Make it Personal!

Most clubs have performed at least a few new member inductions by this time of the Rotary year. Did you know that how you conduct your induction can be a critical first step to engaging and retaining that new member? In the past we were taught that the induction was very important, but the focus was mostly on explaining to the new member what a great organization he or she was joining.

Current thinking is that we should shift the focus of the induction away from educating the inductee about Rotary, to a more personal induction. One that helps to educate the club about who is being inducted. Where are they from? What kind of family do they have? Do they have children? What age(s)? Where do they attend school? What does the spouse do? What are their professional skills and abilities? What are their personal interests and hobbies? When these questions are answered in an induction ceremony, some magic begins to happen.

People sitting in the audience find things in common with the new member. They are more likely to strike up a conversation afterwards. The new member feels more valued, and their family understands that they can be as much a part of Rotary as they want. Basically, the personal induction begins the process of developing the glue that retains members and binds them to their clubs. That glue is friendship, the number one reason why people choose to stay in Rotary!

If your club would like to update its induction ceremony, there is good news! There is a "personalized Induction" template that is now posted on our District 5190 website (rotarydistrict5190.org), in the Membership Development section. For a short cut, just click HERE to access this great tool for improving your new member retention by getting off to a great start.

That's All!

Don't Rush the Question!

Research has shown that only a little over 10 percent of Rotarians ever sponsor a new member into Rotary. So for many club membership chairs, getting folks to invite prospective members to a  meeting is a problem. However, sometimes we can get a little little anxious with the question, and that should be avoided too.

When you "pop the question" to an unprepared prospective member, many times you are forcing them to decline. After that, it can be very difficult for them to be persuaded to change their mind. So, asking them to join right off the bat is usually counterproductive.

The better approach is to think of it as a kind of "dating" process. You want to demonstrate to them that your club is worth their while. That is a process that begins with an invitation to be a guest at a club meeting, NOT asking them to join. How many of you fellows out there walked up to a young lady you were interested in and asked her to get married the first time you met?

Don't rush the question of membership!

No, we want to invite them to learn more about Rotary, not to join. The invitation to join only comes after you have gotten to know them; they have come to know you and your club; and it seems like it will likely be a good fit for "all concerned".

Make sure you think about how you will make "the Ask" (see Sept. 4th, 2015) and don't forget to prepare your club. Make sure it is going to be a good program, and get help from your fellow members in making sure your guest feels welcome. Make extra sure no one blurts out: "So, when are you going to join?" during the meeting. Rushing the question may put your guest under pressure, and spoil their first impression of your club.

So remember, to develop a strong and lasting relationship between Rotary and new members, take it slow, and don't rush the question!

Cheers!

As we enter the second half of the Rotary year, we are all focused on hanging on to the gains we have made in membership. On New Year's Eve most of us raised a glass and toasted last year, and next with a hardy  CHEERS! It reminds one of the old TV series Cheers, where each week we followed the exploits of a group of very close friends who met regularly in a bar. The name of the bar? Cheers. What made it so special? Everyone new each other's names, and when you got there, they were "always glad you came." A warm, welcoming and friendly place.

What a great way to approach making your club more attractive. Is your club like Cheers? How can you make changes that would make visitors feel even more welcome? How about your current members (especially those newer ones)? Does everyone know their names? What's more, do they know what they do in their work lives?

There are lots of creative ways to enhance your meetings to make them more fun and welcoming. One excellent idea is to invite a "Mystery Visitor" from another club that is unknown to your club. Have that person come to a meeting and afterwards give an honest appraisal of what kind of impression your club made on her/him. Put this information to use to "Cheer Up" your club and make it even more attractive to current and prospective members.