Pumping Up Membership

1. Pumping Up Membership Training for Vice-Presidents of Membership Presented by: Lee Alviar, DTM District 25 Governor Phone Numbers Work: (972) 343-2341 Home: (817) 466-1985 Cell: (214) 457-4085 E-mail Address: D25Gov@d25toastmasters.org Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

2. Membership Building • Help Recruit New Members • Why? • Encourage ALL Club Members to bring guests • Organize Membership Building Contests • Organize a Speechcraft Program • Turn Guests into Members • Make Guests feel welcome • Follow-up with guests to thank them and invite them back • Guest Packets • Retain current members • Use Mentor Program • Conduct Member Surveys • “Moments of Truth” – Determine EACH members’ satisfaction level with Club. • Always make Members and Guests feel Welcome Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

3. Help Recruit New Members • Why? • New Members Provide: • New Ideas • A larger pool of Club Leadership • More fun!! • Better Club programs; more variety, experiences, and resources to draw upon and enrich the entire Club Program. • More fun!! • More enthusiasm at Club meetings. • New and exciting stories!! • Different perspectives • Continually changing club personality. • MORE FUN!!! We live in a dynamic society. People are highly mobile. Change is the norm rather than the exception. This means Club membership is also very volatile. To operate optimally, Clubs must be at “charter strength” – 20 or more members. Only then will the Club reach its potential and be most beneficial to its members. Having 20 or more members will also make it easier for the Club to become a Distinguished Club. Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

4. Encourage ALL Club Members to bring guests. • Talk to friends, relatives and coworkers • Wear your Toastmasters pin • Display The Toastmaster Magazine • Display your educational certificates • Distribute flyers and brochures • Advertise, advertise, advertise • Word-of-mouth is the best advertising • Four out of five new members say they first learned about Toastmasters through personal contact. • The power of personal contact reflects the belief that: • Toastmasters can benefit virtually everyone • A person will join if he or she believes you • You must guide prospective members to understand the importance of Toastmasters’ learning experience. • On average, one in three prospects actually joins a Toastmasters Club. • Find people in need, and get them to a meeting! Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

5. Organize a Membership Building Contest • Set Membership targets. Your Club should always have a target to shoot for. If it’s below 20 members, achieving charter strength should be its immediate goal. • Organize a committee or task force. Assemble a group of enthusiastic and motivated people. Have them create a campaign theme, a system for rewards and recognition, and methods for promoting the campaign. The committee chairman should be the Vice President Membership. • Use all avenues of reaching prospects. Personal contact is the most effective means of promotion. But there are others you shouldn’t neglect. These include: advertising, publicity, outside speeches, etc. • Share your success. Let all Club members know how you’re doing through announcements, posters, the Club newsletter, etc. This helps keep the momentum going. • The key is to get all of your members involved and working together!! Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

6. Turn Guests Into Members • Make guests feel welcome • Greet them enthusiastically, being sure to repeat their name and to welcome them to your meeting. • Introduce the visitor to other Toastmasters members and Club Officers. • Present visitor with a guest packet. • Have guest complete a visitor card or sign in Guest Book. • Sit with guest during the meeting to answer any questions he/she may have. • Ask the guest for comments at the end of the meeting. • Ask guest to join the Club!! • Give guest the Form 400 (Application for Membership). • Ask the guest to come again!! • Within two days, write or call the guest and thank them for attending your meeting. Make it a quick 5 minute call! Offer your services to answer any questions guest may have. Invite guest back to the next meeting!! Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

7. Guest Packets • Give each visitor a packet containing: • A welcome note from the Club President • A calendar of upcoming Club events • The meeting program • The latest District Newsletter • Flyer: Your Toastmasters Membership Provides These Benefits. Catalog No. 354 • Brochure: Talk. Still the most effective means of communication! Catalog No. 101 • Brochure: Yes, you need Toastmasters. Catalog No. 99 • Brochure: All About Toastmasters. Catalog No. 124 • Or any other Toastmaster brochures and materials your Club has available. • Booklet: A Toastmaster Wears Many Hats. Catalog No. 1167-D • Form 400 !! • Remember – today’s guest is tomorrow’s member! Remember how you felt at your first meeting. Make sure their first visit is enjoyable !! Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

8. Retain Current Members • Why do people leave Toastmasters? • 1% die • 3% move away • 9% move on to other programs due to someone else’s recommendation • 9% find a cheaper product elsewhere • 10% are chronically dissatisfied • 68% go elsewhere because the people they deal with in the Club are indifferent to their needs. • The membership duration of most Toastmasters is 18 months – They leave the program upon completion of the Communication and Leadership Manual. • Use Mentor Program • EVERY Toastmaster member is assigned a mentor once they submit their Membership Application. • Who is YOUR mentor? Who do you look to for guidance? • Whom do YOU mentor? Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

9. Conduct Member Surveys • Remember: 68% go elsewhere because the people they deal with in the club are indifferent to their needs. • As members progress in their communication and leadership development, their goals change. Clubs should conduct a Member Interest Survey semi-annually and develop programs to meet the expressed needs of the members. • Meeting the needs of the members is the objective of any Toastmasters Club. Finding out what they want and need is the first step in meeting those needs. The Member Interest Survey (Catalog No. 403) is a useful tool for helping members express their needs and goals. Base your Club’s educational program on the results of your research. Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM

10. Moments of Truth • The Moments of Truth is a tool that can help you analyze your Club to determine if your Club meets the needs of new and existing members. • The Moments of Truth (Catalog No. 290) evaluation is an objective look at Club operations in the following categories: • First impressions • New member orientation • Fellowship, variety, and communication • Program planning and meeting organization • Membership strength • Recognizing accomplishments • Experience has shown that Clubs which maintain a high standard of excellence in their Club programming, operation, management, member participation, and community activities have a large membership. • Your objectives should be to maintain an atmosphere of learning, enjoyment, and fellowship that captivates every guest – so he or she wants to become a part of it. • If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right!! Membership Building by Lee Alviar, DTM