Let’s get

of ROTARY!

District 6980 District 6980 Membership TrendsMembership Trends

__JUL ’04 JUL ’05 JUL ’06 JUL ’07 JUL ’08 JUL __JUL ’04 JUL ’05 JUL ’06 JUL ’07 JUL ’08 JUL ’09__’09__

2159 21142159 2114 2168 2138 2168 2138 2184 2184 2105 2105

Based on 46 Clubs and the SAR Reports

TRENDS Cont’dTRENDS Cont’dDistrict 6980 Membership Trend

2,050

2,075

2,100

2,125

2,150

2,175

2,200

2,225

2,250

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008-09 to date

WHAT IS ROTARY?WHAT IS ROTARY?

A Rotary club, your club, is a A Rotary club, your club, is a local local networknetwork of business, of business,

professional, and community professional, and community leaders, active or retired, leaders, active or retired,

who have discretionary use who have discretionary use of their time.of their time.

BUSINESS or SERVICE?BUSINESS or SERVICE?

“ “ Networking with business, professional, Networking with business, professional, and community leaders, active or and community leaders, active or retired.”retired.”

~ OR ~~ OR ~

““Doing Community and International service”Doing Community and International service”

Who’s in Who’s in youryour “market” ? “market” ?

WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN A ROTARY WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN A ROTARY CLUB?CLUB?

Key PrinciplesKey Principles

People join and stay in Rotary for People join and stay in Rotary for THEIR THEIR reasons---reasons---NOT OURS!NOT OURS!

Their fundamental reasons are:Their fundamental reasons are:Emotional, which are, in turn, Emotional, which are, in turn,

intellectually justified.intellectually justified.

GETTING BACK TO GETTING BACK TO BASICSBASICS

NetworkingNetworking—To allow members to meet —To allow members to meet and enlarge their circle of business and and enlarge their circle of business and professional acquaintances.professional acquaintances.

ServiceService—These programs address concerns —These programs address concerns such as health care, hunger, illiteracy and such as health care, hunger, illiteracy and environment.environment.

FriendshipFriendship—Rotary was founded on —Rotary was founded on Fellowship of like minded professionals.Fellowship of like minded professionals.

FamilyFamily—Involving family members in a wide —Involving family members in a wide range of social and service activities.range of social and service activities.

“The Benefits of Rotary”

MEMBERSHIP SURVEYMEMBERSHIP SURVEY

Fundamental needs to a club member Fundamental needs to a club member belonging to a club for:belonging to a club for:

First 5 years:First 5 years:

1.1. NetworkingNetworking2.2. Developing business and Leadership SkillsDeveloping business and Leadership Skills

5 ~ 20 years:5 ~ 20 years:1.1. Connecting with communityConnecting with community2.2. Providing service to othersProviding service to others

20 + years:20 + years:1.1. FriendshipsFriendships

Source: Rotary Club of Buffalo Membership Satisfaction Survey

BUSINESS OR BUSINESS OR PERSONAL?PERSONAL?

US SUPREME COURT DECLAREDUS SUPREME COURT DECLARED

“ “Business and Professional people join Business and Professional people join ROTARYROTARY

forfor

BUSINESS REASONS.BUSINESS REASONS.””

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A ROTARY WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A ROTARY CLUB?CLUB?

The “OBJECT OF The “OBJECT OF ROTARY”ROTARY”

““The Object of Rotary is to The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to enterprise and, in particular, to

encourage and foster:”encourage and foster:”

To AdvanceTo Advance

The “OBJECT OF ROTARY” cont’dThe “OBJECT OF ROTARY” cont’d

FIRSTFIRST—The development of acquaintance as an —The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;opportunity for service;

SECONDSECOND—High ethical standards in business and —High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;society;

THIRDTHIRD—The application of the ideal of service in each —The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;

FOURTHFOURTH—The advancement of international —The advancement of international understanding. Goodwill, and peace through a world understanding. Goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.in the ideal of service.

It’s okay to join Rotary for Business Reasons

THE MISTAKETHE MISTAKE““With good intentions, many Rotary Clubs With good intentions, many Rotary Clubs

inadvertently switched from inadvertently switched from “advancing “advancing thethe Object of Rotary”Object of Rotary” to being volunteer to being volunteer

service organizations service organizations

Organizations that Organizations that no longerno longer satisfied their satisfied their “customer’s”“customer’s” networking, friendship networking, friendship

achievement needs.”achievement needs.”

MEMBERS or MEMBERS or CUSTOMERS?CUSTOMERS?

Club membersClub members areare “customers”“customers”

who are business, professional and who are business, professional and community leaders!community leaders!

WHAT’S YOUR WHAT’S YOUR PRODUCT?PRODUCT?““Rotary clubs began, grew and Rotary clubs began, grew and

became a giant in the became a giant in the ““personal satisfaction industry.”personal satisfaction industry.”

““Rotary’s industryRotary’s industry – not service projects – not service projects – not volunteerism – not educational – not volunteerism – not educational

programs – programs – but satisfying personal but satisfying personal networking, friendship, and networking, friendship, and

achievement needs.”achievement needs.”

WHY DO PEOPLE LEAVE A ROTARY WHY DO PEOPLE LEAVE A ROTARY CLUB?CLUB?

(Other than health and relocating (Other than health and relocating reasons.)reasons.)

MEMBER MYTHS?MEMBER MYTHS?

Volunteer organization?Volunteer organization?

A Service Club?A Service Club?

Cost is too high?Cost is too high?

““Rotary is a network of business, professional, and community Rotary is a network of business, professional, and community leaders who have discretionary use of their time.” ~ leaders who have discretionary use of their time.” ~ Jim Jim

Henry, RRIMC Zone 34Henry, RRIMC Zone 34

Key Principles:Key Principles:

Clubs are Clubs are notnot doing enough to meet doing enough to meet member’s fundamental needs. member’s fundamental needs.

Clubs Clubs areare doing enough but current and doing enough but current and prospective members don’t see it. prospective members don’t see it.

Clubs areClubs are not not attracting those people attracting those people who have needs the club can meet.who have needs the club can meet.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?Business, Professional, and Business, Professional, and

Community LeadersCommunity Leaders

Will this type of person want to waste Will this type of person want to waste any time in an organization that any time in an organization that

does not satisfy does not satisfy theirtheir need or need or needs?needs?

WHAT CAN THE CLUB WHAT CAN THE CLUB DO?DO? Annual Classification SurveyAnnual Classification Survey

Strengthen Public RelationsStrengthen Public Relations

Listen to Member FeedbackListen to Member Feedback

GET BACK TO THE “BASICS OF ROTARY”!GET BACK TO THE “BASICS OF ROTARY”!

THE “BUSINESS” PLANTHE “BUSINESS” PLAN

1.1. Establish a Vision.Establish a Vision.2.2. Create a “powerful” guiding coalition.Create a “powerful” guiding coalition.3.3. Create a systematic strategic plan with Create a systematic strategic plan with

short term, attainable goals.short term, attainable goals.4.4. Remove obstacles.Remove obstacles.5.5. Establish a sense of urgency.Establish a sense of urgency.6.6. Communicate often.Communicate often.7.7. DO NOT declare mission accomplished DO NOT declare mission accomplished

too soon.too soon.

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!