Club Growth Director

Club Growth Newsletter – September 2023

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Club Contest Season and Growth Opportunities

On Wednesday 21 September 2016 I walked into Lewisham Methodist Church with a friend. It was the venue for Lewisham speakers Toastmasters club, and it was a special night, Humorous speech, and Table Topics contests. That was my first Toastmasters experience and my first meeting with Julie Kertesz who was in the table topics contest and still a member.

I eventually joined Kent Speakers in May 2017, and club contests have played an important part in my Toastmasters development. I recall being excited after finishing third in our club Humorous speech contest. It did not matter that there were only three of us in the contest, my “I did it” moment was fulfilling. I subsequently performed better in the International Speech Contest reaching the Division H finals with Sandra Mighty and Dan McGill in Edenbridge in 2018.

Mo Dawodu at Contest

My International Speech Club contest experience made me both curious about Toastmasters and inspired me to attend my first Toastmasters International Convention in Chicago, where I experienced the international speech contest final live, Ramona J Smith with a speech titled still standing contributed to my long-term commitment to Toastmasters.

At club level we hold contests twice a year. I believe these are unique events to promote some of the benefits of Toastmasters, and we should consider sharing this experience by welcoming guests at the club, Area, and Division levels.

I have experienced many contests in the past six years, many as a functionary to support both at Club and District levels. Taking part in speech contests has challenged me to grow and as a member I will encourage you to take part as a contestant or support as a functionary.

Lot of winners are created at Club, Area, Division, District, and international levels. Like Ramona you could be still standing.

What next?

  • Why not invite guests to your Club, Area, and Division contests?
  • Take advantage of the opportunity to add five new members to qualify for the Smedley award benefits.
  • Please contact your Area Director, Division Director, or Club Growth Director with membership and new club ideas.

Thank you!

Mo Dawodu
Club Growth Director, 2023-2024

Club Growth Newsletter – June 2023

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Let’s Finish the Year with Determination

In Toastmasters, we place great emphasis on finishing the year with determination and striving for success until the very end. One example that resonates with this concept is the story of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Throughout his career, Phelps consistently demonstrated the power of finishing strong and overcoming challenges.

Phelps faced numerous obstacles and setbacks on his path to becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, during the 100m butterfly event, his goggles filled with water impairing his vision. Despite the disadvantage, Phelps didn’t give up. He continued to swim with unwavering determination and managed to win the gold medal by a mere one-hundredth of a second.

Phelps’ story showcases the importance of resilience, perseverance, and never giving up, even in the face of adversity. It serves as a powerful reminder that finishing strong is not only about achieving personal success but also about inspiring others and leaving a lasting impact.

In Toastmasters, we can draw inspiration from Phelps’ story by channelling our energy and efforts into finishing the year with the same level of determination and perseverance. Let’s support our fellow members, celebrate their achievements, and assist them in reaching their goals. Doing so contributes to a thriving Toastmasters community where everyone can strive for excellence and finish strong together.

Let’s celebrate our successes and finish strong together.

Let’s Celebrate New Clubs

I am thrilled to welcome two new clubs to District 91.  These clubs provide a platform for employees to sharpen their public speaking skills, refine their leadership abilities, and foster a culture of collaboration and growth. Through the Toastmasters program, members of these clubs will embark on a transformative journey, gaining the confidence and expertise needed to excel in their careers and make meaningful contributions to their teams.  Please welcome Natwest Wealth CDIO Toastmasters and Dr Martens Toastmasters Clubs.

NatWest Wealth CDIO Toastmasters

“We are proud and excited to join Toastmasters International and build our communication and leadership skills within our organization. We’re very grateful for all of the support from District 91; we’ve had 2 amazing sessions so far with resoundingly positive feedback and we’re building confidence with each step we take on this journey.”

Dr Martens Toastmasters

‘We are all really excited to get the new DM’s Toastmasters club off the ground and create a safe, supportive and fun environment to watch club members build confidence in public speaking’

Net Growth 10

The first 20 clubs who, by the 15th of June 2023, achieve a net growth of ten new members from their 1st July 2022 base number will win £100 to boost their club’s funds.  The winners so far are:

Bank Street Toastmasters

Beckenham Communicators

Bloomberg London Toastmasters

Bristol Central Speakers

City of London Toastmasters Club

Early Bird Speakers

Farnham Speakers Club

Holborn Speakers

Kent Speakers Club

London Cardinals

London Public Speakers

PA Consulting London

Winchmore Hill Speakers

Beat the Clock

Clubs adding five new, dual or reinstated members with a join date between May 1 and June 30 receive a Beat the Clock ribbon to display on the club’s banner.

