Get Them In the Door – Membership Building & Retention Joshua D. Smith, DTM Club Growth Director. 2018-2019

Overview Growth Factors for Clubs Preparing for Growth Marketing Strategies Prospect  Guest  Member Process Rebuilding a Struggling Club Ideas for Staying On Top Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up! *Some material presented from the “Membership Growth” resource available from Toastmasters International (Item 1159).

Growth Factors for Clubs Your club’s growth depends on 6 factors Effective club meetings that make Toastmasters worthwhile for new and veteran members alike. Continuous promotion of Toastmasters throughout your community or corporation. Use of proven techniques to develop guests from prospects and members from guests. Retention of current members. Competition within the club, area, division, and district. Recognition of those Toastmasters who go out of their way to sponsor new members and make other contributions to the club’s overall strength.

Preparing for Growth Moments of Truth Committee Formations What does it say about your guests joining your club? What does it indicate about members looking forward to your next meeting? Committee Formations Who is ensuring that members are being greeted? Who is following up with current membership?

Marketing Strategies The “Concept” What does your club “market?” Clubs sell more than “public speaking training” and “leadership development.” Various services: Programming, distribution system (club), price, and promotional programs. Are your meetings effective? Are you known in your geographical area? Advertising, public relations, and membership campaigns (some sponsored by TI) Personal contact is the most effective! We market for our members and the guests that are joining as well. To say that community and corporate clubs are different and need different strategies is correct, but not too far different from each other.

Prospect  Guest  Member Process Identify Your Prospect Get Their Attention Tell Them About the Benefits Prove Your Case Build Value Showmanship Closing Techniques Step 1: Identify Your Prospect Is there a need within the individual? Is there something they are expecting to achieve to get ahead? Do they even realize that they have a need? Step 2: Get Their Attention Write a good letter in term of the prospect’s point of view; follow up with a phone call for a presentation; ask a question that moves the individual’s feelings (an opening gambit). Step 3: Tell Them About the Benefits Tell them what Toastmasters will be able to do for them. Sell the “sizzle” of what makes YOUR club exciting. Let individuals know what Toastmasters will do for THEM, not what they can do FOR TOASTMASTERS. Feature, Benefits, Values chart available on TI website has a lot of information to use for this. Step 4: Prove Your Case Find individuals that will prove the claims that are being made; find satisfied members to tell this story. Use testimonial letters in your membership campaigns/club-building activities. Also describe the value of the meetings themselves as part of the process. Step 5: Build Value Continue to show the value of what the Toastmasters program provides using the chart provided earlier. Draw comparisons to other types of programs and how Toastmasters provides more feedback/references for a fraction of the cost. Build a quality educational program – Emphasize “quality” in every type of aspect into what the education program provides. Paint a picture of what it means to have someone that can effectively lead and speak eloquently and clearly to many people, which helps to understand further what Toastmasters provides. Step 6: Showmanship Demonstrate “in action” of what it means to be a Toastmaster by not only allowing them to see what is done, but become part of the action that unfolds. This includes participating in Table Topics, see the program in action, and put on a Speechcraft for the local community as well. Step 7: Closing Techniques When do you close? AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; DO NOT PUT OFF. Be a supportive, self-paced program for the member; being pushy and not encouraging will instantly turn the prospect/guest/member away.

Rebuilding a Struggling Club When your membership is declining, act! Analyze what is happening (MOT or other immediate methods) Everyone is coming for a keen interest in improving leadership/public speaking skills – they will leave if not available! Establish goals/improvement strategies (with involvement from the District/Division/Area Officers Sheer Effort!

Open House Incentive District 38 will provide a maximum $80 reimbursement for Open Houses held. ($40 maximum per event) Possible scenarios Receipts $40 on 1 open house Receipts $40/each on 2 open houses Receipts $30 each on 3 open houses (Limited to $80) Receipts $20/each on 4 open houses Time Frame July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019

Open Houses Required for reimbursement Submit receipts for expenses Submit photos of your Open House *To obtain access for submitting reimbursement, contact Sam Woods, 2018-19 Finance Manager (Finance-Manager@tmdistrict38.org) for instructions.

Ideas for Staying On Top USE THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU! Speechcraft, Success Leadership Series, Success Communication Series Business Awareness Programs, Publicity and Advertising, Proclamations Displays and Booths, Telephone Listings, Social Media Toastmasters Membership-Building Contests, Community Contact Team, Communication Achievement Award Effective Use of Toastmasters International Brochures, Previous Toastmasters, Youth Programs

Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up! ”Let us share the benefits we have gained for ourselves with others.” – Dr. Ralph C. Smedley

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