows writers to attach pictures andvideo to their press releases and send it allby e-mail. The journalist will then have thestory and pictures readily available and cansave critical time in contacting you and wait-ing to get these items. Attach good video

ootage or pictures that show Rotariansin action.

Video UploadingThrough the power o the Internet, uploading video has become very easy. More than50 video uploading/sharing sites allow youto put your Rotary eorts on the Web. Each

site oers dierent options, rom simplevideo upload to editing, all completely reeo charge. Consider uploading video to yourclub Web site or blog or attaching video orpictures to your electronic press release.

New Trends in Media Case Study

How a Blog Aided a Nation

The Rotary Club o Colombo Regencyin Sri Lanka invited a speaker to theirclubs meeting to teach members howto create a blog, not realizing how valu-able this new technology would prove

to be. Just one day ater the worldsdeadliest tsunami destroyed parts otheir country, the club members setup their rst blog. It allowed peoplerom all over the world to provideimmediate assistance by donating mon-ey and providing ood and medicine,and daily updates kept contributorsinormed about the clubs relie eorts.

Club members e-mailed riends andamily members to alert them to theblog and the account they had setup or donations. The club also madean arrangement with Lankaood.com

which did not benet rom theagreement to take orders or oodand medicine and send them directlyto the Rotary Club o Colombo. Clubmembers then purchased items rom

the local wholesale market and distrib-uted them. Within a week, the clubhad raised nearly US$50,000 and anadditional $35,000 had been pledged.Our club has been successul becausewe have been able to reach out theinternational community through thissite, said club secretary ChamilaWickramasinghe.


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Using print PSAs, graphics, andother materialsIn addition to billboards, Rotary graph-

ics can be used as public serviceannouncements in a variety of media,including newspapers and magazines.Using a mixture of media multipliesthe overall effect of images whilebroadening the audience they reach.The following placement ideas areprovided as a starting point. You maydiscover additional uses.

Magazines/newspapers Contact the advertising section andinquire about remnant space. Wouldthe publication consider donatingspace to your club or district and run aprint PSA or ree or at a reduced cost?

Program booklets Is your Rotary club or any o itsmembers involved in a communitytheater? Does your club support alocal sports team? Include the PSAs

in the program booklets.Community directories Use the PSA in the telephone directory,chamber o commerce directory, or acommunity ad book. Would the direc-tory consider donating the space?

District newsletters/directories Similar to program booklets, use thePSAs in Rotary publications. Include acaption explaining that the PSAs areavailable or club members to place inlocal media.

Public displays/posters/banners Create posters to be used in displays,on community bulletin boards, or inpublic buildings.

Air/rail terminals Public locations such as these otencoordinate with a local agency to

handle their signage. Contact theterminal, inquire about who handlesadvertising, and ollow up with theagency. Would the agency considerdonating the space?

Notecards Create notecards eaturing theimages, and use them as club thank-you or holiday cards.

Web sites

Add graphics to your Web site.

You can download print PSAs thatprovide images highlighting Rotaryswork at www.rotary.org.


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In public relations, its important to evalu-ate what has and hasnt worked. Watch orRotary-related news clippings in the papers

you have contacted. Cut them out andcompile them as a way to document yoursuccess and use the experience as a learningtool or uture PR work. Always remem-ber to send thank-you notes to those whohelped along the way.

RI Public Relations AwardAs an incentive or clubs and districts to

tell their Rotary story, Rotary Internationalcreated an award to recognize clubs thathave generated increased awareness and un-derstanding o Rotary through outstandingmedia coverage or public relations eorts.Competition and selection o winning en-tries take place at the district level. Entriesmust be submitted to RI by a district gov-ernor. Find more inormation in the Public

Relations section at www.rotary.org.

Evaluating/MeasuringSuccess Case Study

RI District Implements PR Survey

In 2006, a public relations committeechair in Chile initiated a districtwidesurvey to test the members knowl-edge o public relations. The questionsocused on Web site use, awarenesso Rotary publications, and individualclub PR eorts, including media expo-sure. The results revealed that many

Rotarians ound the RI Web site hardto navigate and had diculty locat-ing relevant inormation and Rotarypublications on the site. The surveyalso showed that many members hadlittle to no contact with local mediaand little interest in learning how newtrends in technology were relevant totheir clubs. Many o the clubs said thatpublic relations eorts didnt inspire

them, that they considered the Rotaryregional magazines out o date andirrelevant to their own clubs projects,and that they werent interested in cre-ating a Web site to promote their club.

As a result o the data, the districtasked the Public Image ResourceGroup zone coordinator to presentinormational sessions on working

with the media and how clubs canparticipate in public relations. Aterthese sessions, a number o clubsdeveloped newsletters that eaturedtheir projects and their contactinormation or the local media. Aware-ness o Rotary in the local communityhas increased, and clubs now take amore active role in public relations.

Evaluating/Measuring Success


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Public Relations Resourcesfrom Rotary InternationalYour Rotary clubs public relations chair

will nd a wealth o resources rom RotaryInternational or developing any type o

public relations campaign.

RI International Ofces The Secretariat encompasses RI head-quarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, andinternational oces in Argentina, Australia,Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland.These oces provide a range o commu-

nication tools newsletters, brochures,audiovisual programs, guidance, andinstructional materials to help clubsand districts succeed. See the OfcialDirectoryor contact inormation.

