Best Practices for Attracting and Retaining New Members

Best Practices for Attracting and Retaining New Members Learn how to help a new members become an active Rotarian in your club Adam Jacobi –Rippon RC Brian Monroe , AG Area D Oct 22nd 2011 2008 Presidential Membership Conferences

Challenge: Retention

Solution is Retention • To remain viable, a Rotary club must retain its current members and induct and retain new, qualified members • The average Rotary club will lose 10% of it’s members each and every year. • Say a club of 40 inducts 4 new members a year and 4 members leave, does that make them a stable club?

Implement any or all steps proven inRI Retention Pilot Program (2003 – 06) 1-IDENTIFY& ASKwell-qualified members 2-INFORM non-Rotarian visitors or prospective members 3-INVITE a prospective member with a personal visit 4-ORIENT new members 5-INDUCT new members in a meaningful manner 6-EDUCATE the Rotarian at all membership levels 7-INVOLVE the Rotarian in all aspects of the club Successful Clubs Embrace

ORIENT New Members • When does effective orientation start? • Does your website have membership links to RI’s website? • Does your website have an application form with information about dues and membership responsibilities? • Does your club have and conduct regular new member orientation programs?

ORIENT (continued) • Is one orientation meeting enough? • Do you share information about Rotary and your club’s history? • Do you explain the 5 Avenues of Service? • Do we ask new members what they want to give and in turn get back to Rotary? • Have they filled out a inventory of interests? (helps identify club committees and activities)

Educate The Rotarian at all membership levels • Successful clubs have a Mentoring program • Does the Sponsor have to be the Mentor? • New members need a go-to person, someone with knowledge, interest, time, common interests. • Welcome to Rotary: Mentoring Worksheet

Mentoring Worksheet • A successful mentoring worksheet should • Have a 6 month timeline. • Should be reviewed regularly. • Should be geared to actively engage the new member. • Increase the new member’s knowledge of Rotary and ways to serve and become involved.

Involve New Member in all aspects of Rotary • Mentoring is a very effective way to promote new member’s involvement in your club. • Attend club functions: Informal or social activity, BOD meeting, Committee meeting, Project or fundraising activity. • Participate: Greeter for a day or month, Do a make-up at another club (Rotaract, or have you sponsored a club)

Involve(continued) • Ask them to extend Rotary to others: Invite a guest, Propose a new member, Refer a candidate for membership in a club other than your own. • Attend a district event: Spring Assembly, District Conference, Fall Seminar, Foundation dinner….. • What are other ways to keep members involved?

Why did you join Rotary? • First you were asked due to someone thinking that you had the right qualifications make a good Rotarian. • A study done in the Buffalo NY area revealed that Rotarians of less than 5 years are primarily interested in Networking; Rotarians of 5 to 20 years are most interested in Service; Rotarians of more than 20 years are there for the Fellowship.

Summary of Resignations

Why Members Leave-The 4 D’s • Death • Distance • Disaster (loss of job, divorce, financial) • Dissatisfaction

Leaving after less than 1 Year and 1-2 Years • Many members who leave within the first two years do so because they weren’t fully informed about the responsibilities of membership before joining • They were not fully educated about Rotary after joining. Many have trouble meeting the attendance requirements and financial expectations.

Leaving after less than 1 Year or 1-2 Years (cont) • Still others feel unconnected to the club’s activities and their networking expectations aren’t being met. • Solution-Conducting professional development events and pairing younger members with older mentors might help address new members’ networking expectations.

RC of El Paso S.T.A.R. Program "Special Training About Rotary" educates and indoctrinates new members regarding all aspects of Rotary. This program is designed to get new members more involved. The monthly meeting is conducted by Membership Chair.

What Are Your Best Practices?

1-IDENTIFY& ASKwell-qualified members 2-INFORM non-Rotarian visitors or prospective members 3-INVITE a prospective member with a personal visit 4-ORIENT new members 5-INDUCT new members in a meaningful manner 6-EDUCATE the Rotarian at all membership levels 7-INVOLVE the Rotarian in all aspects of the club Successful Clubs Embrace

Re- define What You Are • Don’t be a railroad; Be transportation. • What is the over-arching mission and purpose? • Does that purpose “connect” with potential members? Where to from here? • Develop a Strategy • Organizations don’t re-invent themselves on their own. • There must be a strategy which is supported and developed by the membership, especially Gen X & Y. • Communicate • Potential members must know who you are, what you stand for and why they should care.

“Rotary is not an organization for retrospection. It is rather one whose worth and purpose lie in future activity rather than past performance.” - Paul Harris, Founder of Rotary International

Thanks again for your Commitment

Best Practices for Attracting and Retaining New Members