Patrick Harrison and Amber Scarborough, District 5870 representatives, were a delightful pair of trainers who helped us see the concept of imaging/branding our Rotary Club in a way that tells the world who we are, what we do, and why we do it. The obvious and proven result of success in this area is increased membership.
The first point made was that consumers are no longer interested just in the “what” you are or are selling; they want to know the WHY. That concept translates to our mission: To explain to others why they should be a Rotarian. Some reasons suggested:
*Rotary International is the No. 1 service organization on the planet
*Rotary was a partner in founding the UN and has always been the only service club that has had an ambassador to the UN. The UN sponsors an annual Rotary Day,
which includes featuring Rotaract.
*We are “this close” to conquering polio.
*Whenever a new epidemic arises (ebola, HIV, zika, etc.) Rotary and the UN work together on the new problem
*We have proved that bringing together people of all backgrounds to accomplish something good works—and works well. And that model is needed in the world
now more than ever.
*Charity Navigator has awarded RI a 4-Star rating 11 years in a row—an unheard of achievement.
*And, of course, the fellowship, networking, expanded horizons, etc.
Second major point made was a rapid-fire discussion of how we go about explaining the “WHY.”
*Website audit: update appearance, update content weekly
*Social Media: This is here to stay; we must and can use it wisely
*Printed Material: Brochure, cards, etc.
*Use RI website, especially the Rotary Showcase to publicize our service achievements.
*Attend District Imaging Training Sessions
That the last suggestion is very important can be seen by the staggering amount of help and information there is out there for us to use; we were able to receive only a fraction of the information these leaders have to share. Also, there are also plenty of examples of how receiving and using the training has resulted in membership growth for a Rotary Club. Yay!
The first point made was that consumers are no longer interested just in the “what” you are or are selling; they want to know the WHY. That concept translates to our mission: To explain to others why they should be a Rotarian. Some reasons suggested:
*Rotary International is the No. 1 service organization on the planet
*Rotary was a partner in founding the UN and has always been the only service club that has had an ambassador to the UN. The UN sponsors an annual Rotary Day,
which includes featuring Rotaract.
*We are “this close” to conquering polio.
*Whenever a new epidemic arises (ebola, HIV, zika, etc.) Rotary and the UN work together on the new problem
*We have proved that bringing together people of all backgrounds to accomplish something good works—and works well. And that model is needed in the world
now more than ever.
*Charity Navigator has awarded RI a 4-Star rating 11 years in a row—an unheard of achievement.
*And, of course, the fellowship, networking, expanded horizons, etc.
Second major point made was a rapid-fire discussion of how we go about explaining the “WHY.”
*Website audit: update appearance, update content weekly
*Social Media: This is here to stay; we must and can use it wisely
*Printed Material: Brochure, cards, etc.
*Use RI website, especially the Rotary Showcase to publicize our service achievements.
*Attend District Imaging Training Sessions
That the last suggestion is very important can be seen by the staggering amount of help and information there is out there for us to use; we were able to receive only a fraction of the information these leaders have to share. Also, there are also plenty of examples of how receiving and using the training has resulted in membership growth for a Rotary Club. Yay!