Rotary Membership is Growing at a Good Pace in Our District – On the Estonian Side! In Finland, new clubs aren’t springing up frequently, and unfortunately, many clubs are declining in membership numbers. What can we do about it? We’ve compiled 5+1 practical tips for clubs experiencing member attrition. All these tips have been tested in practice – some clubs have already boosted their recruitment efforts using them!
1. Set a clear goal and treat member recruitment as a project
Has your club’s action plan stated year after year that the goal is to grow membership – yet no growth occurs? Start by setting a tangible numerical goal: “This year, we aim to recruit 2–4 new members!” Once the goal is clear, gather as a team and list people you’d like to see join. Then assign who contacts whom! To motivate action, why not reward success? For example, a bottle of sparkling wine for the one who brings in a new member? Pro tip: If you’re inviting someone you don’t know well, suggest they bring a friend. It’s often easier to visit a meeting for the first time with a familiar face – and you might just get two members at once!
2. Establish a membership chair position in your club
In some clubs, the sergeant-at-arms or even the president handles membership matters. What’s essential is that someone is specifically tasked with ensuring a steady inflow of new members and managing the membership lifecycle. This person can also keep your website and social media appealing for potential members, track diversity (e.g., “Hey, we still don’t have any women/lawyers/immigrants!”), gather hot leads, and organize newcomer events.
3. Invite and sponsor a non-rotarian to an inspiring event
It’s common in many clubs to offer a prospective member their first club meeting free of charge and defer their membership fee to the next Rotary year. Another good tactic is to invite and cover the cost for a friend to join a fun activity like rowing or hiking in the “Silakkasoutu” (Herring Row), participate in a beach cleanup, or attend the 120th anniversary celebration in Tampere! It’s easier to join by doing something than by just sitting down. And they get to meet many People of Action at once!
4. Make the most of your meeting time and location
Does your club meet at a lunch restaurant frequented by nearby office workers? Most of them likely don’t realize they could spend their lunch hour enjoying a fascinating presentation. Consider placing invitations in elevators or on bulletin boards promoting Rotary and highlighting the next three meeting topics. Extra tip: If the meeting time is a barrier for potential members, could it be changed? For a busy executive, a lunch meeting away from the office might be tough; a retiree might prefer morning or evening meetings.
5. Launch a satellite club
Is your neighborhood served by only one aging Rotary club? It may seem unlikely that a much younger person would join, but why not propose forming a satellite club with young professionals, former exchange students, or Rotaractors? A satellite club only needs a few members (unlike the 15 required for a full club), and your club can initially cover the membership dues as the sponsor. Appoint a mentor from your club to support the satellite club’s launch. Satellite clubs can create their own traditions but still participate in joint programs. They might even inspire new energy for your own club – and possibly bring in new members from their network.
+1 Join forces with another club or consider a split
If your club’s situation doesn’t improve and enthusiasm is waning, merging with another club might be the best path forward. Merging requires compromise, so approach it with an open mind. Seek advice from clubs that have merged before to avoid common pitfalls. For example, read how the Meri-Espoo club was founded.
Has your club come up with an effective way to grow membership that’s missing from this list? Or has one of these tips worked particularly well for you? Share your experience in the district’s Facebook group under this post!
Our shared goal is to grow our district’s membership this year too – so let’s get to work! Also, don’t hesitate to refer potential members to other clubs if your location or timing doesn’t fit. Help is available from the district membership committee at: erkkisakarikarjalainen@gmail.com
