All Lions clubs look for outstanding and unique public relations, membership and program ideas. If your club has a project or idea that other clubs can easily modify in their communities, please e-mail it to magazine@lionsclubs.org. Include your contact information that can be posted online if you want other Lions to e-mail you for more information. We are always on the look out for good photos that depict Lions in action in their community. Photos should be in .tif or .jpg format of 300dpi or greater.

By implementing these ideas and promoting your club’s events, you are sure to strengthen your club’s image within the community.

Great Ideas
Creative Ads For Lions
Got Lions?
A 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.

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 can be downloaded here in several different resolutions.

A Blueprint for the Future
In response to President Jimmy Ross’ call for clubs to institute a paradigm shift, Venice, Florida, have held a strategic planning session to reevaluate their club. Club members met in three four-hour sessions

Members listed the club’s strengths and weaknesses on charts, developing ways to enhance club meetings and the image within the community. Using the Club Renewal Analysis Report available from International Headquarters, the club developed a plan of action for implementing their new ideas.

By using an outside facilitator for the meetings, confidentially in presenting ideas ensured everyone was able to be open and honest. The process was time-consuming, but the club agrees it was very worthwhile.

As a result of the in-depth planning sessions, the club now has a “Blueprint for the Future.”

Community Awareness
The Depew Lions Club in New York created a new marketing strategy to better promote themselves within the community. Members developed witty “But Lions Serve” ads for placement in sporting event and community activity programs.

An ad placed in a basketball program read: “Basketball players dribble and shoot…But Lions Serve! The Depew Lions Club supports the Depew Basketball Team.” For the football program, the ad read: “Football players run and pass…But Lions Serve!”

The club has had an overwhelming response to the ads, generating great publicity for the club through the memorable and low-cost ads.

Below are links to other sections of the Web site where you can find additional great ideas.

Membership Growth

• Read the best and brightest ideas for inviting/recruiting, involving or retaining members. Ideas in the Best Practices Contest ranged from perfected reliable methods to bold, groundbreaking new ideas.
• Take part in Worldwide Induction Day to both increase club membership and community awareness. Read ideas on how to make the program a success in your area. 

Promote Your Event
In order for your Lions club to gain media recognition and community support, it must be visible to your community. One way to be visible is to participate in various local events.

• Read the PR Quick Tips and Lions in Action pages for ideas of successful projects your club can easily replicate in your community.
• Download the "Club Public Relations Chairperson's Guide" (PR710) for tips and sample resources for promoting your programs and events.
• Customize a sample news release on your club’s activities and programs. The simple fill-in-the-blank format provides direction for the release content, layout and length. Localize and submit the release to the media to publicize your next Lions event.
• Create a club Web site to increase awareness of your club’s activities and programs. LionNet, a network of independent Lions Web sites, provides an easy and free service for creating a Web site. Click here to get started.