Retention Central

2012-02-21T13:42:00.000-05:00

The Rotary International Board of Directors is proposing a revision to the attendance requirements.

To read the proposed amendment, please click here.

Thoughts on Engagments

2012-02-14T09:38:00.000-05:00

Are Clubs Engaged to their Members?

Can Rotary clubs become Bigger, Better, Bolder, and more effective at retaining members without becoming engaged to existing members? To continue reading, please click here. . . .

What Goes Around Comes Around

2012-01-31T17:01:00.000-05:00

A Rotary club's only purpose is to advance the

Object of Rotary.

To read Jim Henry's short essay on its importance, please click here.

2012-01-19T11:12:00.001-05:00

Has the TDS contributed to North America's Membership Spiral and Rotary International's Membership Stabilization?

To read Jim Henry's Rotatorial on the TDS and its effect on the Membership Spiral, click here.

2012-01-03T10:26:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year.

This time of year, many people take a bit of time to review, and sometimes reestablish, where they place their values.

Perhaps it is time for Rotary to do the same.

To read Jim Henry's Rotatorial on how where Rotary places value has a critical affect on membership, click here.

2011-12-09T08:08:00.001-05:00

Proposition:

Rotary's addiction to the elixir served up in Rotary's Diversity Grande has actually hindered diverse representation and contributed to our overall membership stabilization.

To gain a greater understanding of this proposition click here:

2011-11-27T19:57:00.000-05:00

Why won't generation X or Millennial business, professional, and community leaders join local Rotary clubs? Rotarians frequently do not realize that, to many of them, joining something like a Rotary club threatens their security! Why?

An April, 2009 Rotatorial discussed this issue, so I thought that heading into the Rotary Training Season would be a good time to resurrect it.

To read this slightly modified rerun, click here.

2011-11-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Silent Rotary Killer

2011-10-31T19:46:00.000-04:00

A Rotary Club should be interconnected with the gravitational pull of its STAR like our Earth is interconnected with the gravitational pull of its STAR.Is your club interconnected with its STAR?

To read why interconnection is necessary to have a strong local identity, and how a club and STAR could interconnect, please click here . . .

2011-10-12T07:23:00.000-04:00

ARE P.E.T.S. FOCUSED ON
PRESIDENTS-ELECT?

In North America, the now eighteen-year drop in membership, and the over twenty years of organized Presidents-Elect Training Sessions (PETS) is too close of a relationship to be considered a mere coincidence. From this observation, two propositions could be debated:

1: PETS slowed the rate of our membership decline.

2: PETS contributed to our membership decline.

To read more about P.E.T.S. and PEs, click here...

2011-09-25T09:13:00.000-04:00

Rotary International Brand
Revitalization is underway!

RI entered into contract with Siegel+Gale, who have already taken the first step up the long, complicated stairwell.
http://www.siegelgale.com/

Great Step Forward - Rotary International!

2011-09-24T16:04:00.000-04:00

If you are afraid to think about present and future Rotarians, do not click here!

Or here if you are afraid to improve your club's MEMBERSHIP RETENTION HEALTH!

Rotary in North America - Part IV

2011-09-15T15:06:00.000-04:00

For eighteen years, Rotary In North America has been mired in the captivating ruts of declining membership!

Other Rotary regions should be wary and steer clear or they, too, will be captured by similar travails.

Together We IN NORTH AMERICA Can GET OUT AND STAY OUT!

To get out, and to stay out, Rotary clubs must be on roads paved with leaders
. . .to read the final Rotatorial of Jim Henry's Rotary in North America series . . . click here

Who Knew How Many Rotarians Were Walking Out?

2011-09-07T16:36:00.000-04:00

Annually, More Than 157,000

Rotarians Have Been Walking Out Clubs’ Doors Taking With Them Over

US$7,500,000

Of Rotary International's Dues Revenue.
To read about what could and is being done about it, please click here.

Rotary In North America - Part III

2011-09-01T07:00:00.010-04:00

Rotary's Public Information

If Rotary's public information contains substance, is it being digested by those most likely to support your local Rotary. . . to continue reading, click here

Rotary In North America - Part II

2011-08-03T10:41:00.001-04:00

Rotary's Image and Public Information!

A LinkedIn discussion regarding Rotary’s image raises two vital questions: What is Rotary’s Image? To whom should Public Information be directed? To read Jim Henry's Rotatorial discussing these questions, please click here. . .

