I was asked by a committee member (who I hope will be our next President) about membership numbers in both clubs I belong to in the UK and what causes membership to go up and down. She will be incorporating and adapting some of these ideas in her presentation at the next Club Officer Training.

1Email HQ in USA. They should have exact membership figures. Indra may be able to help. He was a founder member of Harrovians and introduced me and was my mentor. He recruited me from another local club, Harrow Writers' Circle.

2 We used to have a list of members and their addresses, phone numbers and emails which was given to all new members so everybody knew the exact membership number every other month. This was discontinued for security reasons. 

3 It would be helpful to have the president announcing the membership numbers at every meeting. Then every committee members and and ordinary members and guest would know where they stand. (Some guests would like to join a busy club which is obviously successful and in demand. Others prefer a small club where they can quickly get a committee role, become a VIP, improve their CV, and get speaking slots to achieve their CC or CL certificate within a year, whilst living in London, ready for next job interview/post, wedding speech in Spring or summer, or to get results like O level in one year for the price of one year’s membership fee.

4 Membership increased when we were the only club in the area meeting twice a month and nearest rival was HOD meeting only once a month and Watford did not exist and we met at a pub in central Harrow near the tube station. The president was a charismatic single man who held committee meetings at his house and had a series of girlfriends. Membership was challenged by some disappearing presidents (one lasted less than a month - achieving his aim of getting promoted to a good job). We also had loss of and change of venue, our pub meeting place closed down. We were originally double the size of HOD 30-40 compared to their 15-20. HOD was retired people in no hurry to complete manuals,a social group rising money for charity.

5 The biggest challenge is actually having a membership secretary who signs people up at meetings. I was signed up at the first meeting I attended by Ann Connolly. She had the manuals and said if I wrote a cheque, for less than £100, I would have a year’s membership, a mentor, be on the next meeting programme with my first speech, and she would give me the two manuals she showed me at break time. I joined instantly to get the manuals and join the group.

6 membership sank when we had membership secretary who was away several meetings in a row on business and it was decided that ‘everyone’ would stand in which meant nobody did - everybody was engaged chatting to friends or arranging other matters.

7 We’ve had a lot of members between jobs reluctant to spend money and part with it. We’ve even had a president who was not a paid up members, naturally not pro-active in in persuading others to pay. 

8 At both Harrovians and HOD we’ve gone through periods of negative sales. Instead of selling the club and joining - and if you think the club is the best thing ever, you should be selling it, we’ve had negative statements:

a) Phrases containing negatives such as I can’t read your writing, I don’t want you to join and not come to meetings, 

9 One person should be delegated to talk people into joining, show manuals, take emails, fill in membership form (for those not computer literate or too busy). Mamership form and money in the hand is worth two in the hands of I’ll do it later. Take the money.

10 Young family members were on another committee and were vanishing to take children to London when we were meeting for training up in St Albans.

11 New computer-savvy presidents made great changes. Easy Speak enables you to keep track.

12 Members who leave often come back months or even years later. If we keep emailing our passive list, we can sometimes reclaim members later.

13 It is helpful to maintain goodwill, send at least a Xmas party invite to former members, phone them up, how’s your new baby?

14 Cross fertilisation of clubs is great. People often joint, even because a relative overseas belonged.

15 Membership secretary should know that the best club, toastmasters, tennis, whatever sort, loses members through illness, death, brith, marriage, new jobs, lack of jobs, lost interest, personality clash. You need to be adding at the same rate you are losing.

16 Membership secretary needs a goal of 2 new members per meeting. If you miss out for whatever reason on this goal over two or three meetings, you need to admit it and get help.

17 Once members realise the club will close if you don’t have money to pay the rent, pay USA HQ, have paid up members eligible for competitions, they will help.

18 I once said we needed members and needed to leaflet or knock on doors or nearby homes. Warren Sheng announced he would race out in the break. I thought he was joking. He knocked on four doors and his last call found somebody in who came and joined and was our Sergeant at Arms for a year, very convenient for him and us - even when he could not attend he crossed the road and opened up, put out chairs.