The Rotary WOW! Factor

How exciting is your club? When I was District Governor, I would ask club directors to look at club members as they left the meeting. I would warn them, “If you don’t see smiles on their faces, you’re doing something wrong!”

Why is it important to see smiles? I believe there are two reasons. Let me use an analogy to explain those reasons: Suppose you went to a movie that was heavily marketed as the “feel good movie of the Summer.” You’ve read reviews and talked with some friends who saw it and ALL of them said it was the best movie they’d ever seen. I know your interest in the film would be piqued and you would be eager to see it.

SCENARIO ONE:

As you sit down for the movie, you realize the person next to you is texting. After a while, the person starts talking on the phone and the person behind you starts kicking your seat. Next, the air conditioning goes out and you are hot and sweaty. Finally, half way through the movie, the other person next to you (not the one who is still texting and talking!) spills popcorn and Coke in your lap.

SCENARIO TWO:

As the movie begins, you realize the sound is loud. Then, just at the climax of the show, the projection goes bad! The movie stops for fifteen minutes before resuming, but you missed everything during that fifteen minutes.

SCENARIO THREE:

The entire movie plays and, as the credits roll, you realize the movie really wasn’t that good. It just was not your style of movie.

I think most people would accept that, in SCENARIO THREE, it just wasn’t your kind of movie and it was no one’s fault you didn’t like it. Similarly, guests attend Rotary and decide, for whatever reasons, Rotary is just not for them. However, the problem in both SCENARIOS ONE and TWO is you NEVER GOT TO ENJOY THE MOVIE! A poorly run club meeting does not give your members and guests a chance to enjoy Rotary (or should I say “Engage Rotary”?). Similarly, when your club’s officers and directors omit crucial parts of the Rotary “system” from your club, Rotary may not make much sense to new members and guests.

If you’ve been to a modern, state-of-the-art theater, the theater itself is an entertainment experience. Between the colors, lights, furnishings and staff, you could spend the day enjoying the theater without even viewing a movie! That is how your club’s meeting experience should be. That is the WOW factor that must be integral in your club. When anyone attends your meeting they should be impressed by the meeting experience. Your meeting should be lively and interactive. They (your visitor) should be warmly greeted. They should be properly introduced and that introduction should cue other members to personally meet and greet that guest. Your meeting room should be bright and lively. There needs to be energy in the room. Your program should be entertaining (NOTE: Having a high school student come and read the school lunch menu is NOT entertaining!). Of course, make sure the sound system is operating and do a check on both the microphone as well as any visual presentation before the meeting starts.

Your presentation as emcee of the meeting should be entertaining, but don’t “hog” the podium! Announcements should be short and simple. Realize that many of them can be and should be handed out, given privately, or emailed. Use each meeting as an opportunity to highlight some project or committee of your club. Allow visitors to see that you do something other than sit, have a meal, and listen to speakers. There are many other places they can go for that. However, where else can they go to take part in the adventure that is Rotary?

Regularly reassess the WOW Factor is your club. It is crucial to keep your current members engaged, but more important for attracting new members to join in the experience of changing lives.