Rajiv Shandilya

 

We live in a world where email can quickly get out of control. Yet, for all its faults, it’s one of the best online methods of reaching your audience and getting them to take action. When a person signs up for your newsletter, odds are they are interested in your organization and what it has to offer. 

 

Rotary, like any business, has customers. For us, those customers are our members and we must provide value to assure satisfied customers. The key to attracting and retaining young professional “customers” is presenting a Value Proposition that is attractive.

 

Over the last year, there have been many stories highlighting club projects in Nassau, Bahamas, and Seattle, Washington, USA. Each project demonstrates how Rotarians take action to solve problems in their own communities. These type of projects translate well into visual storytelling content. A good approach to photography remains consistent with the Rotary brand - one that strives to make authentic images that represent the values and personality of Rotary. Because of this, appealing images are created and tell a bigger story  – one that reflects the projects and people who make the world a better place.

 

For the past few years, Rotary International has been promoting Reconnect Week as a time to remind Rotary clubs of the value of reaching out and “reconnecting” with alumni of Rotary programs like Interact, Rotaract, scholarships, Rotary Peace Fellowships, youth exchange and other regional programs. But celebrating alumni and making them feel welcome to your club is something you can and should do year-round. Alumni of Rotary make great leaders and innovators and may possess the skills you need for your next service project.

 

It’s hard to believe that social media has been around for more than twenty years. From the early days of crafting the perfect AIM away message in the late ‘90s to the rise of sharing photography on Instagram … social media has certainly come a long way and continues to evolve. It’s important to remember why we started getting “social” in the first place: to connect with one another. Sharing stories that show Rotarians as People of Action on social media is an easy and effective way to amplify your club’s success to the world and build awareness and understanding of what we do.

The social media team at Rotary headquarters is encouraged to see a growing number of clubs adopt social media to promote Rotary and tell their stories. The team realizes that keeping up with all the changes to social media can be challenging. So here is one of the exciting new features been used to tell Rotary’s story and give you a few tips for creating your own.

 

Like many Rotary clubs, the Rotary Club of Humboldt, Tennessee, USA was looking for ways to boost its membership two years ago when it heard about the flexible and innovative club models being promoted out of Rotary headquarters. They were excited and did a bit of research to see if one option, corporate membership, would work for them...the results have been phenomenal.

 

The desire to give back, become involved in your community, create connections, and use one’s skills to benefit others is a cornerstone of civil society. But how can young people find these opportunities while facing the challenges of a widening skills gap, lost personal connections through digital isolation, and an uncertain future?