The Journey Begins With Club Officers

When visitors attend your club meeting, it’s important to ask them questions about their goals and background. While all members are responsible for asking questions, club officers are accountable for ensuring they have a positive first impression.

Below are seven questions that give club officers valuable insight into the quality of visitors’ and members’ club experience.

1 How did you learn about Toastmasters?
The vice president public relations (VPPR) is responsible for promoting the club. The VPPR needs to know which marketing/PR techniques are successful, leverage those techniques and consider new ones. Did the guest discover your club via “Find a Club” on toastmasters.org, the club’s website, Facebook, Meetup, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter … or through word of mouth? For corporate clubs, did the guest see it on the company’s internal intranet site?

2 Why did you attend our club meeting today? Did a member or co-worker invite you?
The vice president membership ­ (VPM) asks these questions to find out if guests have a specific reason for attending. If the guest came with a member, we still want to know why they came.

3 What did you think of our meeting?
The president, vice president education (VPE) and sergeant at arms (SAA) need to hear whether the guest experienced a well-organized, educational, inspirational and fun meeting!

4 How can Toastmasters help you?
When guests become members, the VPE will use this information to support them in charting their paths in Pathways to achieve their goals.

5 How do you spend your time when not attending a Toastmasters meeting?
Learning about each guest’s profession, community involvement and family will help the VPE choose a mentor when the guest becomes a member.

6 What questions do you have about joining our club?
The VPM uses this question to start the conversation. If the visitor decides to join, the VPM gives the New Member Application to the secretary to enter and the membership dues to the treasurer to record and track.

7 What do you want to achieve through your membership in Toastmasters?
The VPE uses this information to support the member in achieving their goals.

Hold your club, your club officers and yourself accountable this year for club quality, for club GOLD!

LARK DOLEY, DTM

International President