Turning Guests Into Members

One of the biggest challenges for Toastmasters clubs is recruiting new members. In fact, it’s one of the most common questions I hear. There are many reasons guests might not join, but luckily, there are also many ways to combat that challenge and grow your club.

What are some factors stopping guests from becoming members?

People join Toastmasters for their own reasons. If someone doesn’t join, they most likely don’t see how they can achieve their goals within the Toastmasters program.

Interestingly enough, some people don’t want to join because they lack confidence. Of course, Toastmasters is a program that helps you get over that, but not everyone sees where the program can help, and some lack the confidence to even start. Other visitors may not come back because they are not motivated to improve. They may say that they are, but deep down inside, they aren’t all that motivated.

Another common reason is that people don’t think they have time to devote to the program. Let’s face it: If you want to get maximum benefit from the Toastmasters system, you have to put in the time. Writing out a quick script the night before and then reading it at your meeting is not as beneficial as spending time studying the particular Pathways lesson, crafting a speech, and then practicing it. If someone is busy, they might not think they have time for the program.

Schedules are another big factor. One reason people don’t want to visit my club is that we meet at 6:30 in the morning. That is either not convenient for them or they have other responsibilities at that time of the day, like getting kids ready for school.

Lastly, some guests may not come back because they don’t fit well with the personality of the group. Each club is unique. Perhaps a different club would be better for them. Encourage guests to use the Find a Club feature to explore other options. And the good news for you is that there are people out there who do want what your club has to offer. Just keep inviting and you will find them.

How can you encourage guests to become members?

In my experience, there is not one easy technique that can quickly turn most guests into members. I think the key is to find out why a visitor took time out of their day to attend your meeting.

My club meets early in the morning. There must be a reason why a guest dragged themself to a meeting. Can you show them how they can satisfy that reason within the Toastmasters program?

Why might someone seek out Toastmasters? One common reason is to gain confidence in front of a group. Another reason is that some folks recognize that they need better speaking skills for their job. I was in a club once where a member was in danger of losing her job and needed to join Toastmasters. Needless to say, she joined.

There are many reasons why someone might seek out Toastmasters. But how do you uncover that for a particular guest?

Here is the method I employed when I was a Club President: At the beginning of each meeting, I asked any guest to stand and share their name, what they did for work, and what brought them there that day. That last component is their reason for attending. And all members, especially the Vice President Membership, should pay attention to that answer.

As the meeting was ending, I asked each guest to stand and tell the group how they liked it. After a meeting, talk with any guests about how the club can help them. If they are not quite ready to join, invite them back. You will soon find out if they are interested. Those are the members that you want.

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have a question for The Answer Man, email it to magazine@toastmasters.org for a chance to be featured in an upcoming column.

Questions are occasionally edited for clarity and brevity.

---

---

Share this article