The first step towards gaining new members, obviously, is to have guests. Count the number of guests who have attended your club in the last 3-6-12 months. How are you doing? Three to four prospective members/guests equals one new member according to past District 3 club management plan records.

A meaningful introduction which helps build the guests' self-esteem as well as being informative will always signal that you care about them. It accomplishes much more than only referring to them by name.
Take time to get enough information before the meeting to make the introduction one of value.

Provide your guests with a meeting they will remember, one that is well-prepared, organized and lively. When they see members challenging their abilities (and fears), learning and improving, guests are drawn into the exciting possibilities of their own personal achievements. Well-planned and executed meetings are one of your club's best motivating incentives to help guests become members.

Help your guests offer comments at the end of the meeting. It's important to them! Guests should feel free not to respond, it's true. However, when they do, they feel good about themselves. Do everything possible to phrase questions in such a way as to draw out guests and make it comfortable for them to speak. Those who do will walk away elated, because they met their fear and overcame it. Better to drop the awards, the reports, and the announcements than to run long and not have ample time, unrushed time, for the guests to participate in this part of the meeting---that is why they came. And you will have helped them succeed!

Help them with information on your club and the Toastmasters organization. If your club does not have a prepared "guest pack," create one. Gather a variety of items of value together for them to take home. It could include a message from the club president, information on how your club operates, a club newsletter, one or two T.I. flyers, The Toastmaster magazine, etc.

Invite them back. Invite them back in as many ways as you can think. Include them in upcoming events that the club may have a party or educational event. Why drop them just because they do not return for the second or third week? Inviting them to visit an "Effective Listening" or "How to Speak Humorously" presentation at an area or division level workshop might be just the right idea to get them involved. If they do not return, ask why. The time, the day, the location, may be wrong for them. If it is, help them locate another club that better suits their needs.

Help guests follow and understand the meeting events with an agenda. An outline of the meeting and its participants transmits the message that you are there to achieve specific purposes. As the meeting progresses, members sitting next to guests can also explain what is happening and why.

Visit with the guests after the meeting. Find out who they are, what they do, where they work, what they want to accomplish, their interests, etc. Look for ideas that can give you opportunities to call them later in the week with some additional information they wanted, or perhaps to meet them for coffee or lunch to discuss how Toastmasters can meet their needs.

Follow up with a note from the club. A "Glad-You-Visited . . . Thank-You-for-Coming" type card shows your appreciation for their time and interest in visiting your club. It causes them to think about you again, and it gives you another opportunity to ask them to return the following week.

Include their names in your club newsletter, meeting recap or minutes, and send them a copy. It again reminds them of their participation and gives you a means to provide them with an unexpected form of recognition.

Help them see the benefits they will receive from their participation in Toastmasters. Have basic and advanced manuals available. Show them what they will be getting for their membership money. Have membership forms readily available. Know how to fill out the application form, the costs, and the monthly dues. Help make it easy for your guests. They want to join. That is why they came, but they want your encouragement. They want you to "talk them into it."