In our District Membership Workshops we addressed the issues of finding good prospects to become Rotarians, getting them in the club and, lastly, keeping them. This month let’s discuss the latter; keeping them. In Mary Chapman’s book Growing Rotary she refers to the “exit parade,” I agree with her comments that “membership development is more than just recruiting members. Keeping them is the greatest challenge.” And in these tough economic times keeping them is even more difficult. Here are five suggestions your might want to consider for your club’s retention problem:
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Times are tough and Rotary is a great place to promote your business. After all, that is vocational service at its best. When Paul Harris and his three colleagues started Rotary over 100 years ago, promoting their vocation was one of their top objectives. And if you have been laid off due to a downsizing, your fellow Rotarians are a great source to find your next job.
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Get better programs. If you are not having powerful, meaningful programs you can bet your bottom dollar that it is affecting retention. Plan your programs well in advance. Your best opportunity to get good speakers is to plan ahead. If you do not have a Program Chair you need one. Better still a program committee is the best way to find good speakers.
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Appoint a Retention Committee and put some of your newest members on the committee. Since they are new to Rotary, they are usually enthusiastic members and will bring new ideas to the committee.
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Take advantage of your District Membership Committee. We are anxious to help you promote Rotary and to retain your current members. Bruce Baker and I will be happy to conduct a “Find’em, Get’em in and Keep’em” workshop at one of your meetings.
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Make sure you club is family friendly. I have always said Rotary is a family organization. We have so many wonderful opportunities for our families to be involved in our projects. Some of my fondest memories are when my sons worked with me during Christmas season at the Annual Holiday Lights at the Roper Mountain Science Center.
September 2009
