Archive for the ‘Membership’ Category


Markets Sausage Sizzles Uni Open Days

February 24th, 2010 by David Nicholas

A new opportunity for Public Relations in WA

Robyn Lloyd, the President of Western Founders, has proposed we pursue a new style of Public Relations to publicize Toastmasters in WA.  Of course it could be used anywhere in Australia, and probably most of the world.  It comes from Robyn’s highly successful project at Murdoch University Open Day on Friday, February 12, 2010.  You can read about the Open Day and the Canning Vale Sausage Sizzle on January 2nd & 3rd, 2010.

Robyn Lloyd
Robyn Lloyd

This is a summary of Robyn’s proposal, prepared from her recent email.

A marketing opportunity

With a community focus there is a marketing opportunity to promote WA Toastmasters clubs by using events such as Markets, Sausage Sizzles and University Open Days.
blank

Community Events Coordinator

This will be a new role.  It will be similar to the Speechcraft Coordinator function.
blank

The Coordinator’s role

This marketing strategy is aimed having a presence (stall) at local markets/ fairs/ festivals and various events that are held regularly  throughout the state or as annual events. The Coordiantor’s role will be

    To compile a list of such events and make it available to clubs.
    To store and make available a range of support materials for events – banners, handouts etc
    To prepare help files and make them available on appropriate web sites
    To publicise the available opportunities to Toastmaster members and officers

Coordinators relationship to WA Toastmasters Officers

The Coordinator would work with and alongside existing TM Marketing positions and strategies.  It is not intended that anyone’s role is to be taken over.  We need lots of strategies.

Contribute to the discussion

We need to engage in an energetic discussion to devise the best possible approach to this opportunity.

permalink | trackback

Posted by David Nicholas Posted in Membership, promotion | 2 Comments »


WA Membership hits 1,000

October 1st, 2009 by David Nicholas

The all time high

During September the total financial membership of Toastmasters in WA went over 1,000. You can track the current registered membership for each club, area and division at the DCP Report Page.

This is the first time we have exceeded this milestone. It won’t be the last. But we have to brace ourselves for …..

The coming plunge

Yes, our membership will drop dramatically in the next few weeks. The Renewals will do it.

Financial membership in Toastmasters runs in two 6 month cycles – from April to September and from October to the following March. The previous 6 month cycle from April to September has just expired. A payment of US$27 is required to maintain member status. Many clubs will have members who have not yet renewed – perhaps they are not going to, or in many cases they haven’t done so yet. That’s the group of members that clubs need to target. They intend to renew but haven’t done so.

There is a grace period for the next few weeks

Member payments lodged up to October 10 will be accepted as meeting the September 30 target. Beyond that, there is a grace period up to November 30. The full 6 month fee paid up to then will maintain a member’s financial status in the 6 month period. After November 30 members need to be reinstated.

There’s work to be done

Area Governors – you have an important role here. Perhaps the officers of one or more of your clubs don’t understand the situation. If they haven’t yet lodged any Renewals, they may need help to train them in the procedure. You can direct them to a page which explains the payment procedure. Or they may have lodged a small number and need to contact the remaining members to pay the club member fees so they can be sent to Toastmasters International.

The member drop is not a disaster

It is inevitable that there will be peaks in March and September and falls in April and October. That’s a fact of life for our clubs – average membership time is about 18 months, so on average clubs will lose about 1/3 of their membership at Renewal time. We don’t like to lose members, but it is part of our cycle. That’s why recruiting new members is such a priority – constantly we need new members to join to maintain our club strength.

How long before we hit the 1,000 target again?

That’s an important question. We need to build steadily now that we have provisional status for District WA. If we grow steadily, adding new clubs and building the membership of our existing clubs, we may be there by Christmas.

It’s important

Yes, club and member growth is important always, but particularly so now for us in WA, now that we have Provisional District status approved.

If you wish to contribute to this discussion, add your comment in the Leave a Reply box below.

David Nicholas DTM
WA Webmaster
Western Division Governor 2009/10

permalink | trackback

Posted by David Nicholas Posted in Membership | 2 Comments »