Page 20 - july 2019
P. 20
FIELD NOTES
Club Quality is the Foundation for Future Growth and Promotion
Kathleen Tully, DTM - Public Relations Manager
Welcome to the new Toastmasters year! Let’s participate can guide and inspire investment in
talk PR for your club. Are you thinking “Wait. this effort!
What? It’s only July. Do we really need to start • When evaluating the club quality, take
promoting the club right now?” And my response some time to consider the following:
is Yes! Absolutely! • Are members greeted and acknowledged
The stand-out best way to begin promoting as they enter the meeting room?
your club is with current club membership! • Is the room arranged and ready for the
Everyone has heard the saying “a bird in the meeting to begin?
hand is worth two in the bush.” It’s much easier to • Are the meetings well organized with
invest your valuable time and energy in creating appropriate supplies at the ready?
the best possible member experience to retain • Does each member have a name tent or
current members than it is to recruit new ones. badge for easy recognition?
The beginning of the new Toastmasters year • Is there an agenda to provide focus and
is the ideal time to re-evaluate, refresh, and serve as a road map for the meeting?
reinvigorate your Toastmasters club. Where to • Do members sign up for meeting roles well
start? Before you start thinking about promoting in advance?
your club outside, it’s time to look inside your • Is the environment supportive, fun, and
club. What is your club doing well? What aspects engaging?
of your club are contributing to the club’s • Do the club meetings include creativity
success? Are club members working together to and variety?
provide a quality club experience each week? • Are members giving speeches that are
Great! Celebrate that. Then, as with any speech well prepared and informed by the
evaluation or general evaluation, look for areas Toastmasters education program?
of improvement. What can the club do better to • Are they finishing up manuals in the legacy
make it stronger and generate positive impact education program or well on their way in
on its members? Member feedback on why they the Pathways program? Or both?
20 ONE COMMUNITY
