Building Club Membership

VP Membership and VP Public Relations

Fusion Session

Toastmasters Leadership Institute

Summer, 2009

0:00 – 0:05 (5 minutes)

Welcome Officers to the session

Icebreaker: Depending on group size, go around the room or break into groups and make

introductions with the following 3 items:

•Your First Name

•Your club office

•Were you invited to a club meeting or did you find it on your own?

Handouts/Tools Used in this sessions

• (none identified)

2

Session Objectives

• Understand why clubs

need new members

• Determine how to identify

potential members

• Understand how to convey

the benefits of membership

• Discover methods your club

can utilize for:

– Acquiring New Members

– Member Retention

0:05 – 0:08 (3 minutes)

The whys and hows of membership building may seem to be straightforward. However,

the methods for acquiring new members and retaining members need to be in synch,

which is why we’ve brought your two officer roles together.

If a VP Public Relations is conveying a club experience that misaligns with what the VP

Membership delivers when the guest/new member arrives, this disconnect can negatively

impact your membership building efforts.

3

Why Build Membership?

• Audience

– Better audiences make

better speakers

• Opportunity

– Additional club funds

mean greater flexibility

• Altruism

– Help others realize the

value of Toastmasters

0:08 – 0:10 (2 minutes)

Possible Discussion Questions

Q. Why is it important to continually build membership?

Q. Why has Toastmasters International set the expectation of 20 members as the

definition of “Charter Strength”

4

Understanding Prospective Members

• Who are they?

• What do they want?

• What do you have to offer?

0:10 – 0:11 (1 minutes)

What is a prospective member?

5

Understanding Prospective Members

Prospect #1: Lions

• Those looking to expand upon their skill set.

• Motivation: Personal Growth

Response:

• Show them how they

can grow with your club.

• Encourage their activity and

potential for leadership.

0:11 – 0:13 (2 minutes)

Prospective Members are people with differing personalities. A single approach will not

work with everyone. When talking with prospective members, spend some time trying to

find out at bit more about what makes them tick. For example…

6

Understanding Prospective Members

Prospect #2: Lambs

• Those seeking to cure

their fear of public speaking.

• Motivation: Self Confidence

Response:

• Make them feel at ease.

• Provide a relaxed atmosphere.

• Adhere to their comfort level,

but encourage participation.

0:13 – 0:15 (2 minutes)

7

Understanding Prospective Members

Prospect #3: Butterflies

• Those seeking a friendly

environment to meet people.

• Motivation: Sense of Belonging

Response:

• Introduce them to several

members of the club

• Make it light-hearted and fun.

0:15 – 0:17 (2 minutes)

8

Convey the Message With Your Style

• Elevator Speech

• Samples of Excellence

• Draw on Personal Experience

0:17 – 0:19 (2 minutes)

Just as with differing motivational factors, different message approaches are needed.

We’ll look at three types of message styles…..

9

Convey the Message With Your Style

Elevator Speech

• A short, descriptive benefits statement that you can rattle off in the time it would take to ride an elevator.

• Sample: We provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment for members to practice the skills of speaking, listening, and thinking.

0:19 – 0:21 (2 minutes)

10

Convey the Message With Your Style

Samples of Excellence

• Providing real life examples

of the impact Toastmasters

membership has made.

• Sample: One of our

members just received an

offer to present in India as a

result of seeing her speak in

our last contest.

0:21 – 0:23 (2 minutes)

11

Convey the Message With Your Style

Draw on Personal Experience

• Speaking from your own

experience. What your

membership means to you

or how you’ve benefited.

• Sample: My leadership roles

in Toastmasters service

gave me the confidence to

make the transition to a

new career path.Rene Magritte

0:23 – 0:25 (2 minutes)

12

Acquiring New Members: Who, Where, How

• Personal Networks

• Unleash the power of

people you know.

• Call on club leadership

and members to spread

the word.

• Hold a contest.

0:25 – 0:28 (3 minutes)

Now that we better understand differences in motivations and communications styles,

let’s consider where we can find prospective members.

Each of these situations may require a unique promotional or marketing approach. VPs

Public Relations and VPs Membership should work together to create a clear, consistent

message is used for club promotion.

13

Acquiring New Members: Who, Where, How

• Free Media

(assuming “time” is not “money”)

• Press Releases

• Local Bulletin Boards

• Online Social Networks

• Website Promotion

• Outreach to Local Businesses and

Other Organizations

0:28 – 0:30 (2 minutes)

VPs Public Relations should leverage a variety of services for club promotion. Ask your club

members for existing relationships/contacts they may have in these industries.

Also check out the Public Relations Toolkit available on www.aztoastmasters.org

14

Member Retention Is About

Keeping the Members You Have

• Induct and orient every new member– Reinforce the important commitment they have made to the themselves,

the club, and the organization

• Ensure each member has a mentor– It may not just be your new members who want a mentor

• Make sure members get involved quickly and stay involved– Meeting roles, committees, contests, campaigns, ideas, activities

• Make every meeting a quality meeting– Include prepared speeches, impromptu speaking, evaluation and

leadership roles and don’t forget the special infusions that make it “great” in your club!

• Send out meeting recaps – Keep everyone up-to-date

0:30 – 0:33 (3 minutes)

It’s always great to welcome new members, but membership growth hinges on also being

able to keep them on the roster. Again, VPs Public Relations and VP Membership need to

work together to set consistent expectations and also work with the SAA to set the

‘mutually supportive’ environment.

Smedley Membership Drive

• Annual membership campaign for the months

of August & September

• 5 new or reinstated members earns the club

recognition and 2 free educational modules

from Toastmasters International

• Making the challenge also earns your club five

free club officer registrations for Winter TLI

What membership building activities can your clubs promote for Smedley Membership Campaign?

PacketItem

0:33 – 0:38 (5 minutes)

Review the details around the Smedley Toastmasters Membership Campaign conducted

each year in honor of our founder Dr. Ralph Smedley.

Brainstorm ideas around membership building contests, promotions, or activities that can

be used to build membership during August & September.

Before We Break

• Parking Lot

• Q&A

• Evaluations

0:38 – 0:40 (2 minutes)

Review any parking lot items

Address or capture any remaining questions (time permitting)

Have participants complete evaluations and leave them in room.