Public Relations

Tutorial
 Rotaract Public Relation’s Tutorial

Table of Contents
1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………….… 2
2. The role of the PR ..........……………………………………………………….. 2
3. Main Things To Do ……………………………………………………………… 3
4. Approaching The Media .....………………….………………………………… 4
5. Item Descriptions ..……………………………………………………………… 5

1. Introduction

This guide has been produced by Rtr. Nael El Menshawy, After Reading, Editing, Adding, Simplifying
and Collecting a lot of data from RI and different Resources to provide advice on being a Rotaract
PR Director.

This pack is not a definitive guide to being a PR Director and you should always work closely with your
predecessor.

2. The role of the PR Director

As club Public Relations Director, you make sure your club gets credit for the good it does in
your community.
The role of the club public relations director is to create and implement a plan to tell Rotaract’s
story to the public and promote the club’s projects and activities. Having strong public relations
ensures that communities around the world know that Rotary is a credible organization that
meets real needs. When a Rotaract club has a positive public image, current members are
motivated to be active, and prospective members are eager to join.

Rotaract’s service activities are valuable to communities, and public relations can improve
Rotaractors’ ability to provide service. Public relations helps clubs to
 Gain support and resources for projects
 Build links with other community organizations
 Attract dynamic new members
 Instill pride among members
Responsibilities:
 Create awareness of club activities and projects among club members, media, and the
community.
 Learn key points for talking about Rotaract and use them when speaking in public.
 Build relationships with the marketing, communications, or public relations staff of other
organizations.
 Encourage members to wear their Rotaract lapel pins.
 Develop the club’s newsletter.
 Control club’s social media accounts (i.e Use social media to promote awareness of
Rotaract and your club in the community).
 Recognize important club anniversaries like chartering dates. Maintain a calendar of
events.
 Provide a welcome message to newly organized clubs, and encourage Rotaractors in
the club to connect with clubs.
 Provide links to local news stories that mention Rotaract activities or members.
 Promote community and international service projects led or supported by Rotaractors.
 Encourage Rotaract clubs to work with the media.
 Connect with other Rotaract Clubs in your district : Build with them relations & Keep your
self updated with their activities.

3. Main Things To Do :-

 One of the most important tools PR can use is the social media :-
a. Facebook
b. Instagram
c. Twitter
d. Snapchat
e. Whatsapp
f. And More Ways To Communicate With People

 PR Director should promote club’s events using social media and more creative ways of
marketing (i.e online & offline marketing).

 PR Director is also responsible for preparing sponsorship offers if we needed to seek

sponsors for our events.

 PR Director should always have a documented contacts to celebrities, co-operates &

anything we would use or seek.

 PR Director is responsible for posting our club’s activities & events with a creative and a
nice way.

 Also PR Director is Responsible for Designing & Photographing our events.

a. DOs and DON’Ts :-

 DO review each item in this kit to determine which best fits your
particular goal. Are you responding to the absence of a Rotaract
mention in an article, or are you informing others of Rotaract activities
in your community, city, or country?
  DO highlight the Rotaract angle of your story. When partnering with a
Rotary club-sponsored activity or project, such as NIDs, disaster relief,
or community service, be sure to submit a press release mentioning
Rotaract’s involvement. The media are very interested in stories
involving younger volunteers.

 DO share your message with local newsletters, college publications,

and community Web sites.

 DO include a letter introducing yourself and requesting the editor’s

attention.

 DON’T send multiple items in the Public Relations Kit to a single media
outlet.

 DON’T send selected items to media outlets without your local

Rotaract club’s angle.

4. APPROACHING THE MEDIA :-

There are several ways to take your story to the media. Whatever your approach, be
persuasive, persistent, and friendly — but not aggressive. The journalist’s preference will
determine the best methods.

 Phone: Some editors like a brief (under one minute) phone description of your story and
reasons why their audience might be interested. They can tell you if they want more
information.

 Mail: Mail is best for sending non-pressing stories. Send a one-page letter with your
background materials.

 Fax/E-mail: Inexpensive and fast, these are good methods of sending information
directly to the newsroom, but they have their limitations. Most reporters discourage
unsolicited faxes and e-mails. You should check to find out acceptable methods for your
targeted publications.
5. ITEM DESCRIPTIONS :-
1. SAMPLE FEATURE STORY :-

Newspapers and magazines may be interested in Rotaract stories, but due to time
and staff constraints, they may not be able to assign a reporter. A prewritten Feature
Story is a good idea in this situation. Here are a few tips to help you submit a Feature
Story to your local publications:

 Review the Sample Feature Story for an idea of its format and style.

 Call the newspaper/magazine for the name and contact information (address,
fax number, e-mail address) of the Features Editor. You may also find some
of this information at the publication’s Web site.

 Write a brief introduction letter, requesting that the Features Editor review
your Feature Story and consider placing it in the Features Section.

