An Open Night plan of attack?
- Form a committee of motivated members – remember the synergy of using projects from the member’s educational program such as the CL manual of High performance Leadership project
- Share and study the resources below
- Creatively brainstorm, Plan and implement your open night
- Let me know about your event and i will publicize on the District’s PR channels
- Claim your Incentive rewards
There are 3 elements to the incentive and to claim the incentive here is what you have to do.
- Promote the meeting and your club will be awarded gift certificates or ribbons up to the value of $10.
- Promote your Open House meeting, keep a record of each guest you welcome to your meeting and send the list of names to Brenda Lannon at d71prmblannon@gmail.com. Your club will be awarded gift certificates to the value of $15 or products from the TI shop.
Join up a guest or guests who attended your open house meeting as member(s) to your club and receive $20 in promotional products from the Toastmasters store
Open Night Resources
- Brainstorming ideas for Open nights and related PR
- Open House Flyer https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/open-house-flier
- Open House Presentation https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/marketing%20presentations
- Guide: From Prospect to Guest To Member https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/from-prospect-to-guest-to-member
- Guide: Success 101 https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/success-101
- Toastmaster Magazine Article “Stir Up Excitement With an Open House or Demo Meeting” https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2017/july2017/openhouse
- Best Practice Case Study Open Nights – how to bring in more members
- Toastmaster Rick Furbish has been phenomenally effective organizing open and demonstration meetings.
Broader Public Relations ideas
Sending out a media release is one of the most effective ways to let people know about your club and its activities.
Sharing a news release with your local media is very effective, as they can help you reach a much bigger audience than you might reach on your own.
If you would like to promote your club with a media release, here are three sample templates you can adapt and use for your club, area, or division!
For an Open Night click here
To share news of your Club Speech Contest Winners click here
To announce your new slate of Club officers click here
Finally, here is a press release template from Toastmasters International — feel free to adapt this for your club. Other sample releases, like for an Open Night, are also available, here.
Would you like to contact the media, but not sure what to say or how to do it? Here is a document to give you some step-by-step instructions: D71 approaching the media
If you are VPPR: “Let the World Know” is an essential guide for any Toastmaster wanting to help raise the profile of their club with PR: let the world know – Toastmasters International — it’s most important to VP PRs!
Webinars have been recorded so you can continue to benefit from the how-to information!
How to contact the media: Intro to PR — click here to view
Getting them through the door: How to attract visitors to your club — click here to view
Digital “Succession Planning” – click here
PR Tips – click here to watch video or here
Creating Membership Magic: Tactics for Toastmasters — click here
Finally, here is a webinar from D71 specifically on how to use press releases and club videos to promote your club. Enjoy!
