1. Promote vacant classifications.

2. Create expectations early: Have each new Rotarian bring a guest or sponsor a member as part of turning from "red badge" to "blue badge." Remind Rotarians that this is part of what it means to be a Rotarian.

3. Have special "themed" guest meetings, e.g., a "Rotary alumni meeting," a "youth leaders in the community" meeting, or simply "bring a friend day" as an opportunity to acquaint prospective Rotarians with Rotary now.

4. Introduce people to Rotary through public relations – brochures or local newspaper ads highlighting Rotary accomplishments and spotlighting community leaders in Rotary. Or add your Rotary meeting to your local newspapers’ community calendar.

5. Invite local business people to an "Introduction to Rotary Happy Hour" – or a "Chamber After Hours" sponsored by all the Rotary clubs in your area.

6. Give a "free lunch" or "free meeting" to the most recent sponsor of a new member – every meeting until the next new member is sponsored.

7. Team effort. Create membership teams within the club, and challenge each team of four people to bring in one new member.

8. Club Forum. Hold a club forum on membership development to discuss ways to seek out potential members. Or just take five minutes for a brainstorming session for prospective members – regularly! [Variation: Ask every member for "2 leads or 10 bucks"!] Remind people regularly (a "Presidential Minute" at meetings) that we’re always on the lookout for quality people to join Rotary!

9. Stimulate interest with buttons or t-shirts saying "Ask me about Rotary." (And wear your Rotary pin every day!)

10. Invite guests to participate in Rotary projects and let them see for themselves how much fun we have.

11. Be sure everyone in the club knows who’s eligible to join Rotary and how to propose a new member!

12. Keep a list of people who pay to attend Rotary fund-raising events, and invite them to join you for a meeting and learn more about Rotary.

13. Have a candid discussion with members of your club about what we mean by a "quantity of quality."

14. Seek new members from the ranks of Rotoplast, Group Study Exchange, Ambassadorial Scholars, and even the parents of Interact students!

1. Invite friends and colleagues to be your guest at a Rotary meeting, to learn more about who you are and what you do as a Rotarian.

2. Pay the meeting meal fee and make all prospective Rotarians guests of the club.

3. Make sure there’s plenty of literature about Rotary available at your meetings and events -- including copies of Rotarian magazine, the District newsletter and your club bulletin. Create/distribute a brochure about your club.

4. Make "What is Rotary?" wallet-sized information cards available to all Rotarians.

5. Have a "Guest Information Form" available at each table at your club meeting, to capture the names, addresses, phone numbers and "who brought you" for each guest. Provide space to indicate interest in more information about Rotary. (Hint: Make the form a bright color to attract attention.)

6. Encourage guests and friends to participate in Rotary projects (or, when appropriate, to be a speaker at your Rotary club meeting.)

7. Share why YOU are a member of Rotary.

8. Remember that there are at least 20 answers to the question "Why Join Rotary." Find out what your prospect is interested in, and explore together why Rotary might be right for him or her.

9. Share Frank Devlyn’s book, Frank Talk: How YOU can Make a Difference in Your Career, Your Community and Your World Through Membership in Rotary. (Or share one of the great introductory videos from Rotary International.)

10. Actually ask people if they are interested in joining Rotary!

11. Make sure everyone in your club knows how to propose a new member.

12. Provide a potent, honest orientation for prospective new members.

1. Make sure that your orientation/assimilation process is ongoing and supportive. Make expectations clear.

2. Make inductions momentous occasions. Invite spouses to participate, and have the new member’s sponsor and/or mentor there also. Include presentations of Rotary pin, Red Badge, Rotary materials, 4-Way coin, etc. Make the presentation and induction warm and serious. If possible, ensure that every member greets the new member before the meeting is over.

3. Involve spouses and families of Rotarians every chance you get -- from orientation and induction forward.

4. Ensure that new members get involved right away. Make participation on club committees -- and in club activities -- a part of the "Red Badge to Blue Badge" requirements. (Support new members in finding a way to participate that matches their "passion" -- their interests and concerns.)

5. Encourage Rotarians to sit at different places at different meetings, and to sit with people they don’t necessarily already know. Fine members who sit next to the same people at two consecutive meetings.

6. Encourage a practice of greeting everyone (e.g., "secret handshaker") or at least greeting everyone at your table.

7. Have GREAT meetings and effective, interesting programs.

8. Spread the work around -- have several different people participate in each meeting, leading the Pledge of Allegiance, introducing visiting Rotarians and guests, sharing a "Thought for the Day," being a Greeter, etc.

9. Include succinct, empowering announcements and reports concerning current Rotary projects in regular meeting time.

10. Acknowledge people for what they accomplish.

11. Track attendance. When someone has missed two or more consecutive meetings, and you don’t know why, call them to let them know they’re missed and make sure they’re ok.

12. Encourage mingling outside the room. ("Dinner for Eight," "pick a name and call the person you picked before the month is out," etc.)

13. Never, never make people wrong.

14. Generate an environment of warmth and relationship with your fellow Rotarians. And work to maintain it.

15. Have a strong mentoring program.