Growing Your Club

by Jim Miller, DTM District Governor

Jim Miller, DTM

Spring is here (at least it is in Florida), flowers are popping up all over, and pollen fills the air. In short (ah-choooo...), it's time for growth. Regarding our clubs, it's always time for growth! Membership is the number one problem facing our district, and we aren't unusual. Our organization faces an annual retention rate of approximately 57%. That means that a club with 20 members (charter strength) must bring in 8.6 new members per year just to stay even. Since a partial person is a messy situation, let's round up and say we need 9 new members just to stay even. The goals of four new members plus four more new members in our Distinguished Clubs program is obviously a little on the light side.

While many of our clubs struggle to get eight new members per year, others soar past those numbers. New Horizon Toastmasters in Jacksonville is currently at 32 new members for the year, and we have four months left. Winn-Dixie Toastmasters (also in Jacksonville) went from zero to 44 members in just a few months. Indeed, most new clubs that charter go from zero to at least 20 members in less than six months. The goal is to maintain that growth every year.

What does it take to grow 20+ new members every year, and why would we want to do that? First, let's look at what it takes... focus. A club that is forming is focused on one thing; getting to twenty new members as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, upon chartering most immediately lose that focus, and few regain it. Given the nature of our organization, we need to refocus and stay focused on membership growth.

Find out what your base membership is by checking the DCP Reports, and focus on a net gain of at least 5 members each year. If this takes 4 plus 4 plus 4 or more additional, then so be it; whatever it takes! Make sure that interested visitors can find your club by insuring your club information is accurate at Find a Club. If it isn't, then you have permission to hound your club president until it is accurate. You won't sign 'em up if they can't find you.

Invite people to hear you speak, and encourage brand new members to do the same. Speaking of new members, they should be speaking early and often, or they'll be gone. Remember that they are excited to be a Toastmaster, and they have a whole new network of family and friends. Come up with new and innovative ways to attract guests to your club, and make sure those meetings are enjoyable. Like Past District Governor Ron Parpart would always say, "If it isn't fun, it isn't Toastmasters!"

Why would we want to build clubs to be 30 or 40 members and beyond? Won't that just make it more difficult to get on the schedule? Think about it... isn't having too many people a good problem to have? Meetings with a lot of people are a lot more fun and exciting, and they make it easier to find new members. Meeting new people is one of the best things about Toastmasters. Attracting new members is always a positive.

Let's end the moaning about lack of new members, and build those clubs. Doing so will give us new friends, and our clubs will gain new life. I haven't even mentioned all the incentives ($$$) the district is offering this year to bring in new members. No arguments... just get 'er done!