Does Networking Scare You? Tips for Networking and Making Rotary Part of the Conversation

Written by Robyn T. Braley

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m a habitual networker. I just can’t stop. I network everywhere I go. 

I found a new client through a conversation we had at a reception following a funeral. I didn't go to the funeral for that purpose, but I was ready when the opportunity arose. 

As Rotarians, we are known for doing amazing things in the community. We are also famous for not tooting own horns! 

The advent of social media has placed new emphasis on telling stories. Rotary certainly has stories! Rotarians ...

• Save lives
• Improve lives
• Enrich lives
• Change lives 

In previous posts, I've provided tips about how to tell your stories through traditional and social media.

Twelve Posts to Help Build Your Club's Social Media Community

Nine Posts to Help Your Club Attract Media Attention

Build Your Rotary Club Through Building Healthy Relationships

Relationship building activities don't have to be hard or expensive.

Written by Robyn T. Braley

It goes without saying that you can only do the same old thing in the same old way expecting a different result for so long. In the end, the strategy will only lead to chronic disappointment.

If your club is losing members, it is time to think differently. Previous Building the Rotary Brand (BTRB) posts have put forward ideas for improving programs, club branding, or raising the profile of your club in your community through mainstream or social media.

Member engagement and club growth are the ultimate goals. But, if your club does not offer relevant, vibrant programs, service projects and social activities that motivate members to remain members, all other strategies for growth are destined for failure.

10 Guerrilla Strategies for Rotary Club Growth

Guerrilla marketing is more than just monkeying around! 

Written by Robyn T. Braley

When you think about it, guerrilla strategies that support sales and marketing efforts of service clubs make a lot of sense. They are free or very inexpensive.

To be clear, sales and marketing are not words often used to describe the process of prospecting new members, negotiating project or event sponsors, forming collaborative relationships or soliciting matching grants. However, each activity involves some aspect of sales and marketing.

Marketing involves sifting through a world of creative ideas and message delivery methods in order to put your brand in front of potential customers. It is the process of engaging and motivating them to want to know more about your product or service.

Sales is the process of … well … closing the loop and making the sale. Elements like price, meeting identified needs, product quality, customer experience, financing options and delivery options come into play.

Six Step Plan for Sustainable Rotary Club Growth

What will rocket your club to new
heights in membership growth!

Written by Robyn T. Braley

Membership growth is a primary focus for every service organization.

However, the challenge is not growth for growth sake. The challenge is to achieve sustainable growth to ensure long-term viability..  

Rotary Club growth requires a commitment by its' members to share their passion for living out the mission of the organization with others. As we know, enthusiasm is contagious.

I know what question is on your mind. "Is there a magic bullet that will propel my Rotary Club to unprecedented growth?"

Probably not! Sustainable growth is seldom that easy. It is a process that takes time.

And, the 'sustainable' part is hardest. Put simply, if your club has an influx of new members, will they become integrated and stay? 

New members add vitality and energy. The way they are nurtured and helped to blend into the life of your club impacts it's future. 

Why is that important? Because the work Rotary does in serving others is too important not to continue doing it through future generations. 

12 Posts Packed with Information to Help Build Your Social Media Community

Taking the mystery out of social media. 

Written by Robyn T. Braley

Social media success requires hard work. Period! 

But a methodical, organized approach will bring efficiency to your efforts. It will also eliminate the frustration that often accompanies early startups. 

Make no mistake, I love social media. As a writer, speaker and Rotarian, I find it fulfilling and fun to engage with these communities. 

I try to make a difference by helping others improve their ability to make a difference. Building the Rotary Brand is filled with ideas and tips for growing clubs and letting others know about the great work Rotarians do in their communities.

Rotarians, Rotary Clubs, Rotary Districts and collaborative partners from around the world are connected to the various BTRB social media sites. The analytics indicate more than 30,908 people have read posts on this blog site.  

The reality is that it is easy to become discouraged when you launch your first social media channel.  My purpose is to help develop a focused strategy that will help you select your content and bring predictability and ultimate success to your efforts. 

Writing and Formatting Tips to Increase Blogpost Engagement; Part Four

Written by Robyn T. Braley

Writing content for blog sites or other online platforms requires a different approach than writing essays, reports or articles for magazines and newspapers. Content that effectively tells engaging stories builds communities requires thought, discipline and crafting.

Some years ago online experts believed that blog posts should never have more than 500 words. They believed that people wouldn't read longer articles. 

That has changed. While short is always good, it must not be at the expense of meaning. 

The general rule of thumb today is to write as much content as you need to tell your story. Editing and common sense will tell you when the story is finished.

A judge in my city writes posts that are 7,000 words long. He has a large following in the legal community who read every word of whatever legal position he is putting forward. 

Part 3: Top 10 Ways to Promote Your Rotary Blog Posts

How to market blog posts

Written by Robyn T. Braley

So, you've published a brilliant blog post. You've told a compelling story. Now what? This post provides 10 practical tips for promoting blog posts. 

Rotary has amazing stories to tell. Blogging is an excellent way to tell them.

Blogging takes more time, discipline and planning than most other social media platforms. The challenge is to think long term and to develop an editorial strategy.

What does that mean? In simple terms, you've written your first post. What comes next? 

Building the Rotary Brand (BTRB) blog posts are serve a single purpose; to help increase the exposure and community engagement levels of your local club. Including social media in your strategies is a no brainer. 

Here is the good news. Once you have established a social media presence with channels like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or other platforms, you have ready-made tools for promoting your blog posts.  

But, before I ramble on, you may want to check out these recent posts. They will provide background to this article.

Part 1 - Write On! Blogging is a Great Way to Tell Stories and Build Communities! Tips

Part 2 - Choosing a Blogging Platform With the Tools to Enhance Your Stories