Purpose: Educate the public in District 6510 about the programs and goals of Rotary to increase popular support for Rotary and its agenda. Educate the clubs in District 6510 of the importance of and the need for good public relations.
Goals: Raise the level of Rotary awareness throughout the District. Encourage every club in District 6510 to establish an effective public relations program.
Rotary International has developed a broad range of materials to assist you in your outreach efforts. For a complete listing, consult the Public Relations Section of the Rotary International Catalog, which may be offered through the Rotary office serving your club. Also visit Shop at Rotary.org, the online version of the catalog.
"In the promotion of understanding, it is important to reach large numbers — non-Rotarians as well as Rotarians — and you cannot reach large numbers privately."
— Paul Harris, founder of Rotary
Regardless of cultural differences from one country to another, Rotary clubs around the globe have audiences with which they should or must communicate. Developing a message and finding the appropriate way to deliver it is public relations in action.
Direct your Rotary message to:
- the media
- local government officials
- the business community
- civic leaders and organizations
- people directly affected by Rotary service projects
Effective public relations campaigns require time, effort, and planning. It is incumbent on Rotary public relations chairpersons to develop a strategy at or before the beginning of each Rotary year. Before anything else, make a timetable. By developing a comprehensive plan early on, you can prevent difficulties later and avoid last-minute preparations. An effective way to create a plan is to lay out a large blank calendar for the coming year.
Once stories are developed, identify the target media. These might include:
- your regional or suburban newspaper
- the local radio station(s)
- specialized media that cover one specific topic, such as education or health
- metropolitan radio stations
- local television station(s)
After targeting the media, put together a contact list for each story that includes the names of journalists, editors, or news directors who might take a special interest. Larger newspapers or broadcast stations may have departments or reporters specializing in certain topics such as business, features, medical news, calendars of events or education. A business writer may be interested in a club's career day for students, while an education writer may wish to interview an exchange student or an Ambassadorial Scholar.
Nontraditional Media
As competition for media time and space increases, clubs should investigate alternatives to traditional media, including:
- Online publications, electronic bulletin boards, Web advertisements
- Trade publications
- Local-access cable stations
- Radio public affairs shows
- Corporate newsletters
- Other community organizations' newsletters
- Student newspapers
- University alumni publications
- Highway billboards/bench, bus, and airport advertising
- Community bulletin boards
- Entertainment guides
- Tourist information/tourist brochures
RI Videos on YouTube
Getting Local Print Coverage / 5 Easy Steps
Getting Local Television Time / 5 Easy Steps
Getting Local Radio Time / 5 Easy Steps
Public Relations Resources & Rotary Key Messages
5 Easy Steps to Promoting Rotary in District 6510 with Billboards
Effective Public Relations
Humanity in Motion PR Tools
