Growing your non-profit group

For those that are part of a non profit group it is as important to your group to keep growing each year as it is to a business. The above photo is of a Circuit City that is no longer in business. Could it be because they didn’t grow or change with the times? I think about Woolworth’s Department Store was the place to shop when I was a kid, they were once the number one retailer in the world and now they are no longer around. Did they fail to grow or change? I think so. Other business and non-profit groups that used to be around have just withered away. To keep your non-profit group strong and around for the future you need to continue to grow each year since we know some members will quit coming, some may move due to a job transfer or some may just die. Here are a few ideas that you could use for any group, the examples are towards growing a Toastmasters group.

A. Shout about your group.

Tell people about your group.Some famous toastmasters such as Peter Coors of the Coors Brewing Company, Debbie Fields the founder of Mrs Fields Cookies and Bruce Mills the founder of MillsWay.com all had to hear about Toastmasters group some how. Here are some ways to shout about your group:

1. Collect old Toastmaster Magazines and take them around to area offices that have waiting rooms and see if you can put them with the other magazines. Attach a note to each magazine telling about upcoming meetings and a contact phone number or email address.

2. Do what you do best.. Go speak to other groups, colleges and businesses and let people know the benefits of being part of a Toastmasters group.

3. Use social media to get the word out. Start a Facebook page, a Twitter Account and other social media sites to get the word out about your group.

4. Start a website for your group to attract new members to your group.

5. Do community free seminars on Public Speaking and do press releases in your area newspaper, radio station, TV station and other media outlets to tell them about the seminars and about your group.

6. Each member of the group could talk to their co-workers, friends and also e-mail there contact lists that they have inviting them all to come check out a meeting.

B. Get to know visitors

Make sure your meetings are fun and interesting to your visitors. When people come to your meetings make sure you do the following items:

1. Greet them and introduce them to everyone.

2. Get there name, email address and phone number before the meeting starts.

3. Ask them why they are interested in your group.

4. After the meeting ask them what they liked and if they would like information on joining your group.

C. Followup..Followup…Followup…

Need to keep letting people who have attended in the past but haven’t joined yet about up coming meetings. Ask them for feedback on what they are looking for. Some people in sales say that you need to hear the word “NO” about six times before you may hear the word “YES”. So keep following up with past attendees.

Those are a few ideas that you could adapt to any group you belong to or business to keep growing each year. Keep reminding other members the importance of getting new members each month. Then celebrate your success each month after you grow your group. Have Fun!. As your group continues to grow you will have even more friends, contacts and your group will have the ability to help your community even more. So start today growing your group. Make it happen.

Let me know your thoughts or ideas. Also please join my facebook and linkedin using my email at
bruce@millsway.com. Also follow me at twitter: Bruce Mills at millsway_com. Check out my products that could help you and if you are in need of a Life Coach drop me a e-mail. Have a great day.

.
.
Add to Technorati Favorites

Making your Goals Happen

How often do you start out the year with New Year’s resolutions and then by March you have forgot them. Maybe things come up and you changed your go or maybe you felt they were too unattainable. I have found that I need to do certain things to help me stay focused on my goals. I like to set goal’s for the new year, five years, ten years, fifteen years and twenty years. But I really need to be as detailed as I can stay focused on making my goals happen. These four things I do that helps me stay focused on my goals:

1. First thing I do is put my goals on paper. I post them on the wall above my desk. I carry them in my pocket. I have a detailed plan on my computer. I list action steps that need to be done to make each goal happen. For instance one of my goals is to be a NSA Member. Well to be a NSA Member I need to do 20 or more presentations within 12 months prior to sending in the application. When you commit it to paper you are taking your first steps towards making your goals happen. If you need to hang your goal’s around the house, in your car, at work just do it if it helps you stay focused. Writing it down and reading it often can help your goals happen.

2. I now tell other people about my goals. When you make something public it gives you more drive to make your goals happen. When you tell people your goals, some people may be negative and ma laugh at you. Don’t let them crush your dream and stop you. Instead use them as energy to help you achieve your goals.

3. Next thing I do is to look at my goals is to make progress everyday towards my goals. When I awake up in the morning I ask myself what and I going to do today to make my goals happen. By staying focused daily on my goals I find activities that will keep me focused. It may be to read 20 pages of a book on sales, also to make 10 new contacts for my business and to advertise on one new site for my business.

4. Last thing I do to help me stay focused is to do a monthly review at the end of the month on how much progress I made towards making my goals happen. At the end of the month I do a P& on my personal budget, one on my business and one on my progress i am making towards my goals. Leeping score helps me know if I am making progress or if I need to change my plan to help get back on track. I call it my score card to let me know if I am winning or losing. It can help me light my fire if it may have gone dim.

Wouldn’t it be great to have all of our goals happen. Well they may happen if you follow those four steps that I do. Focus on what your goals are and don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t possible. You may have set backs but don’t let that bother you. Coke Cola only sold 400 cans of pop their first year. I bet their goals were much higher, but they didn’t give up or lose their focus and now you know they are huge. You can make your goals happen. Stay focused on working towards them daily. Make it Happen. Have a great day.

Let me know your thoughts or ideas. Also please join my facebook and Linkedin using my e-mail me at bruce@millsway.com. Follow me at twitter Bruce Mills at millsway_com

Also please check out my website for products that could help you. Have a great day.