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District 63, Nancy Holder, DTM, #21 in the World
I started the year with a marketing plan. I shared it with the Area
and Division Governors, LGET, and Governor and asked them to buy in.
I used my LGM year as a High Performance Leadership (HPL) project.
That made me really think it out.
It was much more detailed than the High Performance Plan.
Follow up and keep in personal contact with the Area Governors.
In the last month, follow up with the clubs and get real commitment.
Ask, "when did you send the check, what was the check number?"
We sent postcards to drops and Area Governors followed up with the
clubs.
We stressed, "Eliminate the Goose Eggs (zeros) from the reports.
Area and Division Governors got the recognition.
Our theme was "Hop to It." Hop stands for "Help One
Person." One on one recruitment is the best way. I'm a frog lover
and we had the "Tadpole Award." The logo was a frog going
after that fly! To get the Tadpole award, you had to ask 25 guests
to your Toastmasters meeting. They didn't have to come or join, but
you had to invite them. Members sent in their list of 25 names. Clubs
with the Tadpole Award got more members. We recognized them at the
Spring Conference. At 10:30 pm on June 30th the Top 3 were making
calls. We made it by 1 per cap. Personal experience is a great teacher.
My vision was to see everyone at the convention go up on that stage.
District 19, Genny Marie Yarne, DTM, #22 in the World
Our visiting International Director Dwight Edstrom, DTM asked us to
have 5 potential club visits set up. This could include TV or radio.
He arrived early before the conference and we visited potential clubs
together. I did this as my High Performance Leadership project. Thirty
calls resulted in 8 visits and 2 clubs. In the past, we used the Manufacturers
Directory but did not have a great success rate. I looked at telecommunication
companies. Telling potential clubs that the International Director
is coming made the difference. At the visits, our ID spoke and I handled
the visuals. I created a folder of Toastmasters magazines, CTM and
Advanced manuals, and brochures. I made it personal. When starting
our Community College club, I sent email to individuals, rather than
to a long email list. I made the email personal and told them "we
can do something for them." I told them, "Let me tell you
what my personal goal is by June 30th." My opinion from the start
was we're going to do it. My IPDG Pat Amadeo, DTM asked, "What
can I do to help you?" She helped make calls. Area Governors
called Presidents and asked, "any 400s out there?" We found
that some clubs hold them. I visited Past International President
Len Jury's District and we corresponded during the year. Len Jury
told me, "You keep on working till midnight on June 30th. It
spurred me on. We made it by 7 per caps!
District 17, Josie Skibstad, DTM, #23 in the World
Membership retention! There was a really good club building effort.
Just positive reinforcement and encouragement in planting some seeds
for clubs. It was a really good team. Get leads started early. Get
new clubs in July, August, and September for per caps. Make sure clubs
are having quality meetings.
District 65, Ruth Parmenter, DTM, #24 in the World
At Mid-winter last year as a LGM, I realized how low our numbers were.
We came up from the cellar and made it. We held a contest named after
our District called 65: 6 new members and 5 educational achievements
This was a Club award, not an individual award. The prize was a $65
conference registration. The Club decided who got it. I made this
my High Performance Leadership project. The focal point was advertising,
that made a difference, putting it in front. This year we're promoting
"Leap Ahead." Five out of 10 DCP goals by leap year earns
the club a gift certificate at our bookstore. Seven out of 10 earns
a $30 certificate for the club.
Getting the clubs to get semis in is very difficult. You can't just
tell them, "they're overdue, get them in." You have to listen
to what the problem is, why haven't they gotten the semis in? Get
their point of view and you'll get the answers.
Go to the one with the power, not necessarily the one with the title.
We had a fabulous District Governor Donna Sokolowski, DTM, willing
to take phone calls and listen to problems. Right, wrong, or in between,
I came away feeling better.
You have to make people happy when they call. It made me want to do
things for her.
Coming from behind, we chartered 7 clubs which was phenomenal. We
had 3 before December. Never let a stone go untouched if there's a
chance of a new club. If I got a lead, I jumped on it immediately.
You have to do more than ask, "How's everything?" If people
are willing to do it for you, you're ahead. I was able to get people
to do things. You have to be a go-getter and be excited.
District 33, Paul Smith, DTM, #26 in the World
There is no magic in it. The people and the clubs just worked very
hard!
We used the Toastmasters theme, "The Secret is Out." Making
sure the people knew and getting the word out was my rallying cry.
Beat the bushes to get those people in and get them to the clubs.
Get the club membership to get membership up. We relied a lot on getting
our per caps in the first 3 months. I sent a personal letter to each
of the slips (slips generated by TI and sent to the DG when someone
calls the 1 800 9 WE SPEAK.) Charter your clubs early. Advertise,
advertise, advertise! The District has a web site this year. A District
chat is also starting. For our conference this year, the District
Governor sent personal, individual letters and we had to turn people
away! If you're enthused as a District Officer, you convey it to others.
District 3, Janice Winscot, #27 in the World
Success is due to Marketing Chair Art Nieto. He has been really good
at new clubs! It's a full time challenge for him. He works very hard
at it. It's communication, letting Area and Division Governors know
what's going on. Each Division Governor chaired the monthly meeting
and took responsibility. There were regular monthly meetings with
the Division Governors. Paula Glauz, LGET reports that this year the
District is running a monthly campaign on membership with incentives
like free registrations to TLIs and conferences.
District 2, Jerry Weltner, DTM, #28 in the World
There was no way I could do this by myself. It can't be a one man
show.
Put teams together and put teams to work. Give them a task, a project,
a deadline.
Be specific: 12 clubs by June 30th, 6 by December 31st (we got 7).
Close the opportunities. Some clubs had been meeting for over a year
and hadn't chartered. Put together a large team of 18-20, including
many PDGs. A few were assigned to close (the sale).
In December, I was at the bottom of the barrel looking up. The ID
helped me out by telling me that Districts lower in the numbers were
going to be Distinguished. Put the best people on the hardest projects.
We had "Charter Strength Coach Teams for clubs 14 and under.
We had materials such as software they could use, guest packets, a
new member ceremony. We had them look at a checklist. We told them
what they were doing well and what they could do better. Clubs with
14-18 members worked with the Area Governors to get the clubs to 20+.
Work the program. Clubs that worked the program didn't need the coaches.
If you have enough faith to believe, it will happen. Elaborate membership
programs don't work as well. There has to be a balance between new
clubs and retention. You can't concentrate on one or the other.
Marketing Excellence Compiled by Pam Keyzer, DTM
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