Club Growth Director

To be or not to be the Club Coach

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“To be, or not to be, that is the question” I was in the throes of moving from Yorkshire to Cornwall. Thrilled to discover there was a local Toastmasters club to which I could transfer. Imagine how disconsolate I felt when the President announced that the club could soon be folding. Oh no! The Area … Read more

What will your club look like in July 2021?

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What will your club look like in July 2021? Fellow members, as we roll in to the final couple of months of this Toastmasters year, take a look at the faces of your club members at your next club meeting. Are they largely the same as they were a few months ago? To what extent … Read more

Demystifying the role of the Club Growth Director

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Demystifying the role of the Club Growth Director Having read a number of Area Director visit reports, one of the things that struck a chord with me is that many of you may not know what the District Leadership Team does and what other roles are available within our great organisation. I thought I’d focus … Read more

Growth Together

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Growth Together We were delighted so many of our members renewed and we were fortunate enough to attract new members as well We have already started planning for next March’s renewals! Firstly we are always looking for ways to attract and retain members to give ourselves a solid base. Our team ensures at least one … Read more

The power of an invitation

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Do you remember receiving invitations to birthday parties when you were younger or a ‘save the date’ card through the post for a wedding or other function? Do you remember how that made you feel? In an age where everything is digital, it’s hard for us to cut through the noise. Perhaps this is even more so, as clubs are operations have moved online. To that end, personalisation may be that much more important.

Reflecting on some invitations this month:

  • I’d been invited to serve as General Evaluator at a club other than my own – which I’d accepted. A role that continues to be a privilege and an honour to undertake
  • As a District, we’d been invited to participate in a marketing festival. We accepted this and ran a demo session for their audience – another way to promote Toastmasters to an external audience
  • We concluded our first virtual Speechcraft in the District – in the final session, it is customary to invite participants to join Toastmasters if they would like to continue their learning journey

There are many reasons to extend an invitation and most would graciously accept. Sadly, I’ve also had to turn down a few invitations to attend contests in the last few weeks. However, on the subject of contests, let’s check in on David and Carmen. Both actually had a go at competing in their club contests because the Contest Chair invited them to do so! David went on to win Table Topics!

This month, I’d like to introduce a returning member. Rob was a member of a community club and served on its committee about 5 years ago. He then went on to serve on the committee at his workplace club for a year or two and then had a break due to other commitments. He’s recently rejoined and getting back into the swing of things.

Whether it be responding to a guest enquiry, asking for someone to help with a project or an event at your club, or asking a guest if they’d like to return or join your club – most of us take the next step when invited to do so. Who will you next extend an invitation to?

Rupa Datta
District 91 Club Growth Director 2020-2021