Our mission is to unite leaders from all walks of life, amplifying their individual contributions to make our communities and the world a better place to live and work. If we are going to accomplish this mission we can’t just sit on our hands and wait for those leaders to show up. Instead we must:

1. Identify the leaders in our community we would like in our club.
2. Build relationships with those leaders
3. Make them aware of the Rotary value proposition
4. Motivate them to give us a try, to join our club
5. Get them engaged in Rotary to maximize the chance they will become strong Rotarians

For long-term success this has to be a process deeply embedded in our club’s culture.

• Create a membership committee. Okay that one is obvious, but a vibrant membership committee consisting of people with good networking skills is often overlooked. The statistics are that less than 10% of Rotarians have ever sponsored a new member. Put on your committee those members who like networking and are good at it. And set a goal for them.
• Do a classification survey. Identify the key industries or vocations in your community and organize your attraction efforts around these groups. And don’t just think businesses. Consider all the players in your community, including non-profits, education, government, artists ... all these are important parts of most communities. Who are the leaders in those communities? How might we attract them to Rotary? Get really systematic about identifying your prospects and inviting them to learn more about Rotary.
• Build a relationship first. It is vital that people who are thinking about Rotary have a chance to build some friendships with people in the club before they are asked to join. Potential members who already know several people in your club are more likely to join and way more likely to stick.

A great way to start the ball rolling is to invite prospective members to a relaxing social event where members and potential members can get to know each other. This year the district has set aside some money to support these types of efforts. The district will pay half of the cost of club attraction events up to $400. The money is limited, so if you want to take advantage of this offer, check with our membership chair Charlie Morris and get his okay on the event you are planning.

Remember, retention is not a growth strategy. The only way your club can grow is by attracting new people to your club.