Rotarians Should Focus For Success!

2018 International Assembly - Click here to view the Who Rotarians Are - People of Action Rebranding address by Brad Howard, Past RI Director and Chairman of the RI Communications Committee.

Rotary International (RI) is rebranding itself to be an association of Rotary Clubs organized and operated by and for People of Action.  For this rebranding initiative to be successful, RI and its member clubs should focus on:

• segmenting membership markets in accordance with RI’s Constitution and
• maintaining accurate measures of success. 

FOCUS ON MARKET SEGMENTATION
2018 International Assembly - Click here to view the Market Segmentation Address by John Smarge, Past RI Director and Aide to President-Elect Barry Rassin.

Market segmentation in its simplest form is identifying the behavior and characteristics of the people who comprise Rotary’s niche market. Those in this niche are, or wish to be, People of Action who want to make life better for themselves, their families, their professions, their communities, and the world – in that order.  Segmenting these groups will make it much easier for RI and clubs to identify, communicate with, and serve existing and potential Rotarians, pinpointing those who might find buying Rotary’s People of Action brand beneficial.

Segmenting cannot be accomplished with focus groups or surveys.  Proper segmentation can only be successful by spending time experiencing clubs’ and Rotarians’ realities.  The methods and importance of market segmentation must be discussed at assemblies, seminars, conferences, and institutes. RI should also consider inviting Rotary Leadership Institute to assist in educating grass roots Rotarians about the rebranding initiative and where market segmentation fits in.

FOCUS ON MEASURING SUCCESS

RI’s rebranding initiative must have an accurate and dependable method to measure its success.  That can only happen if RI serves its member clubs by creating and maintaining an easy-to-understand Index of gauging how many people are renewing their memberships and how many are being attracted into local clubs – their Retention Rates and Attraction Rates. These rates should be combined into a single (RG or RA) Index because it is possible for clubs or districts to sustain or improve their retention rate while losing members, i.e. retain themselves out of existence. (It would not be a surprise to find that some "blended" districts have already done this?) It is also possible for clubs to achieve higher Retention Rates while other clubs offset lower Retention Rates with higher Attraction Rates, resulting in both having identical RG Indexes. It is also possible that should priority be on Attraction Rates that clubs, districts, and zones could again be seduced by Rotary's Recruiting Death Dance of yesteryear. All three data points should be readily available so Rotarians could detect where more effort should be directed.   

The rebranding initiative stands a much better chance of succeeding if RG Indexes would become second nature for RI’s senior Rotary and staff leaders.  This would deliver the perception throughout the Rotary network that Retaining AND Attracting members is more important than achieving Every Rotarian Every Year or Paul Harris Fellow expectations.  This can only happen when leaders focus on how effective clubs, districts, and zones are at delivering the brand promise that RI is an association operated by and for People of Action.