District 91 will offer an additional monetary incentive for unique new and reinstated members only of £30.  The winners so far are:

Bloomberg London Toastmasters

City of London Toastmasters

Kent Speakers

Central London Toastmasters

London Public Speakers

Bank Street Toastmasters

Phoenix Award

This is an award to any club that started the year with 12 or fewer members and throughout the same toastmaster year built their membership to charter strength (20 members) by 30th April 2023.  We extended the deadline to 15th June.  I am happy to announce that the winners to date are:

Bank Street Toastmasters and Winchmore Hill Speakers.

Let’s Celebrate New Members!

We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable addition of 2,103 new members to District 91. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm of individuals committed to personal growth and effective communication and marks an incredible milestone for District 91. With each new member, our Toastmasters family expands, bringing a diverse range of perspectives, skills, and aspirations to our community. Let’s celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our 2,103 new members, who have embarked on an exciting journey of self-improvement and shared success. Here’s to their boldness, ambition, and the bright future they bring to District 91.

Finally, take a moment to reflect on what you and your club have achieved this year so far, whether it’s a successful speech contest, a new member achieving their goals, or a great meeting. Celebrate your successes and use them as motivation to keep going.

Let’s use the next three weeks to complete our goals and finish strong.  I look forward to seeing you at the finish line. Let’s keep going and let’s win together!

Thank you all for your efforts and many congratulations.

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023

Club Growth Newsletter – May 2023

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Eight Weeks to go: Let’s Finish Strong!

We are just eight weeks away from the end of the Toastmasters year, and I want to encourage you all to finish strong.

District 91 is currently sitting at an impressive number four in the world for member payments and with Select Distinguished status, which is a testament to the hard work and determination of all clubs in recruiting new members and renewing existing ones.

I am pleased to announce that we have welcomed almost 2000 new members since July 1st, 2022, and I want to extend a warm welcome to you all.

We’ve accomplished so much already, but there’s still work to be done when it comes to the number of paid clubs.

To ensure that we end the year on a high note, I would like to ask for your help in completing any outstanding renewals as soon as possible. Every renewal counts towards our overall success, and with your support, we can achieve our goals.

Additionally, if you or anyone you know is interested in starting a new club in the community or within your workplace, then please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. This is a fantastic opportunity to expand our reach and make Toastmasters accessible to even more people.

I want to share with you my top tips to help you finish strong.

1. Don’t give up on your goals. Even if progress has been slower than you had hoped, keep pushing forward and identify what you can do in the next eight weeks to achieve them.

2. Use this time to make a final push to bring in new members. Invite friends, family, and colleagues to attend meetings and experience Toastmasters.

3. Encourage members in your clubs to work together to achieve their goals and finish the year strong for added motivation.

4. While growth is important, it’s equally important to focus on the quality of your meetings and the experience your members are having. Ensure your meetings are engaging, interactive, and fun, and encourage your members to take on leadership roles and give feedback to improve the club experience. This will also motivate guests to become members.

Finally, take a moment to reflect on what you and your club have achieved this year so far, whether it’s a successful speech contest, a new member achieving their goals, or a great meeting. Celebrate your successes and use them as motivation to keep going.

To further motivate you, here is a reminder of incentives still to be won:

Net Growth 10

The first 20 clubs who, by the 15th of June 2023, achieve a net growth of ten new members from their 1st July 2022 base number will win £100 to boost their club’s funds. Will your club win?

Beat the Clock

Clubs adding five new, dual, or reinstated members with a join date between May 1 and June 30 receive a Beat the Clock ribbon to display on the club’s banner.

District 91 will offer an additional monetary incentive for unique new and reinstated members only of £30.

Phoenix Award

This is an award to any club that started the year with 12 or fewer members and throughout the same Toastmaster year built their membership to charter strength (20 members) by 30th April 2023. Three clubs were so close to achieving this award but sadly missed out on this deadline.

