The Keys to Growing a Club

The Keys to Growing a Club

by Tim Linger

In my Toastmasters adventures, I decided to become a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM). One of the requirements of becoming a DTM is to be a club coach (or fulfill a similar important task). I found a club with a strong leadership team and well-run, fun meetings—the first set of key ingredients to growing a club. With these already in place, we next had to find potential new members and get these candidates to join Toastmasters.

First, I suggested a location change to a more upscale place nearby with easy access and free parking. The location (a college) was helpful, but it still did not attract enough potential members to grow the club in any meaningful way.

I then discovered that one successful club (with 85 members) was using its own direct Meetup.com account to encourage members to attend and attract others. They have been continuously working hard on the account, posting pictures and comments, communicating with all the new Meetup.com members, and encouraging anyone to visit at least one meeting.

The club I coach immediately implemented Meetup.com, and low and behold, the club has grown from 8 members to nearly 20 over the last six months. In addition to Meetup, the credit goes to the club’s enthusiastic leadership team, fantastic meetings, and the impressive welcoming committee they established. Getting the Toastmasters candidates to come back again and again, and more importantly, to become a paid member is truly another set of key ingredients to growing a club.

You can help the O-Town Toastmasters Club in Orlando achieve its goal of becoming a Distinguished, Select Distinguished, or President’s Distinguished Club by encouraging people you know in the area to attend their meetings in person. You can reach me for more details at timlinger1@gmail.com. Join us on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays at noon EST.