When I took the role of District 6 Public Relations Manager this year, I only had a couple of years of VPPR experience under my belt. It wasn’t until last year in my Clubs that I really started promoting the clubs that I was VPPR for. I am someone that likes to research and know all that I can about a role, position, or subject so I researched PR books last spring. One book that I came across was PR Lessons Learned Along the Way: Strategies, Tips & Advise for the Higher Ed and Nonprofit Public Relations Professional by Marc C. Whitt (2020). The author shares his PR wisdom especially since he is a leader in the PR field. He reminds readers of the inherent service orientation of our PR calling, the imperative of values such as leadership, integrity, and urgency, along with the value of playing the long game.

I am an air traffic controller by profession and have no PR background other than what I have learned to date through Toastmasters. I really do enjoy the creativity of public relations and have enjoyed all that I have learned this past year as PRM. What caught my attention when reading PR Lesson Learned Along the Way was the phrase “playing the long game.”  As we are in the final two months of the Toastmasters year, we are looking for our successors and will help our successor with a transition, but more importantly, we need to “play the long game” until June 30^th. 

Just because we have a successor or maybe we are continuing on as VPPR, our role does not end until June 30^th.  This is a great time of the year to share our Club accomplishments such as DCP Goals, Club, Area, Division, or District Speech Contest winners, education submissions, Pathway completions, and Toastmaster of the Year from our Club, Area, Division, and District.  These are all easy topics to share on social media or congratulate in club newsletters. These topics promote themselves and attract new members to our clubs.

In terms of “playing the long game,” make sure to plan and do things that will help your club to be successful far into the future, rather than only thinking about the present or near future. The new members that you gain today will help your club become stronger in membership and future goals.

It has been a pleasure to be the District 6 Public Relations Manager this year. Let’s all play the PR long game and win this year!