Public Relations for Rotary Clubs: Rotary District 7090 PR 101 – The ABCs of Public Relations Presented by Paul McAfee May 14, 2011

Public Relations for Rotary Clubs:

Rotary District 7090

PR 101 – The ABCs of Public Relations

Presented by Paul McAfee

May 14, 2011

Slide 2Rotary District 7090 Public Relations Used by permission. ©2011eXubrio Group LLC www.exubrio.com

Seminar Goals• Share

experiences and establish a network of support

• Explore how to use Public Relations (PR) to promote Rotary International and your club

Slide 3

Who is in the room?

• Please introduce yourself• Tell us who you are

• Your club• A brief history of your Rotary experience• Your experience with Public Relations• Your experience with other related skills, such as

writing, journalism, advertising, etc.• Tell us what you would like to achieve from today’s

program.

Rotary District 7090 Public Relations Used by permission. ©2011eXubrio Group LLC www.exubrio.com

Slide 4

Who Are Stakeholders, and Why Should I Build Relationships With Them?

• Community• Businesses• Potential Members• Other Service

Organizations

• Media• Legislators & Community

Leaders• Activists• Your Club’s Members• Other Rotary Clubs

Who would you add to this list?


Slide 5

What Are the Key Components of PR?

• Media relations• Community relations• Public affairs• Government relations• And specifically for corporations

• Trade relations• Employee relations


Slide 6

How Can PR Help Us?

• Increased awareness of your club• Increase interest in becoming members• Alert other service organizations of your club, to

attract them to present• Increase general awareness of Rotary

International• Retain existing members


Slide 7

Why Should I Use PR?

• Credible• Educational• Cost-effective• Targeted


Slide 8

How Can I Get Our PR Effort Off the Ground?

1. Coordinate with Rotary International’s, our District’s, and other clubs’ PR efforts

2. Create materialsFind newsworthy stories to tell

3. Research the mediaDetermine who wants your releases at each media outlet

4. Prepare spokespeople


Slide 9

1. Coordinate with Rotary International’s, our District’s, and other clubs’ PR efforts

• Integrate with RI’s annual plan

• Integrate with District 7090’s priorities

• Adapt key messages from RI website, the District’s mission, and your own club’s mission


Slide 10

2. Create materials

The basics:

The Press Release

Backgrounder – Includes your club’s history

Fact sheet

Bios – Should include Officers’ photos if available

Q & A


Slide 11

3. Research the media

• Print• Citywide paper

• Business Journal

• Local papers

• Specialty media

• Broadcast• Radio

• TV

• Online• Resources• Contacts• Preferred communications method


Slide 12

4. Prepare spokespeople

• Choice of spokesperson

• Responsibilities

• Key messages

• Media training


Slide 13

How Do We Get The News Out?

• Press releases

• Case histories

• Story Pitches


Slide 14

Press releases• Format• Appropriate subject matter• Distribution

• fax, mail, email• PRWeb (www.prweb.com)

Use the free PR 101 white papers - www.exubrio.com/white-papers • “The ABCs of Public Relations”• “The Art of the Press Release”• “How to Prepare for a TV Interview”


Slide 15

The Press Release• No more than 450 words on no more than two pages• Double spaced, generous margins, readable type• Introductory sentence of 25 words or less that summarizes

the reason for the release• Write in a pyramid style – most to least important• Write short, simple sentences, using active tense• The five “Ws” always work – Who, What, Where, When, and

Why?• Avoid vanity quotes• Always include a contact name and number• Don’t expect your headline to be published


Slide 16

Press releases

See handout & visit www.exubrio.com/white-papers Rotary District 7090 Public Relations Used by permission. ©2011

eXubrio Group LLC www.exubrio.com

Slide 17

Pitches• Definition

• Topics

• Distribution


Where can I learn more & find resources?

Rotary International General http://www.rotary.org/en/AboutUs/SiteTools/DownloadLibrary/Pages/ridefault.aspx

Media Tools http://www.rotary.org/EN/MEDIAANDNEWS/Pages/ridefault.aspx

RI Logo Fileshttp://www.rotary.org/EN/MEDIAANDNEWS/MULTIMEDIA/GRAPHICS/Pages/RILogos.aspx

Rotary District 7090http://www.clubrunner.ca/dprg/dxprogramhome/_programhome.aspx?did=7090&pageid=34316


Slide 18

Slide 19

Contact InformationRotary District 7090 PR Committee


Rotary District 7090

•PR Director• Paul McAfee

•PR Chair - Canada• Roseanne Morissette

•PR Chair - USA• Chrissy Casilio

Documents

Public Relations for Rotary Clubs: Rotary District 7090 PR 101 – The ABCs of Public Relations Presented by Paul McAfee May 14, 2011