Take Home Value: TIPS FOR CLUB GROWTH

by John Button

Sadly the rosy predictions of positive growth in 2010-11 that we heard in Geneva were amiss. Last year, we lost almost 8,000 members - 6,000 in September alone as clubs cleaned up their books. Somehow this bleeding must stop. Every year we lose 15% of our membership through attrition. In exit interviews, most of the "lost" members state that we are boring. We are not offering them take-home value for their investment of time, talent and treasure.

What are we to do?

I believe that there are three keys to membership retention, three keys to providing our members with take-home value: fun, fellowship and service.

Our meetings need to be fun. Members need to look forward to being together because they know they will have fun. Experts tell us that the success or failure of a meeting is determined in the first 8 minutes. Did the meeting start on time? Was there some pomp? Were they reminded what holds us together - our Objects? Did they feel welcome? Was there some fun?

Our members need to feel that they matter. They need to feel cared for. They need to be recognized for what they do: at home, at work, at play, in the community and in Kiwanis. We need to look after each other. This is fellowship.

And finally, our service projects need to be relevant. Our members need the "high" of knowing that the service that they provide in the community is making it better. We need to examine our service projects. Maybe some are no longer relevant and need to be "scraped off the plate".

When was the last time your club conducted a club analysis? Good clubs do on a regular basis. Great clubs do something about what they find out.

Good clubs continue their club's tradition of service. Great clubs recognize the changing needs of their community and respond.

I really believe that getting back to these basics: fun, fellowship and relevant service - will provide our members with take-home value. More than that, they will make us proud of our membership and anxious to share that pride and ultimately that membership.