Ingrid Betancourt’s Amazing Eloquence TOAS TMASTER · 2020. 11. 27. · members.toastmasters.org Ingrid Betancourt’s Amazing Eloquence VPPR: When You Host a Club Promote It, They

members.toastmasters.org Ingrid Betancourt’s Amazing Eloquence

VPPR: When YouPromote It, They Will ComeHost a Club

Open House

TOASTMASTER

Meet Jana Barnhill, DTM, ASToastmasters’ 2008-2009 International President

The Power of

PublicityBe savvy and proactive in promoting your club.

®September 2008

BOB PROCTOR is a world-renowned speaker and motivator with more than 40 years of experience. He is author of the international bestseller, You Were Born Rich and was featured in the blockbuster hit, The Secret. Bob is one of the highest paid platform speakers in the world today.

Now you have an opportunity to work directly with Bob and his company, LifeSuccess Consultants, the world’s premier provider of personal success training, seminars, and coaching services.

This is the one company that can turn your vision into your reality. Our connections in the industry allow us to offer you the most extensive programs with the best curriculum. By working with Bob Proctor you will gain the access, influence, and experience you need to succeed in your own business.

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V I E W P O I N T

September 2008 TOASTMASTER 3

Jana Barnhill, DTM, Accredited SpeakerInternational President

PublisherEditor

Associate Editors

Editorial AssistantGraphic Design

DANIEL W. REX

SUZANNE FREY

BETH BLACKPAUL STERMAN

JAMIE REYNOLDS

SUSAN CAMPBELL

International President

Senior Vice President

Second Vice President

Third Vice President

Immediate Past President

Executive Director

Secretary-Treasurer

CHRIS FORD, DTMOttawa, Ontario, Canada

JANA BARNHILL, DTM, ASLubbock, Texas

GARY SCHMIDT, DTMClackamas, Oregon

PAT JOHNSON, DTMVictoria, British Columbia, Canada

JOHNNY UY, DTMCebu City, Philippines

DANIEL W. REXMission Viejo, California

NANCY LANGTONMission Viejo, California

VAL ALBERT, DTMSaratoga Springs, New York

ALENE HAYNES, DTMHouston, Texas

LEE HOLLIDAY, DTMJohns Creek, Georgia

CHARLOTTE HOWARD, DTMOklahoma City, Oklahoma

LAUREN KELLY, DTMTrabuco Canyon, California

GARY MULL, DTMRiverside, Ohio

MOHAMMED MURAD, DTMDubai, United Arab Emirates

KRISTIN NICHOLSON, DTMRockville, Maryland

SUEZY PROCTOR, DTMTacoma, Washington

JOHN RICH, DTMBeeton, Ontario, Canada

MICHAEL SMITH, DTMBloomington, Illinois

RICHARD SNYDER, DTMUpland, California

JUDY SOUTHWICK, DTMInver Grove Heights, Minnesota

MARTHA TINKER, DTMWest Des Moines, Iowa

TEVIS THOMPSON, DTMMartinez, California

DIETMAR WAGENKNECHT, DTMLake Bluff, Illinois

MARGARET WAN, DTMSaint Petersburg, Florida

GEORGE YEN, DTMTaipei, Taiwan

TOASTMASTER

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Published to promote the ideas and goals of Toastmasters International, anon profit educational organization of clubs throughout the world dedicatedto teaching skills in public speaking and leadership. Members’ subscriptionsare included in the $27 semi annual dues.

The official publication of Toastmasters International carries authorizednotices and articles regarding the activities and interests of the organization,but responsibility is not assumed for the opinions of the authors of otherarticles. The TOASTMASTER magazine does not endorse or guarantee theproducts it advertises.

Copyright 2008 by Toastmasters International, Inc. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Notresponsible for unsolicited material.

