Achieving Membership Growth

Preparing an Action Plan

For Your Club

Adapted from a presentation by

Past Governor Ron Denham R.I.M.C.

Canada

Key Messages

• The traditional approach to Membership Development has failed to deliver results; a new approach is needed

• The plan must focus on the end result and reflect available resources and capacity

• The plan must be based on a buy-in of all concerned

• The process must be simple and easy to understand.

Website

• Does your club have a professional looking website that reflects your club?

• Is your website updated weekly?

• Is your club easy to find via google?

• Does your website have a link to your Facebook page?

Communication

• Is your member club data up to date?

• Does your club send out weekly ebulletins?

• Does your club have fellowships regularly?

• Are all members engaged?

• Do all members understand your mission?

•

•Rotary fact

As of July 2011, the average club size in the USA & Canada was 25 members; in the Caribbean

Islands, the average club size was 29.The average club size for all Rotary clubs

worldwide is 31.

•From 2011-12 Regional Supplement.

•

•Poll

•During the last 5 years, do you know the total number of Rotarians joining your club and the total number leaving your club?

•According to Clubrunner: (you can get this #)

Rotary Club of Your Town

Active Members 40

Honorary Members 6

Inactive Members 19

FRIEND OF ROTARY 0

Exchange Students 0

Staff 0

Other 0

Leave of Absence 0

Corporate Members 0

Prospective Members 0

Visiting Member 0

Interact 0

Rotaract 0

But according to Rotary International: you have 41 Reg and 8 honorary! Why the discrepancy???

•Where is your club today?

•o Rotary Club of

•o Membership Chair: ?

•o Membership Committee includes ?

•o Club President is:

•oClub Chartered

9/21/19??•o 40 members

currently•o Average age ?

•o

Married/single/gender

Before We Design an Action Plan

• Let’s take a closer look at our Club

• When you come to a meeting does someone always greet Guests and Visitors?

• Is the room able to handle visual presentations in a professional way?

• Does the club proudly display all of your Paul Harris Fellows in the room?

Before We Design an Action Plan

• Does the club have a Mentor program for new members?

• Does the club have an induction program for the new member?

• What materials do you present to a new member?

• Do you give them a password and login?

Greeting MembersEach week a Greeter should be assigned to greet guests, speaker and visitors.

Make everyone, old and new alike, feel welcomed to your meetings.

Professional Meeting Room Atmosphere•Will your meeting be interrupted by distractions?

•Can you present slides or videos without a lot of problems?

•Can you have fun without disturbing other people in the restaurant?

•

•Rotary fact

68% of current Rotarians are satisfied with the organization of their club meeting, while only 44% of former Rotarians were satisfied with

the organization of their club meetings.

•From the Membership Experience Feedback Survey Report

•

•Poll

Does your club have a structured program and a committee dedicated to member engagement?

Proudly Display all Paul Harris Fellows in Club•Display your achievements as a club.

•Flags/Banners of other clubs your members have visited

•Assign a sergeant at arms to set up display each week.

Establish a Mentor Program•Assign a New Member to one of Your Mature Members

•Give new Member a Committee to Work with his Mentor

Induction Ceremony

• Present Membership Certificate to Display

• Present “What is Rotary”

• Present Club Banner and Pin

• Rotary Basics brochure

• ABC’s of Rotary book

• Welcome to Rotary and Foundation Facts brochure

•Formal Ceremony presenting new members materials they need to succeed as Rotarians

•Involve member’s sponsor as well as President of Club.

Now We Can Proceed to Action

• Many clubs need to fine tune their club service mechanism before addressing membership

• All clubs need to determine who they are going to approach for membership

• Younger members, retirees, more women, more diverse members, etc.

•How have you attracted new members?

·Used to depend on word of mouth

·Converted a number of speakers

·All interested people are invited to a meal where we have a presentation on Rotary and our Club in the community, in district and internationally

·They are then encouraged to come to a couple of regular meetings – preferably with speakers.

The Context…What is the Goal?

