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This page gives 10 steps all Toastmaster clubs should adopt when greeting guests who are potential members to their club meetings.
Guests may have arrived at your club meeting from a number of methods:
- saw a club flier or poster
- saw a newspaper advertisement or article
- visited your club website, or the District Website Club Finder
- word of mouth or by invitation
- email enquiry
Whatever method the guest has used, here they are at the doorway of your club meeting venue.
Here is a 10 point plan for ensuring your guests have a good time at your meeting, and commit to returning.
- The Sergeant at Arms or other club officer should be positioned near the door to meet and greet any guests. Make sure you obtain their name, and information about how they arrived at your meeting. Find out if they would like to participate in Table Topics.
- The guest should sign the club visitor book, be issued with a Guest name tag, the meeting's agenda, a Membership Application Form, and the club's information pack to take home.
- The guest should be introduced to the Chairperson, President, and other club officers.
- If the guest has arrived with an existing club member, ensure they sit with them. Otherwise introduce the guest to a club member so they can sit with then during the meeeting and explain the procedures.
- Let the Table Topics Master know whether the guest is willing to participate in Table Topics so they can be called upon to speak at the right time. Find out whether the guest wishes to follow the theme of table topics, or just speak about themselves.
- Go through the club's information pack with the guest. This should contain a pamphlet about the club, a Toastmasters Magazine, a Membership Application Form, payment options, and contact information.
- Ensure the Chairperson correctly introduces the guest, or asks the sponsor to introduce their guest.
- Make sure the guest circulates at break time, and gets to know other members of the club.
- At the end of the meeting, ask the guest for feedback about how they enjoyed the meeting, and find out if they will be returning. This is another opportunity to talk about the info pack and answer any other questions.
- Follow up a few days later by contacting the guest and inviting them to the next meeting. Ensure the chairperson for the next meeting emails the agenda, so they know where and when the next meeting is being held. Ring a few days before the next meeting to check they will be coming back, or if not, find out why.
By following these 10 steps, every guest to your club should enjoy your club meeting, and make a commitment to coming to the next meeting.
Most clubs generally allow three visits before asking a guest to join.
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