Put “Rotary First” to improve membership recruitment

and retention.

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Paul & Ann SmithDistrict Membership Co-Chairs

2012 - 2013

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Ann Smith

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Paul Smith

Put Rotary First!

• What are your meeting programs like? • Does your club regularly invite a speaker

to give a presentation during your meeting? • Is the speaker normally from an “outside” organization

that is often seeking funding from your club to support their cause? Why?

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Put Rotary First!

• Why do clubs do this? • Does their organization do anything to

support your Rotary club? • Does a member of their organization

become an active member in your Rotary Club?• Maybe require “membership” to get funding.

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Put Rotary First!

• Wouldn’t it be great (at least once or twice a month) to have one or two of your own Rotarians to be your speakers?

• Try replacing your normal speaker’s 20 minute “timeslot” with two or three of your club members telling your club a bit (four to six minutes) about their personal and professional lives?

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Put Rotary First!

• Many clubs (especially the larger ones) struggle to find time during their meetings to really get to know their newer members.

• District 6980 Membership Team provides your club with a “ready made” generic version of this kind of presentation that you can “tailor” to the needs of your members.

• Need assistance? We can help! Give us a call.

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Recruitment

• Congratulations on your previous recruiting successes!• Continue to focus on recruiting new members.• Develop, and then implement, a “club wide” recruiting plan.

– Target new members to meet the club’s specific needs. – ERRO – Every Rotarian Recruit One! – Involve and engage everyone in recruiting.– Recruit “qualified” new members.

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Recruitment

• Greeters play an important role! – Greeter training is needed for success.– Strive to make great “First Impressions”!– Discover the specific needs and wants

of the visitor/new member.– Escort and introduce a visitor to the Membership Committee.

• Proactively facilitate social and professional networking. • Identify and provide a sponsor/mentor

for the new member.

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Retention

• Proactively “engage” new members: • Find out what aspects of Rotary interest them the most. • Involve them in the club’s activities, committees, and projects. • Make sure they are invited back each week. • Follow up on any missed meetings.

Some clubs have good retention … others need a little inspiration!

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Retention

• Help new members learn more about Rotary at all levels – Club, District, and International.

• Provide them with easy access to all the information and tools necessary to make learning about Rotary easy and fun.

• Develop an interesting “Fireside Chat” program that is informative and motivating.

• Involve the sponsors and mentors.

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Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) enhances retention. – Encourage members to attend all 3 parts. – Get the club to pay for all the sessions.– Graduates are more knowledgeable about Rotary.– Graduates are more prepared to serve as club leaders.– Graduates are more inclined to stay in Rotary.

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Rotary Leadership InstituteGreatly!

Retention

• Engagement and Education = Involvement!• Have a monthly program centered on some aspect of

Rotary.• Have a weekly “Rotary Moment”.

– Put a question in the club newsletter. – Then ask members at the meeting to give the correct answer.

“It’s not enough to attract a person to join our clubs. We must get them fully involved to attract them BACK each week!”

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Retention

• Have a weekly Rotary Happy Dollars segment. – All Happy Dollars should involve something to do with

what it means to be a Rotarian. • Periodically have a Rotary Vocational Dollars segment.

– Vocational Dollars provide “B2B” opportunities for Rotarians who are still in business.

“It’s not enough to attract a person to join our clubs. We must get them fully involved to attract them BACK each week!”

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Retention

• Have informative club programs about all of the Five Avenues of Service each and every year.– Club Service– Vocational Service– Community Service– International Service– New Generations Service

“It’s not enough to attract a person to join our clubs. We must get them fully involved to attract them BACK each week!”

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RI Monthly Themes

July - No Theme August - Membership and Extension Month September - New Generations Month October - Vocational Service Month November - Rotary Foundation Month December - Family Month January - Rotary Awareness Month February - World Understanding Month March - Literacy Month April - Magazine Month May - No Theme June - Rotary Fellowships Month  

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Paul & Ann SmithDistrict Membership Co-Chairs

annsmith@bluefoxsolutions.compaulsmith@bluefoxsolutions.com

Ann: (352) 561-1901Paul: (352) 561-1902

Put “Rotary First” to improve membership recruitment

and retention.