Lions in the Limelight
A Dozen Ways to Make Your Club More Visible
by Jay Copp

Eighty percent of success is showing up, Woody Allen famously remarked. The comedian may have been joking but what he said was true. There is no substitute for being present. It’s true when it comes to humor—“You had to be there.” It’s true for politicians who want to get elected, so they press the flesh. It’s true for parents who want to raise good kids—being with them is essential. It’s true for sales people, who often can’t close the deal without personal contact.

So, too, do Lions clubs need to “show up” and be seen within the community. Visibility leads to credibility and credibility leads to, well, you name it. Increased membership. Greater turnout from the public at fund-raisers. Higher morale among Lions. A more positive experience to being a Lion.

The best way to be visible is through service projects, of course. Touching someone’s heart leaves an indelible impression. But aside from actual service, there are other ways for Lions to make their presence known in the community. The trick is to break free from the clutter. So many groups are vying for attention in the press. It’s hard to get noticed.

So here are some new, thinking-out-of-the-box ideas for making your club better known and more effective. Not all of them may work for your club. But only one has to in order for your club to leap ahead from Point A to Point B, or even Point Z, in making itself visible.

The next step is to act on these ideas. As they say in China, talk does not cook the rice. Or as Helen Keller said, “I cannot do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do.”

Art of Advertising
Lions Clubs International (LCI) designed ads for bus stops in Chicago that will be used during the international convention this summer, but Lions also can use the art for posters, flyers and even billboards. Visit the LCI Web site (www.lionsclubs.org) after June to download the art.

Billboard Bonanza
LCI also has billboard ads clubs can use free of charge. Billboard companies often will offer non-profits a lower rate or may even offer billboard space free of charge. The billboard company in your community can download the artwork from the LCI Web site.

Picture-Perfect Lions
Create eye-catching posters, flyers and billboards with images of Lions in the shape of eyeglasses, a house and a mortarboard, signifying Lions’ service work. The artwork (see sidebar) is available free of charge on the LCI Web site.

Take Note, Classmates
OK, so maybe you don’t want to boast about your job or family. Or, even if you do, write a class note for your high school or college alumni newsletter and mention your role as a Lion. Don’t forget to include a brief summary of how you assisted the club on one of its noteworthy projects.

Collect Glasses—and New Members
Eyeglass collection boxes (a set of 10 for $58.35 available from Club Supplies at international headquarters) not only bring the gift of vision to others but also serve as constant reminders of the valuable presence of Lions in the community. Better yet, affix a tear sheet to the box with your club’s contact information including a Web site address.

Recycling of Another Kind
After you’ve read it cover to cover, of course, leave THE LION Magazine behind at the doctor or dentist’s office. Libraries also often give away old magazines. Cover the address label with contact information on your club or tuck a flyer inside.

Mark Your Territory
Where the public gathers, Lions ought to consider making their mark. Let folks know they’re in Lion country. For example, in San Antonio, Texas, on the observation deck of the Tower of the Americas, a 622-foot-tall landmark, are 11 telescopes that benefit Lions at 50 cents a gawk. Visitors see not only the city below but also gain some insight into how Lions are integrated into the community. Likewise, the Depew Lions in New York placed clever Lions’ ads in local basketball programs and programs of other community events.

Meetings Matter
Newspapers want to know what people-in-the-know know. So invite an especially interesting and relevant speaker to your next meeting. Consider a business leader, a college professor who is an expert on a newsworthy topic, an elected official, an author or artist, or a veteran. Pitch reporters and columnists at least a week before the speech.

Honorable Mentions
Awards given to prominent people make news as well as strengthen relationships. So have your club honor an important person in the community such as a mayor who either helped make possible a successful Lions’ project or generally personifies the “We Serve” spirit. For the price of a plaque, your club can generate publicity and good will.

Air Fare
Wouldn’t it be great if people could turn on their TV or radio and see or hear a short but sweet spot about Lions? Well, they can. LCI has free public service announcements about Lions that stations can download. To get the ball rolling, talk to the public service director or community affairs director at your local TV and radio stations.

Release and Catch Publicity
You don’t have to be a public relations guru to gain the press coverage your club deserves. LCI offers two dozen fill-in-the-blanks press releases to help your club publicize its projects, fund-raisers, achievements and anniversaries. The releases are on the Web awaiting your download.

Preach to the Choir
Sometimes Lions need to be reminded just how important they are. LCI has a library of short but compelling DVDs including “Lions Make a Difference Everyday … Everywhere,” “New Glasses, New Life” and “LCIF: Serving the World Community … and Your Community.” Visit the Web site to order. A movie can help spice up a meeting. After the showing, donate the DVD to the local library so the entire community has the opportunity to appreciate Lions.

The Story Behind the New Lions’ Ads
Got Lions?
The clever ad campaign that uses images of yellow-vested Lions in the shapes of eyeglasses, a home and a mortarboard was created by the son of a Lion. Gary Mueller of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the creative director of an ad agency, came up with the idea to use Lions to signify the service of Lions: the eyeglasses provided, the homes built after natural disasters and the support for education.

Helping non-profits is an avocation of Mueller: he heads Serve, a non-profit advertising and marketing agency that assists “underserved causes” such as the Shaken Baby Association and the Brain Injury Association of America.
Seeing his father in action, Mueller knew and admired the work of Lions. But he realized that the public awareness of Lions was lacking. So he told his father he wanted to design a series of posters.

“I don’t think Lions are underserved,” says Mueller. “It’s a giant organization that’s getting older. It’s not getting the attention it deserves. People who could be Lions, who should be Lions, don’t understand who they are and what they do.”

Mueller used about 50 people to do the three posters. Some were from a talent agency and others were friends of co-workers of Mueller or acquaintances. Everyone donated his or her time.

The art work used for the posters also can be used for billboards, bus stop signs, etc. (Download the artwork to get started.) Mueller’s father, also named Gary, belongs to the Crandon Lions Club in northern Wisconsin. Gary likes the posters created by his son and appreciates the time his son contributes to a Lions’ fund-raiser in Crandon. He’s still working on him becoming a Lion. “He works about 20 hours a day, so he’s real busy. But you never know.”