Educational Session

The Issue – Finding New Members for our Club

By David

If we care about building a stronger club then we need to assess our relationship with the community at large.

We need to commit to taking the necessary steps to attain that closer relationship, in doing so we will increase the club numbers.

This relationship starts with communication between members and the general public. Basically making a good impression – in other words – Public Relations.

Outside of toastmasters, each member conducts their own public relationship role in their private lives, either at home, at their workplace, during their leisure and entertaining hours. Whenever you make an effort to be seen “At your best” & to foster positive relationships with others you are in fact conducting a public relationship role.

As club members we contribute to our clubs public relations effort whenever our words or actions convey and reinforce the benefits of Toastmasters to potential members. It’s a TEAM effort. Together everyone achieves more.

The benefits.

Members Achieving Goals in Communication

Better Listening

Better thinking

Better Speaking

Maintaining members commitment is influenced by the club’s executive’s motivation towards expansion and success.

The following key issues affect growth and stability.

I have likened these issues to our previous venue – volunteer Marine Rescue, where every person is a vital part of the crew of the Good-ship – “Toastmaster.” Each member of the crew contributes to the success of the journey.

Together Everyone Achieves More

On all seagoing craft the people on board are responsible for their own welfare once they leave the shore. So too, must each Toastmaster bear the responsibility for their club’s membership.

Each one of us is responsible for the following club objectives.

Fellowship, Apprenticeship, Partnership, Friendship, leadership.

Let’s briefly revise each of these objectives.

FELLOWSHIP

Here at Sandgate Toastmasters we endeavor to ensure that the club has a supportive and happy atmosphere. How do we attain this objective?

Well …

We greet and introduce ourselves to the guest.

We sit with guest during the meeting and answer any questions they may have during the meeting.

When we have interval we ensure the guest is introduced to other members, as our desire for them is to see us as a friendly group of people, from many walks of life, who have joined Toastmasters to improve upon or hone their communication skills.

APPRENTICESHIP

Here at Sandgate we encourage involvement of the new member in the Toastmaster program by providing effective evaluations for all members. The newer member may very well be comforted by our nurturing evaluations. Encouraging involvement can only be achieved through the PARTNERSHIP between new member and their mentor.

Mentoring is a vital part of the Toastmaster strategy as we continue to Motivate, Coach, and Manager members so they gain the ability to reach their personal goals.

FRIENDSHIP

A friendship made in the club creates a bond and helps retain members. I ask you to reflect upon my previous presentation on Introducing the Guest and how this might create a feeling of belonging and possibly a new member,

LEADERSHIP

In gaining self confidence members develop leadership skills which may open doors of opportunity outside of toastmasters and assist further development of members in attaining their personal goals.

Those objectives have always been a part of our club’s purpose.

I am now going to ask you to NOT DO the following with a guest.

I suggest that when the meeting commences we do not tell the guest what’s next because it’s the responsibility of the Toastmaster and Chairman conducting the meeting to provide an explanation and secondly our chatter creates a temporary distraction to the meeting.

I would like not to see Form 400 at the guest’s first or second visit, but an invitation to join when they happy to do so. At the end of the meeting it is upon the guest’s assessment of us that they will return or not.

The results of these objectives will follow as club membership grows. Bringing new ideas and a larger pool of leaders to the club.

So how do we build a stronger relationship with the community and increase membership?

We could promote effective communication in our local communities by introducing the following programs.

Speechcraft – as we all know, this is a short course in public speaking for adults. It’s an introduction to the Toastmasters program.

Conduct meeting procedure sessions to community groups – athletic clubs – school P&C – Lions – Rotary etc.

Youth Leadership – public speaking training for junior and high school students. In our locality we have four high schools.

Gavel clubs – Let’s take Toastmasters to employment agencies. They collect grants from the government to conduct workshops that will assist the unemployed to gain work. Assisting the unemployed to gain work. Assisting the unemployed by providing some necessary business life skills of being better communicators. Better Listening, Better Thinking, Better Speaking will better equip them in the area of a Job Interview.

To succeed in establishing and developing improved community relationships lets organise ourselves.

Let’s inform the Sandgate community what we have to offer and will deliver.

Set the date.

Advertise the event.

Hire the hall.

Secure the bookings.

Prepare the segments.

Fulfil our obligation by conducting courses.

Prepare attainment certificates.

Upon completion let’s feel great and compliment ourselves on a job well done.

Others might suggest other strategies to increase our membership.

By leaving a Toastmasters magazine in our work lunchroom, at the doctors or dentist surgery.

How about obtaining acceptance from our local council to include the Toastmaster Magazine in their miscellaneous magazine section.

We each distribute 20 flyers in close proximity to where we live.

These suggestions are but a few.

As demonstrated, over the years with patience, persistence, and people skills, Sandgate Toastmasters morale, productivity and being selected as a Presidents Distinguished Club serves as a beacon to those who seek the benefits of the special toastmasters program.

When guests attend our meetings and come away exhilarated by its positive supportive educational environment, Then we have succeeded in creating an event that effectively advertises the very best Sandgate toastmasters has to offer.

I call upon every member of the crew of the Goodship Toastmaster to accept responsibility of our clubs objectives.

Together Everyone Achieves More.