Talk to the Human™ » Marketing

Toastmasters: 20 isn’t the goal

Rob Christeson — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 01:07:35 +0000

Sitting at the Toastmasters International Convention, I watched as a friend of mine went to the stage to receive an award on behalf of her district. They were being recognized for having the most clubs with 20 or more members, over 80% in their case. I was looking at the statistics and there are quite a few districts, like ours in Kansas and Western Missouri, that have closer to 50% of their clubs with 20 or more members.

What’s the difference? I think that it is a decision that the club makes. Either A, you choose to treat 20 as a finish line (i.e. “we just need to get to 20 in June to make distinguished”), or B, you treat 20 as a minimum for having a successful club all of the time.

What are the pros and cons? Well, in option A you trade doing less work marketing for doing more work running club meetings and other functions. You may have an easier time getting speaking slots, but fewer folks are getting experience and the pool of great evaluators is small. If a few people miss a meeting, your speaking to a small audience and probably doing double (or triple) duty.

In option B, you do more work publicizing and marketing the club, and also a little more work scheduling. More members means more speakers, more evaluators, and more people having fun. It’s surprising how contagious that can be.

So how do you get from A –> B? There’s a simple (but not easy) process:

1. Decide to do it – it seems to take about four dedicated members to get the group on board.
2. Make a plan – how will you market your club? Website, Company paper, Library bulletin board, etc.)
3. Set the example – give manual speeches and invite guests
4. Hold your members accountable – don’t be harsh, but ask how they are approaching others, and how they are doing on their goals
5. Have fun!

Getting to 20 isn’t the finish line. Treat it like your minimum and you’ll see just how successful and FUN your club can really be!

Tips for Toastmasters: We Miss You

Rob Christeson — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:52:54 +0000

Just think…how powerful can three words be to a friend that hasn’t attended a recent Toastmasters Meeting? When they are the right three words, like “We miss you”, they can make all the difference in the world. There are three critical times that these heartfelt words can help define the success of your club and its members:

Toastmaster of the week – When you are filling those roles the week before your meeting, you will normally find yourself talking to someone who may have missed a meeting or two. Taking that opportunity to say “We miss you…I hope you can attend and serve as General Evaluator” (for example) can help to remind them that they are valued members of the club, and that you noticed their absence.

Vice President of Membership – Any member that misses three or four meetings in a row should get a call (not e-mail) from their VP of Membership. By saying “We miss you” combined with a reminder that we look forward to helping them achieve their goals can help remind them of why they joined in the first place and hopefully get them coming again.

Club President – Members have a plethora of reasons for why they leave the club. But remember, those reasons can (and do) change after they leave the club. That kid’s soccer practice that conflicted with the meeting could have changed days, people with college class conflicts graduate, and other life events change.

Every club president should look at the non-renewals from the last dues period (i.e October non-renewals in May) and send a note to each member that didn’t renew. Find out if their reason for leaving still outweighs the reasons to come back. Saying ” We miss you” could be the catalyst to get a friend back on track. And if the conflict is still there, don’t be afraid to offer alternatives. There could be an open club that meets a block away the next night.

If you ask, you’ll hear that many people join Toastmasters strictly for self-improvement reasons. Don’t underestimate the personal connection you have made to your fellow members, and the connection they have made to you and your club. Remind them that you are glad to see them, and when you don’t see them remember to say “We miss you”

P.S. This post is also on my District 22 Marketing Blog, along with other tips for Toastmasters Leaders.

Book Review: Small is the New Big

Rob Christeson — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:13:50 +0000

Another gem by Seth Godin, Small is the New Big is a series of riffs (which could be translated as blogs or short stories – Merriam-Webster defines riff as a succinct, usually witty comment) with everything about being smarter in business from A to Z. And yes, there is a Z.

One of the nice things about this book is it’s made to be read over time. Just because you pick it up doesn’t mean you need to read it straight through. In fact, Seth opens by recommending that you don’t read it straight through. Read (or on the CD version listen to) his ideas and see if they trigger some ideas for your own business or other endeavors. If you have a success-driven mindset, these riffs will trigger ideas.

Customer Service, Business Agility, Content over Packaging, Uncommen Partnerships, and the True Value of a MBA are just some concepts of the 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas contained in this book.

My opinion: Worth whatever you pay for it.

Next week: Review of his coming book: Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?
This review will be posted before the book is available (Jan 25th).