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2007-2008 OFFICERS*

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� I know what it is to be so paralyzed by fearthat you cannot breathe. Many years ago, Boband I were flying to the 1985 Convention in asmall plane. Along the way we were sucked into a horrific storm. We spentthe next two hours being tossed about by high winds and pelted by rain.The storm was too strong for the small aircraft; we couldn’t get around it.The strength of the wind would not let us. We couldn’t get above it. In fact,two attempts to do so resulted in the plane stalling. We were at its mercy.Finally, we ran out of gas and crash landed, coming to a stop after wrappinga wing around the kitchen of a small rural home.

For years after that accident, I could not step onto a plane without strongmedication. I was at the mercy of my fears. Then I thought about what wedo in Toastmasters. As our vision statement so aptly states, we give peoplethe courage to change! How so? Week after week we come together in ourclub meetings. We stand before each other and practice what we are uncom-fortable doing. We may struggle at first, but our fellow members look at usand say, “You can do this! Try it this way.” So we practice some more. Littleby little we let go of our notes. We step away from that lectern. Each timewe do, we build more confidence. That confidence eventually transforms intocourage. That courage allows us to conquer our fears.

That is why I have chosen as my theme this year “Toastmasters: TheCourage to Conquer!” We all come to Toastmasters with something we wantto conquer. It may not be on the scale of a plane crash, but the fears are justas real! We may have a fear of speaking to clients, of leading a meeting, ofbelieving in ourselves.

Fellow Toastmasters, I am honored beyond words that you have placedyour faith in me to lead this organization this year. I would be lying if I saidI didn’t have just a little bit of fear! But as Peter McWilliams wrote:

“Come to the edge,” he said.They said, “We are afraid.”“Come to the edge,” he said.They came.He pushed them…They flew.

My challenge to us all this year is to come to the edge of our fears.Allow our fellow members to push us. With that push we will fly, giving usThe Courage to Conquer!

The Courageto Conquer!

* 2008-2009 Board members not determined as of print date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 TOASTMASTER September 2008

The Toastmasters Vision:Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realizetheir dreams. Through our member clubs, people throughout the world can improve

their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.

The Toastmasters Mission:Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making

effective oral communication a worldwide reality.

Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and womenlearn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking – vital skills that

promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster humanunderstanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind.

It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continuallyexpand its worldwide network of clubs thereby offering ever-greater numbers

of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs.

Meet Toastmasters’ 2008-2009International PresidentJana Barnhill, DTM, ASOur new president shares her themeand goals for her term in office.

PAGE 8

The Power of PublicityBe savvy and proactive inpromoting your club.

By Joe Cooke, ATMB

PAGE 16

Set SMART Goals forSpeaking ProgressWhat’s your dream and howare you going to achieve it?

By Dena Harris, ACB, CL

PAGE 24

&3 Viewpoint: The Courage to Conquer!

By International President Jana Barnhill, DTM, AS

5 Letters to the Editor

6 Profile: Fashion with FidoToastmaster promotes pooch projects.By Julie Bawden Davis

12 Opt to Be an Outstanding OratorIs your focus on not looking really bador on looking really good?.By Richard R. Bonner, CC

14 Can We Talk?: Ingrid Betancourt’sAmazing EloquenceWhen authenticity and character aremore important than technique.By Florence Ferreira

20 VPPR: When You Promote It, They Will Come!Tips for VPPRs on promotingtheir clubs worldwide.By Craig Harrison, DTM

23 How To: Hosting a Club Open HouseBoost membership in yourclub by hosting a party.By Lindy Sinclair, DTM

27 Manner of Speaking: Get Paid to SpeakHow to get started on thepath to professional speaking.By Jane Atkinson

30 Tribute: In Memory of Past InternationalPresident Jo Anna McWilliams, 1948-2008

ARTICLESDEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8Volume 74, No. 9

LETTERS

a fade-out/fade-in gave additionalinformation. When the hero andheroine embraced and headed for thebedroom, the “fade” meant a scenechange – usually to the next morn-ing. The audience knew, or thought itdid, what happened during the fade.

