The flowers are blooming now and like the flowers, we want our clubs to thrive and attract new members for an ongoing successful club for everyone who participates.

Here are some tips that I have collected from Toastmasters leaders over the last year as Club Growth Director.

• Have a Spring Open House on your own or co-host with multiple clubs to gain a bigger group.

• Talk to all guests as soon as they come in the door or join online. Welcome them and ask them what brought them to your meeting and how they found the club.

•  At the end of the club meeting, be sure to individually ask all of your guests how the meeting went and follow up right away. Get their emails and be sure to listen to what they say for feedback.

• Try to answer guest questions authentically to the best of your ability and follow up to find the answers that you didn’t know, then email those answers to the guest and invite them back again to your next meeting.
  
  
• Host a Speechcraft. A Speechcraft can usually bring in 1 to 5 new members. You can run your speechcraft during your regular meetings for 4, 6, or 8 weeks. A 6-week Speechcraft is the most popular and can help the Speechcrafter complete a Pathway Level 1. Hosting a Speechcraft can also go towards your DTM.
  
  
• Utilize your Club VPPR. Promote your Club. Do promotions and outreach. This improves their skills in the officer role and benefits the club. Don’t just wait for people to come to you, but go out to communities that align with your club goals and invite people to visit your club.

• Utilize social media such as Meetup, Instagram, Facebook, Eventbrite, and LinkedIn.

• Make sure your Club name is memorable. You want  people to notice and remember your club when they are looking for clubs to join. A catchy name will get their attention and the city name will help them know where the club is located.

• Reach out to past members and invite them back to the club for a meeting, open house, or anniversary.

• Host fun events with your Club. Things like a potluck at the park or a volunteering event with club members to help a group or cause that everyone supports. Host a pizza party or ice cream social. People want to join a group that supports their goals, and these can be anywhere from improving their skills to supporting the community and volunteering to give back.

I hope you find some of these useful for your Club. Please reach out if you or your Club need any assistance.