A club's health comes down to two numbers: how many people join and how many stay. As VP Membership, you own both. Here's how to bring guests in, keep members around, and use Toastmanagers to spot trouble early.
What the VP Membership does
You lead recruitment. You make sure visitors are greeted and given information, plan outreach such as open houses, and collect applications and initial dues from new members, passing them to the Treasurer.
Your two membership goals
The Distinguished Club Program has two membership goals: four new members, and four more new members. Only members whose dues are paid count. Guests don't, however often they attend. Your club also needs 20 members, or net growth, by June 30 for Distinguished recognition.
Make guests easy to welcome
- Assign someone to greet each guest at the door
- Give every guest an agenda and a seat beside a member
- Collect contact details before the meeting starts
- Follow up within 24 hours
Toastmanagers has a free guest page you can publish for your club. It explains how to attend, what to expect, and who to contact, while member names and role assignments stay private. Many clubs keep FreeToastHost as their main website and link to the guest page for the working details. Our guests to members guide has the full follow-up plan.
Turn a yes into a member
- An officer helps the guest complete the Membership Application
- Your club accepts the application according to its usual process
- An officer adds the new member in Club Central and handles payment
- Add them to Toastmanagers with an invitation
Once they've joined, give them a role in their first few meetings. Timer and Ah-Counter are good places to begin. Members who feel useful early tend to feel like they belong.
Renewals without panic
Dues are due October 1 and April 1. Dues on time, with at least eight members including three renewing, are part of Goal 10 of the Distinguished Club Program.
- Announce the deadline six weeks before
- Work with the Treasurer on one clear way to pay
- Speak personally to anyone who hasn't renewed
- Ask members who are leaving why, and write it down
Spot at-risk members early
Members rarely announce that they're leaving. They just slowly stop showing up. Watch for:
- Attendance falling over several meetings
- Declining roles or leaving them unconfirmed
- No speech in months
- A long stretch of unavailable dates
The Members tab in Toastmanagers gives admins these signals in one sortable table. A spreadsheet can only show you what somebody remembered to type in. Here, attendance and confirmations come straight from the schedule. Sort by attendance, and you've got this week's phone list.
A simple check-in
"Hi Tom, we've missed you the last few meetings. No pressure at all, I just wanted to check in. Is there anything we could do to make the club more useful for you right now?"
See Who's Drifting Before They Leave
Attendance, confirmations, and role history for every member, in one sortable table.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests do we need to get one member?
It varies by club. Track your own numbers for a few months, and you'll know where people drop off.
Can a guest take a role?
Guests usually watch, and they can try a Table Topic if they'd like.
What if a member can't afford dues?
Talk to your president privately. Clubs handle this in different ways, and a quiet conversation matters more than a rule.