ExciteAboutRotary

EducateIn

Rotary

InvolveIn

Club

Impacting The Community

InformAboutRotary

Inductinto

Rotary

Identify prospective members

Key Elements of an Action Plan

Inputs Activities Results

Examples of Inputs

•People

•Money

•Materials

•Information

•Energy

•Knowledge

Examples of Activities

•Collect information

•Analyze information

•Identify options

•Select the “best”

•Define the tasks

•Assign responsibility

•Set deadlines

•Carry out tasks

•Report back

Examples of Current Results

•Increase net membership to +4

•95% Retention rate

•Form new club in District

•Too few women

•Too many older members

•Need young people

How would you develop an action plan to reach a personal or professional goal?

Question:

•What did you want to achieve?

•How did you go about it?

•Did you get the results you expected, when you expected?

•If no, what did you do about it?

Example – The Process

Considerations

• State the results you wish to achieve

• Look at different methods of proceeding

• Assess, evaluate, choose

• Draw up a list of tasks

• Set a time line

• Commit — start work

How to Develop an Action Plan for Membership Growth

Inputs•Get Club/ District/Zone/RI goals

•Approval and Commitment of Club

•Entire membership must understand they are part of membership attraction and engagement efforts.

So let’s get to work!

Select a Strategy for the ClubOne person can make a difference!

Prepare the Action Plan!

Proceed with the plan!

Make the Induction Memorable!

Engage the New Members!

Results•Review and Evaluate Results

•Revise, Implement, Repeat

•Continue to engage the New Members in Club Activities

• What are your club/district goals?

• How do we get buy-in from your club?

• Select the Strategy

• Preparing the Action Plan - Membership Committee

• Induct New Members

• Review and Evaluate Results

• Revise, Implement, Repeat, Engage

Important Steps to remember

• What are your club goals?

• How do we get buy-in from the club?

•Review present situation

•Have committee propose strategies

•Identify roadblocks

Get buy-in from Club and Membership Committee

If we continue to do what we’ve always done, we’ll continue to get the same results

Selecting the Strategy

• Preparing the Action Plan - Membership Committee

(Steps needed to implement?)

• Induct (hopefully) — Introduce to Mentor!!

• Have a Member Certificate that can be displayed by the member at work.

• Engage on a Committee.

Review and Evaluate Results

•List thoughts, comments, results on flipchart

•Get response from all committee members

•Handout worksheet

Revise

Implement

Repeat

Engage

Membership RetentionPrepare and manage a similar process

Members need to feel welcomed and part of the team.

Members should share their vocations.

•District 6440 ·Expand District Membership Committee for the next three years

·Similar issues for all clubs in district

·Committee allows us to share ideas

·SHARED MEMBERSHIP – Friends of Rotary

·District should add a new role for someone to be District Mentor – to keep in touch with clubs as to how their new members are settling in.

•How/Why is this changing? ·Children/friends of Rotarians want to join Rotary

·Inquiry form on District Facebook page is a success

·Many clubs have got new members through these leads

·Sometimes it is better to stagger inducting new members

•Context

Recognize the importance of an active club member!

• Build awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of your club!

• Encourage your members to talk knowledgeably about:• 1. Your club 2. Rotary!

• Engage your members!

• Pay special attention to your newest members!

• Listen to your membership!

• GROW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

·Family-friendly service projects

·Organize social events & invite family and friends

·Integrate new members

·Find out new member’s expectations/what they want to do

·Engage members by including them on club committees

•What to do?

•What else? ·Remember your older •members – keep them •involved too!

·Find out how the Club used •to do things!

·Keep members updated & •engaged in your club’s •activities by sending them •to your club website

Invite a Prospective Member Next Week andRecite the FOUR Way TEST a little differently! Make it a 5 Way TEST!!!

The FOUR Way Test of the things we Think, Say, and DO!

FIRST Is it the TRUTH?

SECOND Is it FAIR to all Concerned?

THIRD Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

FOURTH Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

FIFTH Is it FUN?