The Lynn, Newburyport and Salem Clubs are on pace to net 5 to 12 members by June 30, 2025.
Here are tips from the Lynn, Newburyport and Salem clubs:
1. Select a powerhouse Membership Committee and lead/s! - Individuals who already have a great network of their own- Individuals who naturally love to network and show enthusiasm for their membership in the Club- Individuals who are also willing to nurture and stay in touch with new members upon their admittance to the Club.
Here are tips from the Lynn, Newburyport and Salem clubs:
1. Select a powerhouse Membership Committee and lead/s! - Individuals who already have a great network of their own- Individuals who naturally love to network and show enthusiasm for their membership in the Club- Individuals who are also willing to nurture and stay in touch with new members upon their admittance to the Club.
2. Set a clear goal of the Membership Committee and keep them focused on it. - Don't sandbag but give an achievable number; ask regularly where we stand against this number and clearly document the prospect list so you do not lose track of your 'prospects' - Stay focused on the very specific activities that will achieve the results needed.
3. Don't let the onboarding process languish - drive it! - Work collaboratively with your Club Secretary and Membership Committee to ensure there's a reasonable turn time for the application process - Stay close to the application approval process, spot the holdups and clear the obstacles with your team members - If the timeline is delayed, communicate with the applicants, explain the reason for the delay, and reinforce the Club's excitement in seeing them join, don’t have an “all or nothing” approval process.
4. Follow up, follow up and follow up with what you already have in front of you
- Guests at your meetings, people who may say they are interested in passing conversations etc. - send out membership brochure, email or call. These folks are "warm leads" and our Membership Committee leverages these effectively - Source potential members from the organizations we already contribute to. Don't overlook the low hanging fruit!
5. Celebrate the victories - Communicate our progress against all goals including this one regularly to the entire organization - Send a simple email or call the committee to thank them for onboarding a great new applicant. - Warmly welcome new members to ensure that they will be a potential sponsor of their own new members in the future.
6. Possible Points of membership guidance
A. Offer another option like a Satellite Club for those who can’t make regular meetings.
B. Offer various types of membership if possible.
C. Open membership to groups that may not be represented in the Club: (Educators, city/town employees, retired business persons or educators, those who like service)
D. Emphasize the service provided by the Club to prospects. Many folks want to be involved in service and are attracted to join.
E. Expand service opportunities if possible (Local and Regional as well as international)
F. Ask members to forward prospects to a Club Membership Chair who will visit the prospect and explain Rotary in general as well as the Club.
Our club has been successful in retaining members as well as engaging the community through our events and service projects. We have almost every month filled with a fun event or project so our community members see what fun volunteering can look like and quite frankly, inquire about how to join and what membership looks like. Our members are also encouraged to bring friends to our lunch or night meetings so they can see what we’re all about. We’re inclusive and welcome everyone with open arms. We have also made an effort to increase our social media footprint which I think has helped boost our presence significantly.
Thanks to Carolyn Shapiro and Marie Cardillo from the Salem Club, Lindsay St. Pierre, Susan Viccaro and Brian Sullivan from the Newburyport Club and Steve Upton from the Lynn Club for the informative and insightful ideas to both Gain & Maintain members
Our club has been successful in retaining members as well as engaging the community through our events and service projects. We have almost every month filled with a fun event or project so our community members see what fun volunteering can look like and quite frankly, inquire about how to join and what membership looks like. Our members are also encouraged to bring friends to our lunch or night meetings so they can see what we’re all about. We’re inclusive and welcome everyone with open arms. We have also made an effort to increase our social media footprint which I think has helped boost our presence significantly.
Thanks to Carolyn Shapiro and Marie Cardillo from the Salem Club, Lindsay St. Pierre, Susan Viccaro and Brian Sullivan from the Newburyport Club and Steve Upton from the Lynn Club for the informative and insightful ideas to both Gain & Maintain members