1. Achieving Membership Growth
Preparing an Action Plan
For Your Club
Adapted from a presentation by
Past Governor Ron Denham R.I.M.C.
Canada

2. 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.

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. •
•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
.

6. •
•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 #)

7. 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???

8. •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

9. 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?

10. 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?

11. Greeting Members
Each week a
Greeter should be
assigned to greet
guests, speaker and
visitors.
Make everyone,
old and new alike,
feel welcomed to
your meetings.

12. 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?

13. •
•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

14. •
•Poll
Does your club have a structured program and a
committee dedicated to member engagement?

15. 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.

16. Establish a Mentor Program
•Assign a New
Member to one of
Your Mature
Members
•Give new Member
a Committee to
Work with his
Mentor

17. Induction Ceremony
•Formal Ceremony
presenting new • Present Membership Certificate
members materials to Display
they need to succeed
• Present “What is Rotary”
as Rotarians
•Involve member’s • Present Club Banner and Pin
sponsor as well as
• Rotary Basics brochure
President of Club.
• ABC’s of Rotary book
• Welcome to Rotary and
Foundation Facts brochure

18. 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.

19. •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.

20. The Context…What is the Goal?
Identify Inform Induct Involve Educate Excite
prospective About into In In About
members Rotary Rotary Club Rotary Rotary
Impacting The Community

21. Key Elements of an Action Plan
Inputs Activities Results

22. Examples of Inputs
• People
• Money
• Materials
• Information
• Energy
• Knowledge

23. Examples of Activities
• Collect information • Assign responsibility
• Analyze information • Set deadlines
• Identify options • Carry out tasks
• Select the “best” • Report back
• Define the tasks

24. 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

25. Question:
How would you
develop an action plan
to reach a personal or
professional goal?

26. Example – The Process
• 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?

27. 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

28. How to Develop an Action
Plan for Membership Growth

29. 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.

30. So let’s get to work!

31. Select a Strategy for the Club
One person can make a difference!

32. Prepare the Action Plan!

33. Proceed with the plan!

34. Make the Induction Memorable!

35. Engage the New Members!

36. Results
• Review and Evaluate Results
• Revise, Implement, Repeat
• Continue to engage the New
Members in Club Activities

37. Important Steps to remember
• 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

38. • What are your club goals?

39. • How do we get buy-in from
the club?

40. Get buy-in from Club and
Membership Committee
•Review present situation
•Have committee propose strategies
•Identify roadblocks
If we continue to do what we’ve always done,
we’ll continue to get the same results

41. Selecting the Strategy

42. • Preparing the Action Plan -
Membership Committee
(Steps needed to implement?)

43. • Induct (hopefully) —
Introduce to Mentor!!
• Have a Member Certificate
that can be displayed by the
member at work.
• Engage on a Committee.

44. Review and Evaluate Results
•List thoughts, comments, results on flipchart
•Get response from all committee members
•Handout worksheet

45. Revise
Implement
Repeat
Engage

46. Membership Retention
Prepare and manage a similar process
Members need to feel welcomed and
part of the team.
Members should share their vocations.

47. •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.

48. •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

49. •Context the importance of an active club member!
Recognize
• 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!

50. •What to do?
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

51. •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

52. Invite a Prospective Member Next Week and
Recite 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?