I would like to thank all the clubs who gave FAAS feedback about the issues they are facing. The major concern clubs are facing in every case was the ability to attract and recruit new members. The second concern was how to keep them. FAAS is only as strong as our member clubs so this will be our major focus going forward for the foreseeable future. One issue is that many clubs flocked to social media platforms, especially Facebook as a silver bullet to address this issue. Many clubs have abandoned traditional methods of recruiting in favor of social media. While Facebook remains a valuable marketing tool, usage of the platform is declining. Also animal rights activists are increasingly using the platform to attack and sabotage our hobby and clubs.. (This was the third most frequently raised issue after membership, More on this subject coming soon.)
The following article originally appeared in November 2004 issue of Membership Matters, written by Chris Offer. Source: Membership Matters, Vol. 4 No. 5 November 2004. It comes to us via the ClubRunner Newsletter.
We encourage all FAAS member clubs to try as many of these suggestions as possible and provide us with feedback on how effective they were for your club.
Bill Gill - FAAS
100 Ways to Recruit New Members
Clubs are always looking for ways to grow and recruit new members, There are many things club members can do in order to attract new members. Here, you’ll find a hundred viable approaches that one could use in order to recruit more members.
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Ask someone
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Bring a guest to meetings
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Advertise in newspapers & cable TV
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Have a clear club goal & a strategic plan
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Letters or personal contact with local businesses
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Contact with Chamber of Commerce
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Place customized bookmarks in library books
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Have public meetings at malls, outdoors, etc
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Have a booth at malls, fairs, festivals etc.
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Place pamphlets in doctors’ offices, hospitals, cafeterias, libraries, etc.
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Host an Open House
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Hold a club assembly only on membership
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If you have a Rotary Club, ask Rotary Foundation alumni to join
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Give the membership chair one minute at every club meeting
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Make the membership chair a club director
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Put together guest information packets
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Service projects that serve a need in the community
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Invite family members to join
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Send letters to people in the news with an invitation to visit the club
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Print club business cards with club meeting location and time
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Distribute extra copies of magazines that relate to your club in waiting rooms, etc (IE.: Rotarian)
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Hold high-profile meetings
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Hold wine and cheese receptions for prospective members
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Ask for help from RIMC/RIMZC
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Have a special guest day
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Send club members to district membership seminar
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Make prospective members feel important
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Honor outstanding community members with awards
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Don’t take age into consideration
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Make some meetings social events
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Build a club web site
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Use group email to promote your club
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Put posters in public areas
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Ask corporations and employers to sponsor or subsidize membership
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Have a reward program for those who bring in new members
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Create more fun
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Give a money back guarantee—if after 3 months a new member does not want to be a club member, return their fees
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Invite the media to cover well known speakers
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Use word of mouth
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Network with coworkers, friends, and family
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Follow up with guests
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Place a colored dot on the watch of every member to remind them to bring a guest
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Lead by example—how many members have you recruited?
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Have members give talks at other organizations
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Provide guests with free meals
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Update your clubs classification survey
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Look for members in ethnic groups not represented in your club
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Provide brochures for new employee packets in members companies
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Advertise at sports events
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Ask the district for help
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Hold joint meetings with other groups
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Share your club experience with others
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Participate in community events
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Write letters to the newspaper about the campaigns your club is working on
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If a prospect can’t attend your meeting due to time, suggest another club
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Publicize club successes, elections, events, in local newspapers
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Circulate the club newsletter widely
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Design a club brochure
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Hold recruiting events with two or more clubs
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Form/join a speakers’ bureau
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Wear your club's pin
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Mention your club at meetings of other organizations during announcements
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Send newsletter to guests
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When asked about your leadership skills & career success, tell them about your club
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Ask the AG to attend a board meeting to talk about membership
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Ask every member to submit 3 prospects to the membership chair
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Make it FUN
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Give every member a club decal or bumper stickers for their car
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Give testimonials about your club while guests are at the meeting
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Repeatedly invite prospective members
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Practice selling your club at Club meetings—have a one minute elevator speech ready
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Conduct a Membership Satisfaction Survey (RI Publication #417)
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The club president asks three club members as a personal favor to each recruit one new member
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Bring your boss to a club meeting
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Make direct contact with women’s business associations
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Bring your co-workers to a club meeting
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Bring your subordinates to a club meeting
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Have new member kits
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Use books, brochures, videos and posters from RI
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Hand out invitation cards for a “Free” lunch (breakfast, dinner)
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Have members constantly promote and rave about your club
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Meet at a good location
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Assign every member to a 5 person recruitment team—each team brings in a new member every six months
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Develop a strategic plan membership is a year-round priority and needs to be planned
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Have incentives for recruitment
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Have a large poster that lists all the members who have sponsored a new member in the past year
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Select a missing classification and work on filling it
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Display a thermometer showing progress towards club goal
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Feature a member’s “benefit of the month” in the club newsletter
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Induct new members with piazzas & invite spouse/partner
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Develop a welcome letter from the president for all new members
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Contact all members who have resigned in the past 3 years
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Use billboards at bus stops and road sides
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Ask club members to put club ads on their commercial trucks
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Recognize new members in newsletters
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Regularly check the RI web site for ideas
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Subscribe to the Rotary Membership Minute on the RI web site
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Invite spouses to social functions
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Ask recipients of Rotary service or donations to speak for Rotary
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Pass out M & M candy to remind members that “Membership Matters” and that we need “More Members”