The PowerPoint presenter shouldprovide a verbal fade to introducethe next topic while leaving the lastslide on the screen. Stay with the“flip” and go to the next slide like theold days with slide projectors. Power-Point should be used to presentinformation, not theatrical effects.Bob Ziller, CC • New Richmond ToastmastersNew Richmond, Wisconsin

Keen on Green!One thing I’ve always noticed atToastmaster meetings is the largeamount of paper (for agendas,Table Topics, etc.) and plastic waterbottles that are used. These itemsthen wind up in the garbage at theend of meetings. As a suggestion, atthe end of the meeting, appoint oneperson to collect the discardedpaper, and one person to collectthe plastic water bottles. Theappointed people will take theitems home to their recycling boxes.MitchW.Klinger • Woodbridge Toastmasters • Woodbridge,ON,Canada

Welcome AdviceHats off to Aileen Storoshchuk forwriting the wonderful article “SmallSteps to Successful Speech Writing”( July). I have been a Toastmasterfor less than a year and am exactlyat the point she describes –pondering how to write and deliverspeech three in the CompetentCommunication manual.

The article is very perceptiveand offers tremendous analysis,advice and encouragement forpeople on the foothills ofCompetent Communication.Stephen McClelland • Tube Talk ToastmastersCamberley Surrey, United Kingdom

current members. It has energizedthe end of our meeting. As part ofthe Reports section of the meeting,the Radio Host (now a regularmeeting role) calls into our service(http://hipcast.com). The RadioHost talks about the highlights ofthe meeting and interviews otherToastmasters in the room.

Members of our club say thatrecording a TOTV Radio episodehas an edgy, Table Topics feel to it– propelled by the awareness thatthe episode will be publishedinstantly to our podcast stream.

We have even pushed the enve-lope and have recorded a couple ofvideo podcasts!

Members have a variety ofoptions for listening to TOTV Radio.They can subscribe via iTunes. Theycan subscribe via Google, Yahoo ora host of other personal Web pagesand news readers. They can go toour Web site (http://www.uppervalleytoastmasters.org/)and listen to the stream. They caneven subscribe via e-mail using ourFeedblitz account. We track sub-scriptions and “hits” to our podcastusing Feedburner.

Join us and take your club to theairwaves! Energize the power ofyour voice with the Internet!G. Scott Graham, ACB, CL • A Toast of the Valley • Fairlee, Vermont

Present Information –Not Special EffectsSally Herigstad’s article (“GivingEffective Financial Presentationswith PowerPoint,” July) was excel-lent. Her suggestion on going easywith transitions cannot be empha-sized enough. It seems that manyPowerPoint presenters love to getoverly creative with transitions. Theyaccomplish nothing but are distract-ing and waste time.

In the movies, transitions denotemajor scene changes. In the old days,

Grammar DisputeMarc Delesclefs’ letter and theeditor’s response to it ( July) neatlyencapsulated one of the problemsfacing the Toastmaster. This is themagazine of Toastmasters Interna-tional and ought to reflect the inter-national nature of the organization,including differing from Americangrammar and usage in favor of abroader view where necessary.

The editor’s statement is correctonly within the USA and other placesthat share its usage of English. It isincorrect when looked at from thepoint of view of English speakersaway from the United States.

The editor was correct with thecomment “Grappling with grammarrules is always a challenge,” par-ticularly when the “mistake” she iscorrecting is seen as being properusage by a large number of Englishspeakers. It would have been so easyto let the letter be published withoutcomment. I ask the editor to be moreinternationally aware in the future.Brian Duckworth, DTM • Mercury’s MotivatorsBuderim, Queensland, Australia

The Power of Podcasts.I have been a Toastmaster for about1½ years. I have wondered why somuch of Toastmasters’ communica-tion is written. This is ironic, consid-ering our organization promotesgiving one’s voice potential. Forexample, I would much rather listento a DTM talk about how to delivera humorous speech than to readabout it in the magazine.