So, to give everyone a fighting chance, we are extending the deadline to 15th June.

Let’s use the next eight weeks to complete our goals and finish strong.  I look forward to seeing you at the finish line, I’ll be holding a virtual (sustainable and reusable) bottle of water for you for the final month in the next newsletter.  Let’s keep going and let’s win together!

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023

Club Growth Newsletter – April 2023

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First things first: Thank You!

As your Club Growth Director, I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for your dedication and commitment to growing membership numbers so far this Toastmasters year. I trust that this has made a difference to your clubs.  Your passion for learning, improving your communication skills, and supporting one another is truly inspiring, and it’s what makes District 91 such a special community.

I want to encourage you to continue spreading the word about Toastmasters and the benefits of membership. Your enthusiasm and willingness to invite guests to our meetings and events are crucial to our growth and success. Every person you bring to your club has the potential to become a valuable member of our community, and I thank you for your efforts in helping us grow.  We are in the final quarter of the Toastmasters year, and I encourage you to keep growing.

Here are my top tips:

  1. Host an Open House to showcase your club to potential members. Consider hosting an open house event that highlights the benefits of joining Toastmasters, offers guests the chance to observe a typical meeting, and includes opportunities for guests to ask questions and engage with current members. Be sure to promote your open house on social media and local community bulletin boards.
  1. Social media can be a powerful tool for attracting new members to your club. Share information about your club’s meetings, events, and activities, as well as testimonials from current members about the benefits they have experienced through Toastmasters.
  1. Consider introducing Toastmasters in your place of work. A corporate Toastmasters club can provide a range of benefits to both employees and the organisation including improved communication skills, increased employee engagement, professional development, networking opportunities, cost-effective training, and enhanced company culture.

I would encourage you all to review your current membership goals so that your club can finish the Toastmasters year as strong as possible.

Renewals are Open!

We’ve barely finished our April membership renewals and I ask you to start preparing for the October 2023 renewal period, Toastmasters International’s semi-annual membership dues will incur a small increase and will now be $60 USD.  This still represents great value for money and Toastmasters continues to be the best and most cost-effective way to become a confident communicator and inspiring public speaker or leader.

The price increase takes effect from 1st August 2023.

Incentives: Net Growth 10 Challenge

The Net Growth 10 challenge is an exciting opportunity for Toastmasters clubs to grow their membership and win a prize to support their club’s activities. By participating in this challenge, clubs can increase their membership and create a more dynamic and diverse club experience that benefits current and future members. So why not take up the challenge and see how much your club can grow?

The goal of Net Growth 10 is simple: to achieve a net growth of 10 new members from the club’s base number as of July 1, 2022, by June 15, 2023.

However, to meet the challenge criteria please note that. “Net growth” refers to the difference between the number of new members a club has gained and the number of members who have left the club during the specified period. So, for example, if a club had 20 members on July 1, 2022, and gained 15 new members by June 15, 2023, but lost 5 members during that period, their net growth would be 10, which would meet the challenge criteria.  If a club successfully achieves this net growth target, it will win a prize of £100 to boost its club’s funds.

The Net Growth 10 challenge can help support the club’s activities and initiatives. By attracting new members, clubs can benefit from fresh perspectives, new ideas, and increased diversity, which can all contribute to a more vibrant and dynamic club experience.

However, you have every opportunity to plan for this and submit renewals before the increase date.  Yes, the renewals window is open!

Talk Up Toastmasters

Talk Up Toastmasters is a membership-building program that takes place annually from February 1 to March 31 2023. The program is designed to encourage members to invite guests to their club meetings and promote Toastmasters to others.  During the Talk Up Toastmasters program, members are challenged to add five new, dual, or reinstated members to their club.

They say it’s good to talk, and the following clubs have achieved this award:

104 London Debaters

1st London Toastmasters

Basingstoke Speakers

Beckenham Communicators

Bloomberg London Toastmasters

Brighton & Hove Speakers Club

Bristol Central Speakers

Central London Toastmasters

Chiltern Speakers Club

City of London Toastmasters Club

Data Science Speakers Club

Epsom Speakers Club

Farnham Speakers Club

Holborn Speakers

Kent Speakers Club

Lloyds Banking Group Toastmasters

London Communicators Club

London Public Speakers

London Victorians

Society Speakers

The Speakers of Croydon Club

Trojan Speakers Club

Winchmore Hill Speakers

Woking Speakers Toastmasters Club

All the above clubs also managed to introduce 5 or more unique members to their clubs.  They will all receive an award of £30 and will be notified by email on how to claim their award. Congratulations.

