Making Guests Feel Welcome at the End of a Toastmasters Meeting
shared by Brian
Being a member of Toastmasters is about becoming a better public speaker, listener and leader. It is also about being part of a group, being accepted and feeling welcome.
The toastmaster clubs I have attended have been excellent in welcoming guests when they arrive. They are usually greeted at the door and then are seated with a member who will help them get settled and perhaps introduce them at the start of the meeting.
I wish we were as good about making guests feel welcome at the end of a meeting. Very often I see guests just pick up there things, look around and leave a meeting without saying too much to anyone around them.
Some clubs are great at speaking to guests at the end of a meeting. They do what is suggested below and more. For those that aren't very good at speaking to guests at the end of a meeting, here is some advice.
At the end of every meeting, each guest should be appraoched by one or more members of the club. They should be thanked for coming and asked how they enjoyed the meeting. They should be asked if they have any questions. If they participated in Tabletopics or they took on a small role, they should be commended. They should be reminded that they are always welcome to come again and that you hope to see them next week. Of course, this is done in an informal and friendly way.
Making guest feel welcome at the end of a meeting will keep them coming back and will help grow the membership in your Toastmasters club.
