Our goal: Attract & Engage!

Posted by District Governor Mark Hegstrom
 
Our 2016-17 year is off to a good start!  I have made seven club visits including Waconia’s 30-year Club Anniversary Party. I was also honored to be a part of the 4th of July Parade in Edina.
 
Rotary International will award the new District Citation to districts that grow their membership by 3%. I have built our District 5950 goals around achieving this award, one that’s doable if clubs with more than 50 members gain two new members; clubs smaller than 50 just need one new member.
 
This net gain sounds easy, except we also lose members each year. Natural attrition happens from job change, divorce, retirement, etc. Preventable attrition happens when new members don’t get engaged in the club…or weren’t able to pierce long-established cliques…or felt that existing members were hard to get to know because they sit in the same spot week after week and only talk to their group of friends.
 
Engagement comes in many forms. Consider holding a New Member Social at a Rotarian’s house. Incorporate food, activities where members mix, and a time to share unique features learned during the conversations. 
 
Engagement comes from getting involved. Some clubs initiate a New Member Project. For example, two clubs in Area 3 are collaborating on a fundraiser where they mix and mingle, raise money for PolioPlus, and use the event to attract new members. People join Rotary because they are attracted to your club. What is attractive? It probably isn’t the routine of the weekly meeting. Prospective members get excited by what you do! It is the recent project that changed a life, and the resulting story you tell. Motion creates emotion. Doing is what people want. They stay for the fellowship (your meeting), but it's the service you do that truly attracts new members.
 
To achieve our shared membership goal, please do your part to engage Rotarians in your club.
  • Ensure that new members feel a part of your club.
  • Get them involved in doing. 
  • Create fun social events and service. 
  • Post pictures of your club having fun doing things. 
  • Capture the essence of fun and service on your website. 
Attract and engage. Do these and you will grow your membership! 
~DG Mark