I brought this issue to my club inFebruary. The result: TOTV Radio(a.k.a. Toast of the Valley Radio), a“live” mobile podcast at the end ofeach meeting – during the meeting!The impact has been phenomenal.It has helped promote our club topotential members, while at thesame time communicating with


Do you have something to say? Write it in 200 wordsor less, sign it with your name, address and clubaffiliation and send it to [email protected].

PROFILE

� Jo Jo Harder and her ItalianGreyhound, Romeo.


By Julie Bawden Davis

Fashion with Fido

little nervous about public speakingand as a result appeared somewhatreserved and shy,” says Novek, whobecame Harder’s mentor. “Sincejoining, she has become an incredi-ble speaker who uses gestures,body language and vocal variety toher advantage.”

Harder’s initial idea for the dogcontest and book took root whenshe was talking to a friend a fewyears ago about how they had bothspent their Halloween holiday.

“My friend told me that she wasinvited to doggy parties where youdress up your dog and go out andparade them around, and then shesuggested that I think about stylingdoggy events. I was intrigued,” saysHarder, who grew up with dogs andhas a 10-month-old Italian grey-hound named Romeo.

After attending the popular annualpet parade on Worth Avenue in

Tell Jo Jo Harder she’s reallygone to the dogs, and she’lltake that as a compliment.This Florida Toastmaster is proud ofher canine-related accomplishments,which include creating and hostingAmerica’s Top Dog Model Contestand writing her newly releasedbook, Diva Dogs: The Style Guide toLiving the Fabulous Life.

Harder, who started her career asa fashion designer and stylist, createdthe dog model event in 2005. Shesays it is considered “one of the hottestand most stylish dog contests” inAmerica. “I started the contest anddecided to write the book after doingresearch about the increasing popu-larity of dog events such as partiesand parades, and finding that it wasan untapped market,” says Harder.

After the dog model contestboomed in popularity, she sought theassistance of Toastmasters and even-tually joined the Boca Raton Toast-masters club. “I had heard about Toast-

masters over the years, and decidedit was time to join and improve myspeaking skills when I realized thatmy business was growing quicklyand I was required to speak at moreand more events,” she says. “Fromthe moment I walked in the door, Iwas impressed by the professional,nurturing atmosphere of the [BocaRaton] club and decided to join.”

Less than a year afterbecoming a member inOctober 2007, Harderhas found the experienceinvaluable.

“I am much more atease and confident aboutspeaking now,” says theauthor, who regularlyappears on television andin front of audiences ofmore than 400.

“Toastmasters was the best invest-ment for success that I’ve evermade. I’ve learned to be comfort-able speaking in any setting and toany-sized crowd, and I owe it all toToastmasters.”

Karen Novek, a member of theBoca Raton club, has been impressedwith Harder. “Jo Jo is very elegantand proper, but she was initially a

Toastmaster promotespooch projects.

A STYLE GUIDETO LIVNG THE

“Toastmasters was the best investmentfor success that I’ve ever made.”

T

T


Florida’s Palm Beach, Harderbecame truly inspired.

“I had never seen dogs dressedso unbelievably well,” she notes.“There were hundreds of dogs on therunway being judged for differentcategories – such as best tail wagger.”

Soon after starting the Top DogModel Contest, Harder began writingDiva Dogs, which highlights glam-orous high-fashion photos of dogsentered in the event, as well asspectacular dog “spaws” (dog partythemes with photos and planningtips), “petiquette” rules, and an inter-national and national resource guideof 150 boutiques, stores and bak-eries that cater exclusively to dogs.

The winner of the dog contestand the remaining 11 finalistsappear in an annual calendar. The2008 champion, Maia, a pug fromMinneapolis, Minnesota, graces thisyear’s cover dressed to the hilt in ablack satin gold-trimmed cape andmatching crown.

“Jo Jo is definitely a doggydynamo,” says Sherry Frankel,president of the Worth AvenueAssociation, which holds the annualpet parade. She met Harder threeyears ago when she invited her tobe a judge at the event.

