Public Relations for Rotary Clubs

This section of the District 7910 website is to help clubs promote your projects and activities and increase public awareness about your club and Rotary International. It includes best practices and how-to instructions as well as sample promotional materials. Every club's public-relations chair should use this section as a resource and engage in district public-image events and activities.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT BRANDING AND PUBLIC IMAGE:

When promoting your event or activity, please keep in mind that Rotary International embarked recently on a multi-year initiative of unprecedented scale, to strengthen our image. All clubs need to do your part in protecting and promoting the Rotary "brand," which includes proper and consistent use of the Rotary logo, fonts, colors, and imagery. The goal is to create a cohesive image across all of our communications and promotional materials.

An entire manual is devoted to the subject. Every PR chair should download a copy of this manual (you need to login with your Rotary International account) and follow Rotary's guidelines for proper use of colors, fonts, and logos on all promotional materials that you produce. You can also order this guide from shop.rotary.org for $5. (Here's a quick-start summary of the basics.)

Promoting Rotary can be as simple as wearing your Rotary pin and as elaborate as organizing an integrated-marketing campaign. By increasing the public's understanding of Rotary, we're strengthening our ability to make an impact in communities around the world. As a side benefit, the publicity you generate may help you attract new members to your club!

GETTING STARTED:

The PR Training page contains a variety of PR-training materials. Start there, and go to the Sample PR & Promotional Materials page for examples of materials that you can customize for your club.

Additional resources: Rotary International sets an impressive example of how to do a good job at public relations. In addition to providing information about Rotary to site visitors and the news media, the international website also provides a cache of resources for promoting your own club and your projects, achievements, and activities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Questions? Comments? Contact District 7910 Public Image Committee Chair Laura Spear at laura@spear.net.