Page 7 - 2021-03-Rotary-on-the-Move-Newsletter-Zone-8

‘THERE’S GOLD IN THOSE MEMBERSHIP LEADS’

Article by Carol Coffey, District 9670 Membership Chair

Last year, Rotary districts received almost 18,000 membership leads, but only 793 were admitted to
clubs through the ‘Manage Membership Leads’ page on ‘My Rotary’!
Membership leads reports, indicate that:

• clubs contact only a third of the prospective members assigned to them.
• Opportunities are lost, and reputation is tarnished.
• 54% of those not contacted indicated they are no longer interested in Rotary.

Taking up the role of Membership Chair 7 months ago, I looked at my Districts leads. I was embarrassed that we
were as guilty as every other District!

My Call to Action was fast and simple:
• I started a back capture of the past 3 years, and
• contacted every applicant (new Prospects and Relocating or returning members.)

• My first contact was by email, apologising, if needed, and requesting a phone conversation.
o Nearly every one of them answered and accepted my offer.
• Knowing their profile, I offered them club choices to fit their needs and what they wanted from or offered
Rotary membership (knowing every club helped me there)
o I either met them personally or organised a President / Secretary to meet them over coffee and/or
chaperoned them to their first meeting.

District leaders (District Governor, Assistant/Area Governors, District Membership Chair, and the Executive
Secretary) are the initial contact. Club leaders (President, Membership Chair, Secretary, and Executive Secretary)
are then notified by email from District that a new lead is waiting. Hopefully, a club contacts and invites the lead to
visit the club. If it’s a good match for both the club and the candidate, the club invites the candidate to join, or the
lead should be referred back to District for consideration of another club. The Club needs to fit the member,
not the member fit the club.

I found it a good practice to record and leave comments about every contact of a candidate and their progress with
an audit trail of time date, action and my name. I asked the same of Clubs.

Interestingly, of the people who ask to join a Rotary club:
• 63% are under 40.
• 35% are women.
… what a difference this could make!

My efforts were successful in both gaining members and repairing our good name, proving it is never too late to
begin managing your leads – even the old ones!

Follow up is needed, as some Clubs may not respond, likewise the audit trail at District and Club level is
essential to ensure status is updated and other leaders do not assign them a second time, or make repeated
confusing and frustrating contact with potential members.

For further information: contact your District Membership Chair, Barbara Mifsud (Regional Membership
Officer) at RISSPO (Rotary International South Pacific & Philippines Office) or refer to the Membership Learning
resources: https://my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference/learn-topic/membership

SHARE YOUR CLUB OR DISTRICT SERVICE PROJECT AND MEMBERSHIP BEST PRACTICES.

We would like to hear from Clubs or Districts telling us what they have done. Please include a summary,
contact details, a couple of captioned photos, and email to Issa Shalhoub, this Newsletter’s editor.

We would also like readers to share their experiences and stories on Best Practices in their Clubs and what has worked for
their Clubs in gaining new members and also what has helped in keeping members.

Rotary on the Move March 2021 Page 7