“She has tremendous vitality andenthusiasm and is such fun to bearound. Her ideas are great, and her

contest is professionally done andincredibly organized.”

Novek, the fellow Boca RatonToastmaster, adds of Harder: “Whenshe talks about something sheloves, her passion really comesthrough. Every time she gives aspeech, you learn something new.”

For more information about Jo JoHarder and America’s Top Dog ModelContest, visit www.americastopdogmodel.com.

Julie Bawden Davis is a freelancewriter based in Southern Californiaand a longtime contributor to theToastmaster. You can reach her [email protected].

Lights, Camera, Action –Are You Ready for Television?Not long after she started America’s Top Dog Model Contest, Jo Jo Harder foundherself in demand on the interview circuit.As an expert in canine fashion, shewas invited on TV to talk about the subject. If you, too, are an authority in yourfield and may have TV appearances in your future, Harder has some helpful sug-gestions to make the most out of such opportunities.These are drawn from herown experiences and the lessons she learned along the way. Using the informa-tion and skills provided by Toastmasters, Harder has developed a personal planto prepare for what she calls a “red carpet” interview. Consider her top tips:

� Be prepared and know your subject matter. “Research your topic if necessary, and practice,” says Harder. Shesays she prepared for a live interview on The Morning Show, Channel 10 Miami, which included bringing alongthree dogs, with thorough practice sessions with a partner. “Despite the short lead time – only two days – theinterview went amazingly well,” she says,“and I’ve since had more TV appearances.” Besides knowing her subjectand practicing, Harder also prepares “concise opening and closing remarks that make a memorable impression.”

� Get all the facts about the TV program. The more information you have, the more confident you will feel. Findout air time, the basic format of the show, where the interview will take place, and the producer’s name andcontact information. Also, inquire about the topic of discussion and how long you will be expected to speak.

� Look professional. Harder recommends wearing tailored business attire, such as a suit.“Bright, rich colors lookbest on TV, such as navy and royal blue, magenta, buttercup, hunter green and cocoa brown. Avoid white, ivoryand pastels, except for blouses and shirts under a jacket. And definitely avoid bold prints, plaids and checks.Jewelry should not be large, dangling or shiny.” And if you are offered the services of the studio’s makeup pro-fessional, Harder says to accept. Even if you normally do not wear makeup, matte lipstick and translucent powdercan help eliminate a “washed out” look under the bright lights. Hair should be well groomed and nails neatlymanicured. Make a final check of your appearance in the restroom prior to going on the air.

� Maintain composure. Once in front of the camera, Harder says to sit comfortably with legs crossed away fromthe camera and hands arranged calmly in your lap.“Look at the person interviewing you. Smile appropriately,matching your look with the content of the interview. Keep answers short and to the point. Recognize thatanything can happen during a television interview, so be prepared for unexpected changes, and maintain yourcomposure at all times.”

Meet Toastmasters’ 2008-2009International President

Jana Barnhill, DTM, AS


Newly elected International President Jana Barnhill is a

Distinguished Toastmaster in more than one sense.

Not only is she the fourth woman President in the

organization’s history, she is also one of a handful of women

who have earned the prestigious Toastmasters Accredited Speaker

award – and she has twice competed in the World Championship

of Public Speaking, placing second in 1996 and third in 1993.


She is married to Toastmasters PastInternational President and AccreditedSpeaker Robert “Bob” Barnhill, DTM,and joined Toastmasters 24 years agobecause she says her husband “seemedto have so much fun at these meetings,I wanted to check it out.” He took herto their first conference and she washooked.

Bob and Jana live in Lubbock, Texas,where they run a professional speakingand training business called L.I.V.E.Speakers, Inc.

Explain why you chose your theme –“Toastmasters: the Courage to Conquer!”

I have always been inspired by the Toastmasters VisionStatement, which concludes with the words: “ . . . peoplethroughout the world can improve their communicationand leadership skills, and find the courage to change.”

