Getting involved with the community is an excellent way to make your marketing efforts sizzle. Through your association with service and other organizations you will not only gain credibility but you will also gain a type of notoriety. Your involvement does not mean you have to say yes at every turn (no one could afford that much time) but it does mean that you should not say no each time you are asked. Strike a balance between what you can and cannot do for any organization. If they are short of help on a project and no one else is willing to pitch in, you can be the hero that helps to make it happen. With Rotary, I try to be at every event whether it is fund-raising, helping with projects, or attending social events. It is through my involvement that I have had the opportunity to form great relationships with people. Some of whom I do not do business with.

You need to have commitment to belong to some organizations while others only require your membership dues. If you are not willing to become involved in some manner, you are not likely to reap the rewards. Rewards come in many ways such as feeling good about what you are doing, being part of a team, and extending your expertise in areas that need the advice but cannot afford to pay. By the way you should never do pro bono work (work for free) unless it is a non-profit organization.

Fame and fortune will not come from being a volunteer in the general sense. It will bring you recognition by your peers and give you a common ground for discussion. Rotary has many International projects that you can work with and I am currently involved with helping a project for Child Burn Centers in Chile. This gives me great satisfaction personally. Look around and see what organization you can join to add philanthropy to your set of skills.