Rotary International’s future
relies in how effective its 34,000+ member clubs are in their local social
environments. Effective local clubs
differentiate themselves by creating emotional connections with their target
audiences. They accomplish differentiation
by -1- linking membership with their audiences’ business and personal lives and
-2- engaging them in shared causes (think: The Object of Rotary.) To link and engage target audiences it is
critical that clubs identify who their target audience is and their wants and
needs! Unfortunately, target audience
concepts, therefore identities, escape many Rotary leaders. Without knowing who the you is, linking, engaging, or attracting them is next to
impossible.
Everything
any Rotary club does, EVERYTHING, should differentiate by creating and
solidifying emotional connections with its target audiences – present and
future members. Should not EVERYTHING
that Rotary International does be designed to help its target audiences –
present and future clubs – differentiate?
What
about the ‘YOU ARE THE MISSING PIECE’ sign?
Are all the YOUs who read it a
local Rotary club’s target audience? Does
it differentiate local Rotary clubs? Does
it link or engage target audiences with local clubs?
I'm not real hot on this concept of the target audience. Targeting has the connotation of being very focused, but one of the great things about Rotary is its diversity. So, remember to make sure that you need a diverse membership when targeting new members.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thought. Please keep in mind that target audiences can be diverse. However, if any person in a community can become a member of a Rotary club, there is no compelling motivation for any person in the community to become a member.
ReplyDelete