Rotary in North America - Part I

2011-07-11T14:19:00.001-04:00

Rotary – Born by Commerce, 1905.

Is Rotary in North America capable and willing to avoid being

Buried by Commonplace

this century?

To read or download Jim Henry's Rotatorial, click here.

FOUR STEPS. . .

2011-06-18T12:27:00.000-04:00

Who is Rotary? RI Director John Smarge
If anyone can become a Rotarian, there is no reason for anyone to become a Rotarian. Four Steps . . .

Click here to read Four Steps . . . Jim Henry's final Rotatorial as Zone 34's Rotary Coordinator

ROTANOMICS II

2011-05-22T09:09:00.000-04:00

WHY?

R.I. Director John Smarge Nailed it!

TWICE!

To read Jim Henry's "WHY" Rotatorial, click here.

Inactive Rotarians - A Hidden Resource

2011-05-16T15:22:00.000-04:00

Would you write off 20% of your newer clients or customers every year without discovering why they were leaving? Read Zone 34 Jim Henry's latest Rotatorial.

The Only True Measure of an Effective Club is its ability to Attract and Retain Members

2011-05-09T20:02:00.002-04:00

Why isn’t our worldwide membership increasing? Could our Presidential Citation and Governor’s Award practices be part of the problem? To read an easy to implement solution, click here.

2011-05-09T12:26:00.002-04:00

The Rotary Retention Fix

Listed on a one page reference chart, a one paragraph synopsis of the membership retention crisis in Rotary, and then 10 easy-to-do ideas for your club targeted to address those retention issues and to meet the expectations of Newer Members.

Click here to download and print the ideas from Zone 33 Rotary Coordinator Bevin Wall

Why Wait to Improve Membership Retention?

2011-05-04T08:50:00.007-04:00

“The Only Pillars of an Effective Club are the Members who Advance the Object of Rotary" discusses a simple method clubs and/or districts can use to track membership retention and recruitment while emphasizing that the essence of an effective club is its members. The Excel spreadsheet used in the article’s examples is readily available and easy to use. -'Click here to read and download 'The Only Pillars - - -'

Take Branding to the Clubs!

2011-04-21T12:07:00.004-04:00

What are Rotary clubs and What do Rotary clubs do?

Zone 34 RC Jim Henry tailored a Branding presentation for the District 6900 Assembly, and prepared a handout for all session attendees. The handout was prepared from the PowerPoint notes pages, and had a few written exercises. These are available for download should Rotarians want to do so.

Click here for the PowerPoint.

Click here for the handout.

Who Funds Rotary?

2011-04-19T16:26:00.003-04:00

It is not clubs, districts, or Rotary International that funds the worldwide privileges and services of Rotary. They only handle the money and furnish the opportunities. It is the local Rotarian who finds it beneficial to fund operations and to advance the Object of Rotary.

Jim Henry, Zone 34 Rotary Coordinator, April, 2011

Is your Rotary club really a Rotary club?

2011-04-19T12:08:00.006-04:00

Can your club's board of directors affirm that your club is really a Rotary club and have confidence that their affirmation adheres to the Four-Way Test? To read more thoughts about this from Zone 34 Coordinator Jim Henry,click here. . .

ROTARY'S PROGRAM-PROJECT PROPHECY

2011-03-21T09:02:00.000-04:00

Rotary's Program-Project Prophecy - This prophecy sounds like a self-fulfilling journey to the Promised Land of Membership Retention and Growth.

BUT, it will only come to pass . . . . To continue reading, please click here

Reversing A Membership Freefall

2011-03-12T10:40:00.001-05:00

Last year RC Jim Henry published a series of eight articles on Reversing our Membership Freefall. After this year's Zone 34 Seminars, both regional and local, we believe that the thoughts and concepts discussed can shed light on steps clubs and districts should take. The easy-to-read articles could be most useful to all levels of 2011-12 Rotary leaders.

Click here to view or download the complete booklet.

So the question should be "WHO IS ROTARY?"

2011-03-06T12:59:00.000-05:00

"What is Rotary?" We frequently ask ourselves this question as we attempt to explain our commitment to Rotary. But the question to which we should determine the answer is "Who is Rotary?"

Click here to read or download Zone 34 Director John Smarge's groundbreaking Membership speech delivered to over 1,200 District Governors-Elect, spouses, and Rotary International leaders from around the world.

