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