We live in a dynamic society. People are highly mobile. Change is the norm rather than the exception. because of attrition, it is vital to the future of the club that there be a constant influx of new members. When clubs grow, everyone benefits. With more members, a club gains:-

-	better club programs, more variety, experiences and resources to draw upon and enrich the entire club program depth of club leadership
-	greater representation of Toastmasters throughout our community or organization
-	greater financial resources for club programming and projects
-	more people served and helped by Toastmasters programs
-	more enthusiasm at club meetings

Today, I'll share a system for helping prospects discover the power of Toastmasters... showing them what membership in your club can do for them ... and turning them into enthusiastic new members.

It is a selling process based on the same principles and techniques used in the world's top business organizations. It not only will help you strengthen your club, it also will help you develop valuable sales skills - skills that can enrich your own life.

The Marketing Concept
When you market, you find out the needs of your prospects, before introducing him/her the right product that suits him/her. In Toastmasters, our marketing efforts are "member-oriented." We must always be alert to the needs of those we aim to serve. Your analysis will help determine whether your club is meeting the needs of its present membership and may offer insights into meeting the needs of potential members.

Your Marketing Mix
Programming
Our service, communication and leadership training, varies in presentation and availability from club to club. Every club must strive to deliver the best service through effective programming that is possibly can.

Distribution System
Does your club serve as many potential members as it should ? Is your meeting time and location as convenient as it should be ? Have guests visited your club once but said, "I wish you met in the morning instead, " or vice-versa. If this situation points to a definite need, perhaps your club should change its meeting time or help sponsor a new club that meets at a different time of the day. Does your club meet often enough ? A bi-monthly meeting may be fine for a small club, but as a club grows it may find that weekly meetings are essential to insure that members can progress through the manual speeches as a satisfactory rate.

Promotion
Promotion is the key to your club's future growth. Promotion can take many forms including advertising, public relations and publicity, and membership campaigns within the club. Toastmasters International offers many promotional programs. Some such as the annual membership campaign, are for the benefit of members and clubs; others such as Speechcraft and the Youth Leadership Program, are prepared for club use in effective community promotions.

Segment your market for effective promotion. Are there areas in your community or departments within your company that are not represented in your club ? Identify them. Daily newspapers and TV cover large segments of the public, but a poster campaign, special invitation mailings, or publicity in a "shoppers guide " publication can inform specialized groups very effectively.

Personal contact is the most effective promotion too ! Encourage your members to promote the Toastmasters Club among their friends and contacts. Widespread advertising and publicity were never meant to replace the personal invitation, only to increase public awareness and acceptance of Toastmasters to make that first contact easier.

From Prospect to Guest to Member
If you have done your marketing, you are indeed ready to "sell your product." This is an activity for each and every club member. Provide them all with copies of the booklet From Prospect to Guest to Member which gives a brief review of important selling techniques.

Promoting membership is a human experience. It is a relationship between you and the potential member. You have to find the people who are interested in Toastmasters, and cultivate their interest.

Identify the prospect
How do you find a prospect ? How do you differentiate between the real prospect and the unlikely one ? 

-	Is there a need ? Will Toastmasters help the individual achieve what he or she expects in order to get ahead?
-	Does the person realize the need ? Maybe not.... then point it out !

Get their attention
People do not just buy - first you must persuade them to listen.

-	Start with a good sales letter. Remember to write as you would talk and write from the prospect's point of view.
-	Follow up with a phone call. Always phone for an appointment. Be sure to plan your presentation before you call. Makt it urgent, and put a smile in your voice.
-	Use a few opening gambits, such as "How would you like to improve your ability to communicate ? " "I believe I can help you to advance in your career." " It's a good idea to open your presentation with a question ... if you control what the answer will be.

Tell them about the benefits of Toastmasters

-	Get across to the prospect what Toastmasters can do for him or her.
-	Sell the sizzle, not the steak. be sure your club meeting sizzles with excitement.
-	People want to know what Toastmasters will do for them, not what they can do for Toastmasters, so show what Toastmasters has done for you and other members.

Prove your case
Find some most satisfied memebrs to tell the story for you. Make certain that the witness is recognized and respected. One method is to use testimonial letters in your membership campaigns or in club building activities.

Build Value

-	Draw comparisons. Point out that a one-day seminar typically costs more than the dues for a year in Toastmasters. Ask how much the prospect would pay to belong to a halfway decent social club -- which does not even provide educational literature ! Things will begin to fall into proportion.
-	Build quality into your club's educational program. It is easy to sell a quality product. You have to look quality, think quality, and show quality when you present the Toastmasters program.
-	Paint a verbal picture of the prospect standing before a large group of people, speaking eloquently. You let the prospect see himself enjoying the benefits of belonging.

Showmanship and closing techqniues
Use showmanship to demonstarte the benefits of belonging not by what is said, but by what is done. The best way to promote Toastmasters is to let the prospect "get into the act." Let visitors participate in Table Topics. In building a new club, let the prospects see the program in action, then involve them. Speechcraft is a good example of this approach.

When do you close, and how do you close ? When ? 

Get their name and help them to fill in the membership application form at their first visit or second visit, and bring their membership to vote before the club as soon as possible.