1. Let’s get of ROTARY!

2. District 6980 Membership Trends __JUL ’04 JUL ’05 JUL ’06 JUL ’07 JUL ’08 JUL ’09__ 2159 2114 2168 2138 2184 2105 2159 2114 2168 2138 2184 2105 Based on 46 Clubs and the SAR Reports

3. TRENDS Cont’d

4. WHAT IS ROTARY? A Rotary club, your club, is a local network of business, professional, and community leaders, active or retired, who have discretionary use of their time.

5. BUSINESS or SERVICE? “ Networking with business, professional, and community leaders, active or retired.” ~ OR ~ “Doing Community and International service” Who’s in your “market” ?

6. WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN A ROTARY CLUB?

7. Key Principles People join and stay in Rotary for THEIR reasons---NOT OURS! Their fundamental reasons are: Emotional, which are, in turn, intellectually justified.

8. GETTING BACK TO BASICS Networking—To allow members to meet and enlarge their circle of business and professional acquaintances. Service—These programs address concerns such as health care, hunger, illiteracy and environment. Friendship—Rotary was founded on Fellowship of like minded professionals. Family—Involving family members in a wide range of social and service activities. “The Benefits of Rotary”

9. MEMBERSHIP SURVEY Fundamental needs to a club member belonging to a club for: First 5 years: 1. Networking 2. Developing business and Leadership Skills 5 ~ 20 years: 1. Connecting with community 2. Providing service to others 20 + years: 1. Friendships Source: Rotary Club of Buffalo Membership Satisfaction Survey

10. BUSINESS OR PERSONAL? US SUPREME COURT DECLARED “Business and Professional people join ROTARY “Business and Professional people join ROTARYfor BUSINESS REASONS.”

11. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A ROTARY CLUB?

12. The “OBJECT OF ROTARY” “The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:” To Advance

13. The “OBJECT OF ROTARY” cont’d FIRST—The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; SECOND—High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; THIRD—The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life; FOURTH—The advancement of international understanding. Goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service. It’s okay to join Rotary for Business Reasons

14. THE MISTAKE “With good intentions, many Rotary Clubs inadvertently switched from “advancing the Object of Rotary” to being volunteer service organizations Organizations that no longer satisfied their “customer’s” networking, friendship achievement needs.”

15. MEMBERS or CUSTOMERS? Club members are “customers” who are business, professional and community leaders!

16. WHAT’S YOUR PRODUCT? “Rotary clubs began, grew and became a giant in the “personal satisfaction industry.” “Rotary’s industry – not service projects – not volunteerism – not educational programs – but satisfying personal networking, friendship, and achievement needs.”

17. WHY DO PEOPLE LEAVE A ROTARY CLUB? (Other than health and relocating reasons.)

18. MEMBER MYTHS? Volunteer organization? A Service Club? Cost is too high? “Rotary is a network of business, professional, and community leaders who have discretionary use of their time.” ~ Jim Henry, RRIMC Zone 34

19. Key Principles: Clubs are not doing enough to meet member’s fundamental needs. Clubs are doing enough but current and prospective members don’t see it. Clubs are not attracting those people who have needs the club can meet.

20. WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Business, Professional, and Community Leaders Will this type of person want to waste any time in an organization that does not satisfy their need or needs?

21. WHAT CAN THE CLUB DO? Annual Classification Survey Annual Classification Survey Strengthen Public Relations Strengthen Public Relations Listen to Member Feedback Listen to Member Feedback GET BACK TO THE “BASICS OF ROTARY”!

22. THE “BUSINESS” PLAN 1. Establish a Vision. 2. Create a “powerful” guiding coalition. 3. Create a systematic strategic plan with short term, attainable goals. 4. Remove obstacles. 5. Establish a sense of urgency. 6. Communicate often. 7. DO NOT declare mission accomplished too soon.

23. THANK YOU!