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023

Club Growth Newsletter – March 2023

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Renewals Renewals Renewals

Please encourage all members to renew asap.  The deadline is 31st March 2023.

Some clubs experienced delays in their September renewals, so I encourage you to not leave renewals close to the final deadline.  Below are the winners of the early renewals incentive.  These clubs renewed 20 or more members by 28th February 2023.  Well done!!

All clubs will be notified by email with details about how to claim their £50 award:

1st London Toastmasters

Beckenham Communicators

Berkeley Square Speakers Toastmasters Club

Bloomberg London Toastmasters

BMS Uxbridge Toastmasters Club

Bristol Central Speakers

Bromley Speakers

City of London Toastmasters Club

Early Bird Speakers

Excalibur Speakers

Infineum Milton Hill Speakers

Kent Speakers Club

Lloyds Banking Group Toastmasters

London Cardinals

Microsoft Speakers Club

Oxford Speakers Club

Paddington Toastmasters

Riverside Communicators

Shilling Speakers

Thame Speakers

Trojan Speakers Club

Worthing Speaker’s Club

Member Self Pay

All club officers were recently notified about member self-pay.

Here is a general walkthrough of how a club might manage self-pay. First, the club officers should discuss this option with the entire club and vote on whether or not to enable this feature. If agreed, any current club officer can enable this feature for the entire club through Club Central. Once enabled, all members will have the ability to self-pay their dues through their My Home Page. Additionally, any current officer can also disable this ability for a specific member or leave it on for the whole club. Once members have paid their dues using Self-Pay, they will show as paid on the club roster. Note that World Headquarters is only accepting international dues at this time, and all club dues will continue to be collected and managed at the club level. If your club collects club dues, it is recommended that you discuss the process, of how best to collect these dues prior to or at the same time as renewal dues, with your fellow club officers. Once a process has been agreed upon, it should be shared with your entire club membership and included in your club policy.  Further details about self-pay are here: https://www.toastmasters.org/footer/faq/Self-Pay

New Members – the Road to 5000

Did you know that since July 1st 2022, District 91 has gained 1,348 new members?

A piece of additional news on our goal to achieve 5000 unique members by June 2023, we currently have 3904 unique members.  Well done to all clubs for achieving this.

Talk Up Toastmasters

Have you seen the latest Talk Up Toastmasters videos? Everyone’s talking up Toastmasters! Check out this link for more:

The Talk Up Toastmasters membership program is the chance to encourage your members to invite guests to a meeting where prospective members can learn about Toastmasters’ many benefits. Then add five new, dual or reinstated members with a join date between February 1 and March 31, and you’ll receive a special Talk up Toastmasters ribbon to display on your club’s banner.

In addition to the above, there is an additional incentive for the first 15 clubs that gains 5 new unique or reinstated members only. The award is £30.

Check out the incentives page here: https://d91toastmasters.org.uk/members/resources/incentives/

Debbie’s Top Tips!

  • Are all members making the most of their membership?In addition to club meetings, there are various training, webinars and leadership opportunities.
  • Are members not given the opportunity to participate as much as they’d like? Try a rotation method so that everyone gets a chance to fulfil all the roles at club meetings.
  • Does your club have a specific onboarding process for all new members? All new members should be enrolled in pathways asap after they join and are integrated into the club straight away.

And here’s a reminder of the Toastmasters’ Promises

As a member of Toastmasters International and my club, I promise:

  • To attend club meetings regularly
  • To prepare all of my projects to the best of my ability, basing them on the Toastmasters education program
  • To prepare for and fulfil meeting assignments
  • To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations
  • To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all members to learn and grow
  • To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so
  • To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy
  • To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters membership offers
  • To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters education and recognition programs
  • To act within Toastmasters’ core values of integrity, respect, service and excellence during the conduct of all Toastmasters’ activities

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023