When you are talking with someone, the first impression is always important, so why not be prepared for the “30 second elevator speech?”  Here are a few things to consider when you are talking with a perspective member:

·       Speak with confidence, enthusiasm and knowledge and always think positive and think big.  For example, use “we are expanding our club” instead of “we are rebuilding our club”.

·       Talk about the great things we do instead of how we do it, such as “we built a deck for someone who is permanently paralyzed from an automobile accident so they could lead get into their house on their own” instead of “we ran a raffle and raised $2000 to build a ramp for someone.”

·       When mentioning the club or Lions, use “we”, “our” and “us” instead of “I”, “me” and “my”.

The following information, which came from a session at the USA/Canada Lion Leadership Forum, is designed as a speech or as a guide to talking one-on-one to share information about the great work that Lions do in your community and around the world.  Since word-of-mouth is the very best method of marketing, you are encouraged to become a Lion Ambassador and share your knowledge about Lions services.

 (If you are giving a speech, prepare an introduction for another person to use, such as: Lion Don Jones is a member of the York Lions Club, the world's largest service organization. He has been a Lion for ____ years.)

 (Note: Speakers should put the following information into their own words. Do not memorize or read it! Outline the information on 3x5 cards for practice. Speak from your heart without using cards, if possible. Make your speech only 15-20 minutes long, at most.)

Opening

(Make a great first impression! The first 20 seconds are crucial to your success as a speaker. Be energetic and enthusiastic. Exaggerate if necessary. SMILE!

First say you are happy to be there. Say something like the following, but in your own words,

Exaggerate your enthusiasm and passion for Lions!)

I am SO happy to be with you today. I've really been looking forward to meeting with you. I'm excited to share information about the incredible worldwide Lions organization.

There are three points I'd like to make in telling you about Lions.

 (Memorize the three key messages and say them exactly as written so that everyone hears the same key messages from all Lions.)

First: Lions are men and women dedicated to serving those in need, whether in their own community or around the world.

Second: Our global mission of sight preservation makes us unique among service organizations.

Third: Lions provide many leadership development opportunities for members.

Now let me tell you more about each of these three points.

 (Key message #1)

The first thing I want you to know is this:

Lions are men and women dedicated to serving those in need, whether in their own community or around the world.

As a Lion I am one of more than 1.4 million Lions men and women in more than 210 countries.

 (In your own words, expand on the key message. For instance:

•       People can just let things happen. Or they can work to create a better future.

•       I want to help improve the lives of other people. I believe that the more I help others, the better person I become. It's a universal spiritual belief.

Tell a personal story. Use your own words to describe a personal experience or describe a situation that demonstrates how Lions help people. Describe a global project, as well as a local one. Maybe that's two stories.

Your story might start out like one of the following:

1.   I became a Lion because...

2.   Great things happen when you become a Lion One of the special Lion services that I enjoy helping with is.

3.   I experienced special joy and fulfillment as a Lion when I...

4.   Did you know that Lions were actively involved in helping respond to emergencies in 2005 such as the tsunami and the major hurricanes in the U.S.?

Make some notes here about your story. Make the story as interesting and' as real as possible -from your heart. Act it out if it involves other people. Use their voices. Play it out as a little theater scene. Exaggerate and have fun.

There isn't time to tell you about the many great Lion service projects. I have left you a handout that describes some of them.

Conclusion to key message #1

So you can see that:

Lions are men and women dedicated to serving those in need, whether in their own community or around the world.

(Key message #2)

That brings me to the second thing I wanted to tell you:

Our global mission of sight preservation makes us unique among service organizations.

In your own words, expand on this key message. For instance:

•       Lions got started in 1917 as part of a dream of Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones who believed that business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to betterment of their communities and the world

•       Probably the greatest impact on the Lions mission took place in 1925 when Helen Keller addressed our international convention. She challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." She asked for help to "hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided."

•       In 1990 Lions launched their most aggressive sight preservation effort to date. SightFirst was created to battle preventable blindness. Sadly, 80 percent of the world's blind were needlessly without sight. Lions have prevented blindness by supporting cataract surgeries, helping to build or expand eye hospitals and clinics, distributing sight-saving medication and training eye care professionals. More than $175 million has been spent improving health care around the world. 739 projects in 88 countries Prevented serious vision loss for 27 million people Built or expanded more than 200 eye hospitals/clinics/ wards

•       Campaign SightFirst II was launched in 2005 to raise $200 million worldwide by 2008 to continue and expand the work. So on average, about every $6 in donations has resulted in a person with vision restored or saved from blindness.

• Lions have restored sight to 7 million people through cataract surgeries, prevented serious vision loss for 20 million people and improved eye care services for hundreds of millions.

•       Our Used Eyeglasses Collection program helps people around the world to see. Each year nearly one-half million pairs of glasses are collected in Michigan alone for distribution by Lions in less developed countries of the world. (Insert your own state or province results here.)

 (Tell a personal story. Use your own words to describe a personal experience or describe a situation related to the global mission of sight preservation.)

Conclusion to key message #2

I hope you will help me to help others learn that.

Our global mission of sight preservation makes us unique among service organizations.

That brings me to the final point I want to make.

 (Key message #3) Lions provide many leadership development opportunities for members.

Let me share some of the benefits of being a Lion.

 (Here are some benefits. Mention a few and then tell a personal story about how you have benefited from learning leadership as a Lion.)

•       Learning how to give effective presentations

•       Utilizing planning and organizational skills

•       Using communication skills to build teams that are highly productive

•       Networking around your city, our state and world

•       Improving personal productivity

•       Leadership training- We provide local club officer training, plus many other learning opportunities. For instance, each year there is a three-day Lions of Michigan Leadership Institute and a three-day USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum.

(Make some notes here about your story.)

Conclusion to key message #3

So you can see how...

Lions provide many leadership development opportunities for members.

Conclusion to entire speech

Close by reminding you where I started.

Remember what I've shared with you:

First: Lions are men and women dedicated to serving those in need, whether in their own community or around the world.

Second: Our global mission of sight preservation makes us unique among service organizations.

Third: Lions provide many leadership development opportunities for members.

(SMILE! Close with enthusiasm and energy.)

Thanks for letting me share with you information about Lions. You play an important role in this community.

•       Share with your friends and neighbors what you have learned here today about Lions.

•       Maybe you or someone you know wants to become a Lion to help improve your community and learn leadership skills. We are always looking for men and women to join our clubs. And by the way, in 1987 Lions became the first major service club organization to admit women as members!

•       Find a club near you at LionsClubs.org. Many communities have clubs especially for students, called Leo Clubs. They help students provide community service and learn leadership skills. Information is available at our website. You may also call me with questions. My phone number is on the handout. (Be sure to put your phone number on a one-page handout!)

•       Visit a Lions or Leo club near you and experience the incredible global Lions organization in person. I would be delighted to have you visit my club as my guest. Let me know if you would like to join me.