Membership Talk Continued Pt 3

Posted by Ian Forbes 
 
 

Inform them:

 

What is Rotary, what does your club do? What are you know for?

 

You need to create an elevator speech? An elevator speech is an ice breaker for a conversation going up the elevator. When someone sees you wearing your Rotary pin and asks what is Rotary? You have something a little different to open the dialogue.

 

A speaker in Nashville stated he simply says Rotary is the best decision I made in my life.

 

Charlotte: Rotary is the best hour of my week!!!

 

Those statements will generate more talk and then you can explain what Rotary does.

 

First and foremost fun and fellowship

 

Giving back to your community

 

It is the whole package of working both locally and globally.

 

Water wells in Haiti

 

Polio in India

 

Local hospital or library funding

 

You have to sell it

 

Many of you are in business

 

The product is Rotary

 

There are many knock offs, much competition

 

But we are the original; we are the oldest service club in the world.

 

Rotary is not about self, but sometimes people need to hear those personal benefits.

 

Here are just a few:

 

  • Friendship and fun
  • Professional networking
  • The opportunity to serve
  • Personal growth and development
  • World understanding
  • Ethical environment

 

Impress the candidate do not intimidate.

 

We've all heard the excuse that I'm to busy to join Rotary. well Rotary is full of people who do not have time, but they take the time to serve.

 

INVITE them, bring someone as a guest

 

Do you have a meal voucher system for guests? If the guest comes at the cost of the club perhaps members would be more willing to bring guests if they do not have to fit the bill.

 

You must ask, it is the biggest reason people sighted why they did not join Rotary.nobody ever asked them.

 

ASK!!!!! Get your ask in gear!

 

Only one person joined Rotary without being invited..our founder Paul Harris.

 

Work as a group of clubs:

 

Find the right match

 

Where one time works for one recruit it may not work for another. Offer them to another club.

 

You are not competing for members

 

Orientation

 

Small steps, small doses

 

Rotary can be very overwhelming

 

All those acronyms: RYLA, PE, DG, and now the one I heard in Nashville that I offer cautiously. There is this notion out in the community, what people think Rotary is: That we are Romeos: Retired old men eating out. No, this is not who we are, there is so much more to Rotary. We have to break that myth.

 

Tell them what your club does, locally, district wide or internationally

 

Fundraising and fun events

 

Hands on events

 

What will it cost?

 

Dues, initiation, fines