Wesley from Social Sonar was recently the featured speaker for Sunrise Rotary Club of Walnut Creek’s early morning breakfast meeting.
What is rotary club? The Rotarians say it best themselves: “Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.” According to their website, there are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belonging to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs in 160 countries. As Wes’ uncle is a Rotarian, volunteering to speak at a rotary club meeting was an easy choice.
On the agenda for the day? Social media — especially Facebook. Although Wes’ presentation did focus on using different social media websites, once questions were opened up, it was clear that the group was most interested in using Facebook.
Facebook is approaching 800 million users worldwide. For clubs such as rotary, this kind of reach can be invaluable. Although each club may focus their work primarily in their own areas, having sister clubs all over the world can bring people together — making the world just a little smaller and a nicer place to be. If there are large scale disasters, using social media sites can be a fast and easy way to make sure each club has the assistance it needs to help their own area recover.
This also brings up issues of privacy and the handling of oneself in a public forum. As we like to say, what goes on Facebook, stays on Facebook. So anyone should be aware that anything posted on Facebook or Twitter is there forever, even if you think it has been deleted.
Social Sonar realizes that Rotary’s Four-Way Test can be applied to social media as well as real life:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Using social media to grow your circle and help make the world a better place is a way Social Sonar in which can assist your rotary club. Please contact us if you would like us to prepare a presentation for your club!