What Comes First?

2011-03-06T08:48:00.000-05:00

Before understanding the complexities of Public Relations comes defining Rotary's Distinctive Position, or Brand. Before defining Rotary's Distinctive Position comes identifying Rotary's Target Audience. These simple steps make it easy to understand that EVERYTHING a Rotary club does is Public Relations and should broadcast its Distinctive Position to its Target Audience, without which the entire Rotary organization would not exist.

Here are the links to the PowerPoint and Notes Pages of Zone 34 Rotary Coordinator Jim Henry's presentation before a large Pre-Florida PETS audience.

PowerPoint

Notes Pages

Leadership in Rotary is not for TIMID!

2011-02-21T08:34:00.002-05:00

Leadership in any organization is a challenge. But in most organizations the customers, suppliers, and in non-profits, beneficiaries, are relatively clear. How do we gain a better understanding of these concepts for our Rotary organizations?

Click here to read the entire article written by Zone 33 RC Bevin Wall & Zone 34 RC Jim Henry.

Strategic Plan Starting Point!

2011-02-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

“What is the base upon which to build a District Strategic Plan?” was the major question at the recent Zone 34 Membership Seminar. The attendees decided it was necessary to answer this question before they could begin creating effective plans. First, the RI Code of Policies, 17.010.1 states, “The activities and organization of a Rotary district shall exist solely to help the individual club advance the object of Rotary. . .” Then attendees, all of whom were district leaders, decided that they should treat individual Rotary clubs as customers. Then the attendees concluded that to create an effective plan, it would be wise to define what their customers’ (clubs) needed to accomplishing their objective.

To see their creative base upon which to create an effective strategic plan, click here!

Will Rotary Learn?

2011-02-20T15:06:00.000-05:00

Can Rotary Learn From General Motors?

A new look at Membership - A Chilling Analogy

Click here to read the new look.

2011-02-19T18:33:00.001-05:00

Rotary's Recruiting Death Dance

Rotary's annual recruiting waltz is our Dance of Death and reminds me of the mythical Thorn Bird who sings it most beautiful song as it impales itself to death on a thorn. If one critically analyzes our recruiting dance, it becomes obvious that the practice is organization-centered, not member-centered. It comes from an inward point of view . . . Recruitment Death Dance (Click here to read more.)

2011-02-19T18:26:00.002-05:00

Can Rotary Perfect Its Brand?

Throughout North America, indications are that Rotary still has credibility but has ceased perfecting its Brand. In the five years from 2005 through 2009, Zone 34, with over 34,000 Rotarians, inducted 22,467 new members and lost 23,053. This indicates that, after decades of building respect and credibility, the name Rotary still attracts its target audience – members –

but many Rotary clubs have lost the ability to ‘close the deal’ – to retain members. What about your club? (Click here to read more)

Danger of Misalignment

2011-02-19T16:55:00.001-05:00

The Anarchy of Misaligned Core Essences, Brand Promises, and Target Audiences

Brand alignment is more than designing and synchronizing the Rotary logos, annual themes, mottos, and creeds. Brand alignment means harmonizing the organization’s core essence with its brand promise (the thoughts, feelings, and images the organization’s brand delivers to its target audience.) This alignment is vital in ALL interconnecting relationships, but especially when interconnecting with target audiences - those who fund the organization’s operations.

To read the complete article, click here:

2010-08-15T09:19:00.000-04:00

SOUNS FOR LITERACY

Building a Literate Nation

Every child wants to read. Every child wants to write. That primordial urge has not dwindled, yet millions remain illiterate. What can we do to ensure that all can leave their message and that their message can be read?

For the complete paper, please click here.

Improve Membership Retention How Much?

2010-08-08T17:47:00.000-04:00

To reverse our Zone 34 membership free-fall, we only have to improve new member retention by 2.61%, or improve overall retention by 1.63%. To find out how much your district should improve membership retention, click here.

What helps a Rotary club succeed for the long term?

2010-08-08T15:12:00.000-04:00

Who is your club's customer? Who is it that your club has to serve in order to stay a viable club? What is a Rotary club's sole purpose? Why continue to Advance the Object of Rotary? Why establish an Interact club? Why have a Community Corp?
These are just some of questions that must be understood by club and district leaders before attempting to create a realistic strategic plan.

For answers to these and other questions, click here: