This presentation outlines the key concepts related to attracting new members to a Toastmasters club.

1. Recruiting New Members

2. What is Recruiting?
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3. Sales Funnel
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4. Membership Funnel:
Prospect to Guest to Member
Guest MemberProspect
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5. Who is a
Prospect?
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• People from your workplace
• People from your civic and social groups
• People from your neighborhood
• Anyone you know who is interested in personal
growth

6. Why Recruit?
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7. Benefits to
Guests
• Improving speaking, listening, and leadership
skills
• Discovering hidden abilities and awakening
latent talents
• Acquiring an expanded vision of the role of
communication
• Increasing self-esteem through active
participation in personal development

8. What are Your Guest’s Needs?
Need: Solution:
Speaking in front of a group Pathways
Impromptu speaking Table Topics
Conduction meetings Toastmaster meeting role
Personnel reviews Evaluator
Management skills Club officer
Leadership development Pathways
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9. Maslow’s Hierarchy: Level 4 – Esteem Needs
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10. Benefits to the Club
• New members mean better meeting
programs, a larger pool of potential leaders,
more fun, and more funds for the club.
• New faces, ideas, and speeches make the
Toastmasters experience more enjoyable
and worthwhile for all members.
• Ensures more participation, input, and
better learning for all
• Replaces members who have left
• Typically 40% of club members leave a club per
year
• In a 20-person club, that’s 8 members which need
to be replaced
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11. What are Some
Obstacles to
Attracting New
Members?
• Leaders’ Inability to
Communicate the Personal
Value of Membership
• No Organizational Planning For
Member Growth
• Lack of Relationship Between
Membership and Organization
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12. How to Recruit
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13. Increase Awareness
of Your Club
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• Social Media
• Facebook
• Meetup
• Traditional Media
• Newsletters
• Newspapers
• Word of Mouth
• Open House
• Speechcraft
• Be mindful of branding guidelines
• Go to the “Resources” tab on Toastmasters.org

14. Increase Interest from
Guest to Member
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• Provide Useful Material
• Brochures are perfect. Check out the “Marketing
Resources” page on Toastmasters.org
• Use old copies of the Toastmaster magazine to allow
guests to learn more about Toastmasters
• Welcome Guests Warmly
• Provide them with a name tag
• Have them sign the guest book
• Seat them next to a friendly person
• Follow Up
• Send follow communication with the details of
membership benefits
• Follow up after each visit
Guest Packet
Item #387

15. Working Toward the Win-Win
• Win-Win: The optimal experience occurs when the club and the new
member feel positive about the transaction. The stage is now set for
the development of the individual as well as the overall advancement
of the group
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16. Win-Lose
Win-Lose: The club “wins” a new member, but it is a shallow victory;
despite having joined, the fledgling Toastmaster feels rushed and
uneasy. Unless a strong and supportive mentoring program is in place,
odds are high that the new member will be reluctant to participate and
end up attending sporadically or possibly stop meeting altogether.
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17. Lose-Lose
When a visitor leaves without joining, both sides lose. The visitor
forfeits the opportunity to learn valuable skills and interact within a
friendly and encouraging group atmosphere, the club loses a potential
member whose individual skills and talents would have brought new
vitality to the group’s activities.
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18. Help Them Make a
Decision and Take Action
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• Do:
• Find out Their Goals
• Highlight Features and Benefits
• Highlight Low Price of Membership
• Don’t:
• Pressure Them
• Overwhelm Them

19. Let us share the benefits we have
gained for ourselves with others.
Dr. Ralph C. Smedley
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20. Sources and References
• From Prospect to Guest to Member Item #108
• Success 101 Item #1622
• Finding New Members for Your Club Item #291
• Closing the Sale Item #293
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