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today’s world, consistent product awareness is time and day.
not hard to do. Social media allows you to send The more often you can get your club name
automated messages based on a schedule you and your product before your potental buyers,
select. But savvy public relations and marketing the faster you can cure your club’s case of
professonals use multiple approaches to get their empty-seat-itis.
clients’ products in front of potential buyers. Whch leads us—smack, dab—into product
Well, guess what—you can do the same thing! delivery.
For very little cost, your club can get the word Have you ever gotten sucked into buyng
out to your community. Flyers, free postings to one of those “as-seen-on-TV” offers where the
online bulletn boards, social media, television product looked like it would be a wonderful
and radio spots, blogs, human interest articles addition to your life? Do you remember the rush
in the local papers, conversations in networking of excitement when you knew—just knew—it was
groups, and talking in the grocery store checkout the exact product you’d been looking for? Then
lines are just a few of the avenues your club when you got it home, it was a dud?
can use in your club’s marketng Yeah, I know. Your disappointment outweighed
campaign. Consistent exposure, your anticipation exponentially. You
like the drip, drip, drip of a faucet then punished the company by telling
is more effectve that an occasional everyone who’d listen what a terrble
media blast. product it was.
But consistent awareness takes work
and creativity. Here’s a secret you can use Well, here’s the sad truth.
to your club’s advantage — sometimes public If your club meetings don’t
relations requires you to create the news so you meet the expectations of your
can report on it. Is your club experencing a dry members, they won’t renew.
period? Start a new project and write about it: And worse yet, they will tell
XYZ Toastmasters recognizes members who. . . everyone who’ll listen about their
end with your club name, location, and meeting impression of your club.
time and day. Last month’s article was
Is nothing spectacular happening in your
focused on discovering what
club that’s worth writing about? Perhaps you your members wanted from
just need a new perspective! Consider looking
for connections between what your members your club. If you know what your members
are learning in your club and what’s happening expect from their membership, you will be in
in your community. Connect the dots for your a better position to keep your chairs filled. But
potental members. that’s only one facet of your product delivery
Blog about events in your members’ lives. system. Does your club have a culture of giving
For example: Mary Smith, a member of XYZ only prepared speeches using the educatonal
manuals? Are your members giving evaluatons
Toastmasters, spoke before the school board last that offer the speaker feedback they can use? Are
evening. Her argument in favor of school sports table topics giving members an opportunty to
was delivered usng an easy-to-follow three- stretch and learn new skills? Do your members
point structure. She answered questions from the engage with the speaker, or do they look and act
school board clearly and succinctly. Mary credts like they are simply waiting for the speech to
Toastmasters for her ablty to speak under pressure. end? How are guests treated? What is the climate
She . . . end with your club name, location, and of your club—warm and friendly or tepid and
meeting time and day. cliquish? Are you sure?
Or, write an article for that well-delivered Filling your chairs requires consistent
speech: Joe Johns, member of XYZ Toastmasters, attention and commitment. By being creative
spoke on the growng trend in jaywalkng in the in how you talk up your club, using more than
ABC neighborhood. He . . . end with your club one approach (product awareness) and creating
name, location, and meeting time and day. a fun, learning environment where visitor and
Every member has a story. Mine those member expectatons are met (product delivery),
nuggets and shout them to the world. Remember you wll be able to get the elephant off the table
to include your club name, location, and meeting and cure your club’s case of empty-chair-itis.
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 10 APRIL, 2017 37
