Open doors to new members

What is an Open House Meeting?

An Open House Meeting is a special event aimed at showcasing to a large number of guests what Toastmasters can do. The aim is to inspire these guests to become Toastmasters members. It differs from a regular club meeting in a number of ways:

The meeting agenda is designed to encourage guests to take an active part in an energetic meeting.
The table topics section will feature shorter table topics (1 min) and be run via cards filled by individual audience members.
At least one prepared speech will be a testimonial by a club member on her/his experience and the impact of Toastmasters on his/her life.
A larger than normal number of people will be present.
There will be longer breaks and more networking time.

What support is available from the District?

A successful Open House Meeting will require a fair amount of prior preparation. A big measure of success of an Open House is to have a large audience that’s highly engaged with the meeting itself so that it sees the benefits of Toastmasters first-hand. It is recommended to begin the preparation of an Open House at least six weeks in advance and ideally two months beforehand. To support you with making your Open House a success, a lot of information is available:

An extensive Open House Guide is at hand.
Case studies from City of London Toastmasters club that attracted over 100 people
- at their offline event in February 2019;
- at online event in January 2021.
Hint, Tips and Tricks one page to help you start planning your Virtual Open House.

Additionally, District 91 will provide material support clubs organising an Open House.

Clubs will receive a free box of marketing materials for physical Open House Meetings, containing flyers, booklets, name badges, ribbons and other goodies.