Co-founder and retired Chief Operating Officer of Service Nation, Inc, which he ran for more than 20 years, Heimer began researching effective membership campaigns to attract more contractors to join the private contracting group. He later adapted the best practices for recruiting to fit volunteer organizations, implementing many of the strategies with the Addison Rotary club. The Addison club experienced high attrition in 2020 as a result of the Covid lockdowns, Heimer noted, and is still recovering from the dip in membership. Even so, the club has successfully raised $150,000-$200,000 annually for the Ronald McDonald House through the Addison Rotary golf tournament, in addition to spearheading other charitable initiatives. The current club leadership has made recruiting a top priority to expand its outreach, and he intends to prioritize the growth of the Addison club during his tenure next year. “With more members, you can do more projects and make a bigger impact in the community,” Heimer said.

 

The first key to driving membership and participation is to understand why people join an organization and find commonality, Heimer noted. Humans are social creatures, he said, so a person's reasons for joining a particular group may include a need to belong, a desire for friendships, wanting to achieve goals they cannot accomplish alone, and making a positive impact.

 

Likewise, it’s important to understand why people leave, he said. In the case of a Rotary club, for example, members may simply be overcommitted, but their circumstances might change in the future. By keeping in touch with past members, a club can look for a suitable opportunity to help them re-engage down the line.

 

Heimer noted the importance of knowing your club’s demographics to better understand the psychology behind people’s decision to join and tailor recruitment and retention efforts accordingly. Connecting new and prospective members with long-time Rotarians and getting them engaged with the community goes a long way to boosting membership, he said.

 

“You should have an onboarding process and follow that process rigorously,” recommended Heimer. Club leaders also should check back with a new member periodically to see whether the member's expectations are being met and if they need any support.

 

 

Heimer recommends all Rotary club members leverage word of mouth marketing and social media outreach to raise awareness about their club’s activities and attract new members. Messaging that focuses on the club’s mission and vision to do good both in the community and globally can pique the interest of people unfamiliar with Rotary International and lay the foundation for an introductory conversation.

 

Heimer's other suggestions for recruiting include posting club events on the MeetUp website and on VolunteerMatch, adding a “Join Us” button on the club’s website, having an active social media presence, participating with the local Chamber of Commerce, and having club members share about Rotary when they meet people through other charitable organizations or at volunteer events. Getting in city publications, such as weekly eNewsletters and newspapers, and posting on NextDoor.com also helps raise awareness, he noted.

 

“You’ve got to follow up with people once you get their name” and not let them go cold on you, Heimer said. “Be an ambassador,” he added. “It’s incumbent upon us to tell people about Rotary.”