Marketing your club is like giving a speech.  When preparing a speech, we have to consider our audience, and their needs/interests.  To promote our club and increase membership, we can take a similar approach by identifying the groups of people our club serves, and what their specific interests are.  Marketing generically to the general public doesn’t work that well for most organizations.  It’s impossible to craft a meaningful message that resonates with everyone.  As an alternative, consider the specific audiences your club could easily serve, based on where and when it meets.  Once you’ve identified the audiences, consider the following questions:

• What are this audience’s specific needs/interests, and how can your club satisfy them?
• What’s your specific message to this audience?
• What’s the best way to reach this specific audience?

Below are a few examples.

Perhaps there’s a college or educational institution near your club.  Students of that institution are looking for skills, experience, and credentials to help them land that first job.  Your club offers all 3 benefits.  To reach this specific audience, contact the school’s career services office, let the staff know about your club’s benefit to students, and ask for help in reaching students.  Additionally, craft a flyer that emphasizes the skills gained from Toastmasters, and how they’ll attract top employers.

Are there employers near where your club meets?  Your Toastmasters club is an employer’s dream, because it provides a quality communication and leadership development program for employees.  The Toastmasters education program is great for grooming managers and leaders.  Craft a flyer or simple letter that positions your club as an employee-development resource for these employers.  Connect with these employers and your meeting room will be full.

What about individuals learning English as a second language (ESL)?  Your club is a tremendous resource for this audience.  This audience is everywhere, and you only need to determine the best way to reach these individuals.

If your club meets within a company, consider the needs of certain departments, job functions, and job levels.

• Ambitious new hires often want to integrate into the company, meet others, and improve their skills right away.
• Employees looking to move into management would be very interested in both the communication and leadership benefits of your club’s program.
• New managers often find themselves needing additional skills in their new role.

Your club has amazing value for these groups and more.

In summary, understanding who your club can serve focuses your club’s marketing efforts, allowing you to reach and resonate with those individuals.  Once we understand our audience(s), crafting a message and finding the best way to deliver that message becomes much easier.