I have watched so many people come intoToastmasters, and as they have developed their confi-dence, that confidence has expanded into courage – theCourage to Conquer! Currently, my home club consistsof many doctoral students from China and Taiwan.Those young men and women have left behind every-thing they know to come to a new land with a differentlanguage, different customs and a different culture. Thattakes courage! They have all shared how Toastmastershas helped them develop that courage.

I have seen Toastmasters instill inothers the Courage to Conquer a newjob, a new relationship, even a devastat-ing illness. Personally, there were manytimes in my life, before Toastmasters,when I simply lacked the courage todo something I wanted to do, or to saysomething I wanted to say.

Author James Allen wrote, “Whether you be man orwoman, you will never accomplish anything in thisworld without courage.” I believe we all want to accom-plish something. We all have challenges we wish to con-quer. I know of no other place that instills that neededcourage like Toastmasters!

Give us an example of when Toastmastersgave you the Courage to Conquer.

I had been a Toastmaster just a short while when mygrandfather died. I have two older brothers, but my aunttold my parents that she wanted me to speak at thefuneral. I couldn’t believe it! And I didn’t want to do it.

But when I mentioned it to one of my fellow members,he said, “Jana, you can do it! We’ll help you!”

They did. I practiced at my club and they really provid-ed me the encouragement I needed to be able to stand infront of all those people and honor my grandfather.

How has Toastmasters benefited your career?

Actually, I wouldn’t have the career I do were it not forToastmasters. I never joined this organization to becomea professional speaker! It just evolved. I did well in thespeech contests and then became familiar with the Ac-credited Speaker Program. I became friends with Sheryl

Roush, an Accredited Speaker sister, who at the timewas a trainer for the seminar company CareerTrack.

You couldn’t even secure an interview with that com-pany unless you were recommended by one of theirtrainers. Sheryl was kind enough and had enough confi-dence in me to recommend me, and I was hired! Thatwas my first experience as a professional speaker. Today,my husband, Bob, and I own our own company, L.I.V.E.Speakers, Inc. Starting your own business, by the way,also took some Courage to Conquer!

What are some of your hobbies and interests?

Bob and I are theme park fanatics. There isn’t a rollercoaster out there we haven’t found the Courage to

“There are few things as gratifying as seeing

new members come into our organization

and watching their transformation.”

Conquer! We plan to ride all the world’s top-rated rollercoasters and we joke that when we are 90 years old, wewill still be going to Disneyland – and the younger peo-ple better not get in our way!

I am also a nut about Christmas. I go all-out decoratinginside and out. As of now, we put up nine Christmastrees inside. One of them creates fabulous memories

every year, because every ornament on it was given tous by Toastmasters. This past year we had our outsidelights and decorations choreographed to music, whichplayed through people’s radio stations. It made the localnews and we were told there were nights that the lineof cars to see it was more than 11 blocks long.

Fortunately, we have wonderful neighbors who nevercomplained! I loved it and can’t wait to see what theman who designed it all comes up with this year!

What book are you currently reading?

Right now I am reading Presidential Courage – BraveLeaders and How They Changed America. In light of thework Toastmasters is doing on governance reshaping,I have also read several books on change, and Ifrequently go back and look at Ralph Smedley’s TheStory of Toastmasters and Personally Speaking, booksI believe every Toastmaster should read.

You and your husband are both Accredited Speakers.He is a Past International President and now you arePresident. Those are both firsts. Are you two competitivewith each other?

Oh, that’s funny. Not long ago Bob was a speaker at anadvanced club where we are both members. In this clubwe do round-robin evaluations. I was the last to offer anevaluation to Bob and when I was finished, one of themembers said, “Wouldn’t you love to go home with them?”

The fact is, we are each other’s toughest critic and atthe same time, each other’s biggest supporter. Any timeeither one of us starts to beat up on ourself, the othersimply will not allow it. There is no doubt that has con-tributed greatly to what we have been able to accom-plish. But you will never see us in a speech contestagainst each other!