 Attach photos relating to the story.

 Follow up with the Features Editor one day after faxing or e-mailing, or 3-4
days after mailing, to check on the status of your submission. (It is best to call
newspaper/magazine editors early in the day — avoid calling after 2 p.m.)

2. SAMPLE OPINION PIECE :-

Opinion pieces are located near the end of the front section in most newspapers,
usually opposite the Editorial page. Opinion pieces are a great place for community
members to air their views on a specific issue. Here are some tips to help get your
Opinion Piece printed:

 Review the Sample Opinion Piece to familiarize yourself with format and
style.

 Contact the newspaper/magazine to get submission information for the

Editorial page. This information might also be available on the publication’s
Web site.

 Mail, e-mail, or fax the Opinion Piece to the Opinions Editor.

 Follow-up with the Opinions Editor of the newspaper 1-2 days after faxing or
e-mailing, or 3-4 days after mailing to check on the status of your submission.
(Remember to avoid calling newspapers/magazines after 2 p.m.)
3. SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR :-

A Letter to the Editor is a great way to educate the community on Rotaract activities.
Here are some tips to get your Letter to the Editor printed:

 Review the style and format of the Sample Letter to the Editor.

 Call your local newspaper/magazine to get submission information for the

Editorial page. This information might also be available on the
publication’s Web site.

 Mail, e-mail, or fax your Letter to the Editor.

 You may follow-up on the status of your submission. Avoid calling after 2
p.m.

4. WRITING A PRESS RELEASE :-

The press release is the most common public relations tool. Newspapers welcome
press releases and sometimes print them verbatim. Two key factors in sending out
effective press releases are timeliness and a local angle.

WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY and HOW? Include all these factors as near
to the beginning of your press release as possible. Your opening sentence should
include the word Rotaract.

A good basic rule is to write your press release in such a way that would enable the
reporter to use only the first paragraph if they are struggling for space, and to use the
whole article if they have enough room. A contact reference should always be
included in any report plus details of your meeting dates, website address and a brief
description of what Rotaract is.

If the newspaper cannot supply a photographer to cover a particular event ask if they
would print one of your photos and what size and format photograph they prefer.

Don’t be afraid to ask your local paper to run a special feature on your Club – if you
don’t ask you don’t get and they can only say no!

Following are a few tips for submitting a Press Release to a local

newspaper/magazine:
(Note: Do not send more than one Press Release at a time to a single news outlet.)

 Review and note the style and format of the Sample Press Release.

 Add a club contact person to the top of the page. Make sure this person is
available to respond to any media inquiries.

 Call the newspaper/magazine for the Assignment Editor’s contact

information.
  Allow enough time to get your document there at least 3-4 days before
the scheduled event.

 Mail, e-mail, or fax your Press Release to the Assignment Editor.

 Follow up with the Assignment Editor the following day after faxing or e-
mailing, or three days after mailing, to check on the status of your
submission. (Call before 2 PM)

5. Posters and Leaflets :-

Leaflet drops are not that successful, as past Clubs have experienced. However
you could hand them out in town to people in the age range, but remember you
would need to get permission from the Locals to do this.

Posters can be displayed in many locations, but if you are stuck for ideas, here is
just a few:
 Libraries
 Community Centers
 Schools
 Building Societies
 Youth Clubs
 Hospitals
 Sports Centres
 Travel agents
 Railway Stations
 Shop windows
 Inside buses
 Inside Tram
 Newsagents
 Notice boards
 Vets
 Cyber
 Bus Stops

6. PHOTOGRAPHS :-

Visuals are essential to journalism. Some newspapers and magazines welcome

photographs and visuals from outside sources. And sometimes, a picture can
improve the likelihood of your article being published. When taking a photograph, be
creative. An action shot is much more exciting than a group of people staring at the
camera. Take pictures that show action, tell a story, and convey the purpose of
Rotaract.
  Hands-on photos — Rotaractors working in the community.

 Rotaractors working on a service project or working with children.

 Try to include the Rotaract or Rotary emblem in the photo — either on a

sign or on clothing. Subtle but clear signage is best.

Suggested uses for photographs:-

– Send a photo with a Feature Story or Press Release, as photographs

and graphics often accompany these news articles.

– Don’t send a photo with an Opinion Piece or Letter to the Editor, as the
Opinion and Editorial pages do not generally place visuals in this section.

– Don’t fax photos to the media. The quality is too low for reproduction.

7. PROMOTING ROTARACT ON THE WEB :-

Having a Club website is extremely important these days; it is a great way to get
information about Rotaract into the wider world and for interested people to find out
more about your Club specifically.

Written By : Rtr. Nael EL Menshawy

Club Founder & Adviser
To My Family Rotaract Club of Alexandria Mariout Royal
& Interact Club of Alexandria Mariout