Public Relations at www.rotary.org The Public Relations section o the RIWeb site provides materials that will helpyour club or district promote the storyo Rotary. Use the site as a guide whenquestions occur during PR planning. Youcan view Rotary PSAs and downloadmaterials, including print PSAs, newsreleases, and other helpul PR tools.Also visit http://shop.rotary.org to orderPR publications.

Rotary PR Tips The Rotary PR Tips newsletter rom RIsPublic Relations Division includes general

PR writing tips, new trends in media, andexamples o outstanding grassroots publicrelations eorts completed by Rotarians.Its distributed by e-mail twice monthly.E-mail [email protected] to subscribe, orview the latest edition at www.rotary.org.


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Rotary PR Planning CalendarEective public relations campaigns dont happen by chance; theyrequire time, eort, and planning. Rotary public relations chairs shoulddevelop a strategy at or beore the beginning o each Rotary year and

make a timetable. Although its impossible to anticipate every publicrelations opportunity, scheduled events can be planned well in ad-vance. By developing a comprehensive plan early on, you can preventdiculties later and avoid last-minute preparations.

An eective way to create a plan is to prepare a large blank calendaror the coming year. Use the calendar at the end o this guide as astarting point. Coner with the district governor and other committeechairs about when theyll be conducting newsworthy activities, andmark them on the calendar. Then review the ollowing checklists and

decide in which month your district would like to schedule a par-ticular activity. Place those activities into the planner accordingly. Theplanner includes annual RI events and internationally recognized daysto help your public relations outreach.

Planning TipsSet dates or club or district public relations planning meetingsand ollow-up meetings.Order promotional materials rom the RI Catalog.

Begin encouraging clubs to submit local public relations successstories or the RI Public Relations Award.

Overview of Newsworthy Local EventsBeginning o new district governors term.Announcement o Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholars orRotary World Peace Fellows.Arrival or departure o a Rotary Foundation Group StudyExchange team.

Arrival or departure o Youth Exchange students.District conerence.Chartering o a new Rotary club.Chartering o a new Interact or Rotaract club.

Presidential visit or conerence in your area.Local or international district-sponsored project.Local club anniversaries or newsworthy programs.

PolioPlus projects or Rotarians who are experts in their eldsworking on special Rotary projects (such as a local Rotary Volun-teer working on a medical mission).Celebrity or prominent local gure involved in a Rotary event.Club activities surrounding RI months or internationalobservances such as Earth Day or International Volunteer Day.


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JulyAnnual changeover o Rotary leadership, 1 JulyUN World Population Day, 11 July

AugustMembership and Extension MonthUN International Day o the Worlds Indigenous Peoples,9 AugustUN International Youth Day, 12 August

SeptemberNew Generations MonthUN International Literacy Day, 8 SeptemberUN International Day or the Preservation o the

Ozone Layer, 16 September

OctoberVocational Service MonthUN International Day o Older Persons, 1 October

UN World Habitat Day (rst Monday o October)World Sight Day, 11 OctoberUN World Food Day, 16 October

UN International Day or the Eradication o Poverty,17 October

World Polio Day, 24 OctoberUnited Nations Day, 24 October

NovemberRotary Foundation MonthWorld Interact Week (week o 5 November)

Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarshipapplications available/promote scholarship opportunitiesWorld Diabetes Day, 14 November

UN Universal Childrens Day, 20 November

(date may vary by country)

DecemberFamily MonthRotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarshipawardees notied o their study institutionsUN World AIDS Day, 1 DecemberUN International Day o Disabled Persons,3 December

International Volunteer Day, 5 December

UN International Migrants Day, 18 December


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JanuaryRotary Awareness MonthWorld Leprosy Day, 31 January

FebruaryWorld Understanding MonthInternational Assembly (sometimes held in January)World Cancer Day, 4 February

Rotarys anniversary/World Understanding and PeaceDay, 23 February

MarchLiteracy MonthDistrict conerences held March-June

Most Group Study Exchange teams depart and arrive,

March-JuneInternational Womens Day, 8 MarchWorld Rotaract Week (week o 13 March)RI Public Relations Award entries due rom clubs to

district governors, mid-MarchRI Best Cooperative Projects Award entries due romclubs to district governors, 15 MarchUN World Day or Water, 22 March

AprilMagazine MonthUN International Day or Mine Awareness andAssistance in Mine Action, 4 AprilUN World Health Day, 7 AprilRI Best Cooperative Projects Award entries must

be received at RI headquarters, 15 AprilEarth Day, 22 AprilArica Malaria Day, 25 April

MayRI Public Relations Award entries due rom districtgovernors to RI, mid-MayUN International Day o Families, 15 May

JuneRotary Fellowships MonthPrepare or new Rotary yearRI Convention (sometimes held in May)

World Environment Day, 5 June


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Rotary International

Public Relations Division

One Rotary Center1560 Sherman Avenue

Evanston, IL 60201-3698 USA

Telephone: 847-866-3237

E-mail: [email protected](707)

Rotarys Mission

The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association

of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, promote

high ethical standards, and advance world understanding,

goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business,

professional, and community leaders.

pr rotaryclub

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