Toastmasters clubs use Open Houses to show off to prospective members. I have them in mind right now – my home club (the Central Austin Toastmasters) had one three weeks ago, and one of the clubs in my area (the UT Sciences Toastmasters) had theirs a week ago.
Some thoughts:
1. Food is good. Planning who brings what is even better. The Open House on the 21st had a better selection of goodies than most Open Houses at my home club, thanks to the emails and “stuff to bring” sign-up lists passed around before the meeting. However, both clubs’ Open Houses had multiple people bringing a couple of items, and a lack of other items. Not coincidentally, both clubs organized the food through emails.
The moral: Have the Open House organizer get in peoples’ faces (so to speak) before a club meeting or in a full club business meeting when organizing the food spread. Asking people face-to-face works for meeting roles signups, it should work for Open House food organization.
2. The meeting program (prepared speeches and Table Topics) should be planned around the idea that the Open House is a sales presentation aimed at people who don’t yet know what Toastmasters is all about.
This is something my home club has historically done very well. The Toastmaster usually gives an explanation of the Toastmasters Education Program (a capsule version of the Successful Club series presentation), and speeches are chosen to showcase both CC and Advanced speeches.
OTOH, one of the Open Houses I attended recently had some of the hardest Table Topics questions I’ve ever heard – the experienced members were struggling with them, and the Table Topics master put a couple of the Open House guests on the spot as well.
The moral: For an Open House, keep the speeches and Table Topics light and fun, and focus on the reasons why someone might join the club. Explain the Toastmasters Education Program, starting with the CC and CL, and going through to the DTM award (a club officer can present a concise version of the Successful Club presentation and work toward his/her ALB). Make sure the Table Topics Master calls on the more enthusiastic members to explain what they’re getting out of being members.
3. Greeting the guests is something else the UT Sciences club did well at their Open House, thanks to a concerted effort by the club president and Open House organizer to remind all the members to pay attention to the guests, rather than getting into the usual pre-meeting groups with friends. I know all about that impulse – given a chance, I’ll stay well inside my comfort zone and talk to people I know, rather than a stranger — excuse, me, first-time visitor.
The moral: Greet your guests at the Open House. You can always go back to being stuck-up, standoffish, and cliqueish at your next meeting!