Myths About Rotary

Jim Gilmore

What misconceptions about our organization (club) do we have to combat when recruiting new members?

• Rotary is just a bunch of rich, old white guys having lunch
• Not for women
• A religious group, specifically Christian
• Too nationalistic (saying the pledge)
• Too expensive for average person
• Too time consuming
• Too many acronyms (GSE, PHF, etc.)
• Secretive organization
• Rotary is a Cult
• Stuffy
• Just a business club (like BNI)
• Don’t do anything (except have lunch)
• Singing is required
• Limitations to membership by classification limitations
• Must be a business owner to join
• Must be a WEALTHY business owner to join
• Closed group, exclusive
• Only the movers & shakers
• Boring
• It’s an Engineering Group (the wheel symbol)
• Rotary is rich and has all the money it needs

Methods of Recruitment

What methods do we use to recruit and what things do we need to do to improve our recruiting?

• Persistence (keep asking)
• Personally ask (aka: Me to You, Belly to Belly)
• “I have enjoyed meeting and talking with you. How come you are not in Rotary?”
• Good Public Relations (branding your club/Rotary) of: Speakers, Projects, Events, Opportunities for overseas travel like GSE
• Use newspaper ads
• Set up displays at community events
• Create a marketing brochure for distribution
• Send you club bulletin to local press
• Upgrade web site and use broadcast emails
• Distribute old Rotarian magazines to dentist and doctor offices
• Place strategic signage throughout the community
• Place plaques on Rotary projects in the community (ie. Ann Arbor tree planting and Lyon Area Adopt a Highway)
• Signage at your meeting place
• Place ads in local chamber magazines/newsletters
• Be out in the community and visible
• Donate books to library in name of speaker and Club

• Improve member knowledge of Rotary and Club
• Keep up member pride & knowledge
• Empower your membership
• Use your “closers” to close the new member sale
• Be welcoming to club visitors
• Have good club meeting: Facility must be clean, comfortable, convenient to the community, private, have good food and club MUST have good programs
• Develop a Club elevator speech
• Followup on referrals, legacies and speakers
• Keep in touch with Rotary Alumni such as GSE Team, Youth Exchange, Scholarship winners, STRIVE clients
• Ask a prospect to be a speaker
• Invite your spouse
• Invite your friends to Rotary for a meal
• Have fun…that attracts more “fun” people
• Wear your pin everyday and be ready to respond to “What is Rotary?”
• Have energizing meetings
• Put a Rotary decal on your car
• Print club business cards which include an invitation to lunch and details of time and place
• Be involved with the youth in the community through Interact, Rotoract, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts, etc.
• Stress the “Global Connection” of Rotary to business people who travel abroad
• Coordinate and participate with other community groups on local projects
• Waive dues for younger members just starting out in business
• Do a demographics study before you start a membership program to make sure the people you are targeting actually exist in your territory
• Obtain the commitment of your club to grow and how
• Invite friends and family to work on a club project
• Have a fun night and invite prospects
• Have a Membership Drive night (with Open Bar)
• Have special Membership Drive Meetings
• Invite friends and co workers when there is a particular speaker of interest
• Conduct business educational seminars
• Have interesting programs
• Invite guests to District activities
• Distribute Rotary publications to prospects (ie. Old Rotarian magazines, ABC’s of Rotary, Rotary Basics)
• Always talk about your club’s strengths and not “We need members.”