Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions clubs are prevalent in almost every city and town in America. They provide valuable service to our communities. They also provide a unique opportunity for independent professionals to get in front of groups of interested, active adults.
The typical members of these clubs are business owners, managers, and active professionals. All have service projects and opportunities for fellowship. Most clubs have youth projects they are involved in. Weekly meetings are usually held around a meal and generally last an hour and fifteen minutes. Lunch and breakfast are most popular though there are some dinner and even some desert clubs. The national organizations provide broad guidelines to the clubs. For general information see their websites:
The usual agenda for the meetings are gathering time, pledge of allegiance, and prayer, meal, announcements, speaker. Here are some pointers:
--Service clubs rarely pay their speakers. Most don’t pay expenses either. You will get a free meal and the chance for exposure.
--Topics should appeal to a broad range of interests. Your audience will include professionals, managers, teachers, business owners, retirees, and sometimes a few high school students.
--Never sell a product or push your particular service. Service club speeches are not infomercials. I've talked about insurance fraud and changes to the workers' compensation laws. Provide valuable information without focusing on yourself and people will ask for your card.
--Keep your presentation to ten or fifteen minutes with time for questions. Ask someone to give a sign when you are ten minutes into the speech. If you go on too long you will be remembered as the guy who talked forever. Plan to hang around after the meeting to take additional questions.
--It is ok to have generic materials, business cards, white papers and the like available. Don't pass out sales brochures.
--It is ok to collect business cards from people you meet. It is ok to follow up with people you meet. It is not ok to copy the club directory and mass mail the audience or the membership.
--Most clubs have websites. Learn of their interests and projects.
--Most service clubs are informal. Members come to the meetings to be with friends, have some fun, and learn something. Your presentation should be rather informal too. Don't read your speech.
--Most male speakers wear a jacket and tie. Women wear "business" casual attire.
--Most meeting rooms are not set up for overhead projectors and slides. Many will have problems making the room dark enough for the use of such. Use posters, easels, and handouts for visual aids. Computer projectors should also be avoided. Plan to bring everything you need. If you must use AV equipment, bring your own screen, projector, and extension cords. However, you will be better off avoiding such.
--Bring a brief bio to be read as your introduction. Write it to be read out-loud. That is exactly what will happen.
--After the presentation, get the name and contact info of the program chairman. Plan to call him or her in a year to offer another presentation on a different subject.