You have been a Toastmaster for 24 years now.Why do you stay?

Several reasons: One, I know that I will never be perfect.I still have a lot to learn, both as a speaker and a leader.Two, there are few things as gratifying as seeing newmembers come into our organization and watching their

transformation. Seeinghow our program canhelp shape lives istruly amazing! Thatis a tremendous thingto be a part of.

Finally, some ofour best friends areToastmasters. It is

fascinating to me that this organization brings peopletogether who otherwise may never have met. We have aclose group of Toastmasters friends who does not havethe same political or religious affiliations. We live in dif-ferent states and countries. We are not the same ages.Some are married, some are not. Some have children,some do not. Yet we vacation together, spend holidaystogether. We celebrate together and cry together. Theskills, the experiences and the lifelong friendships arewhy I stay.

Tell us about your worst speaking memory.

Ugh! In Toastmasters it would be the first year I compet-ed in the International Speech Contest. I had only beenin Toastmasters nine months and I had won the districtlevel of the competition. I was so overwhelmed at theregional contest that I never saw the lights – until thered light had been on about a minute! I never wentovertime again!

Outside of Toastmasters there was a time when Ihosted a 30-minute interview program on our local PBStelevision station. One of my very first interviews waswith the new president of one of our local universities.Almost every question I had prepared was a close-endedquestion. We had gone through every one of myquestions in about 10 minutes! Thank goodness forToastmasters! It gave me the Courage to Conquer themost uncomfortable speaking situation I have everencountered. I have since gone through the AdvancedManual Communicating on Television more than once!

Who are some leaders you admire and why?

In American politics, Abraham Lincoln had an impecca-ble talent for bringing people together, even those whofought vehemently against him. Ronald Reagan was the


“Serving as an officer, at any level, can and should

be one of the best experiences of your life. That

doesn’t mean it’s easy. There are many times when

doing the right thing takes a great deal of courage!”

T

best I’ve ever seen at connecting with everyone, evenacross party lines. In business, Bill Gates not only built,but defined, an entire industry. He was not only a vision-ary but a pragmatist as well.

I also have to mention Helen Blanchard, the firstwoman president of Toastmasters International. In myeyes, she exemplifies the Courage to Conquer! She hadthe courage to be a part of this organization beforewomen were even allowed. And the obstacles she had toovercome in order to serve as our first woman presidentwere unbelievable. Thank you, Helen, for paving the wayfor Pauline Shirley, Jo Anna McWilliams and now me.

How do you hope clubs and districts will fulfill your theme?

One of the things I would like to see is an increasedfocus on quality, at every level. That means raisingexpectations. For clubs, that means a president mayneed to find the Courage to Conquer meetings thataren’t as organized as they should be. It may meanchallenging those who aren’t following the program andare not delivering manual speeches or providing effec-tive evaluations. It may mean having the Courage toConquer the status quo in a club that hasn’t lived up tothe officer standards by attending training, having regu-lar executive committee meetings and striving to be aDistinguished Club.

At the district level, it means district governors mayneed the Courage to Conquer clubs that are “on thebooks” but are not viable. District officers may need tofind the Courage to Conquer the temptation to charternew clubs that do not have the foundation to be sustain-able clubs. They may also need to find the Courage to

Conquer distractions that, while possibly are good ideas,take the focus away from their mission.

Serving as an officer, at any level, can and should beone of the best experiences of your life. That doesn’tmean it’s easy. There are many times when doing theright thing takes a great deal of courage!

If you had a message for every Toastmaster, what would it be?

Do not leave Toastmasters until you have at least earnedyour Competent Communicator award and served as aclub officer! I believe if we made a diligent effort in ourclubs to introduce the members to the multitude ofopportunities available to them beyond the CompetentCommunication manual, and encouraged them to serveas officers, they would stay much longer than they do.

What are your dreams and goals for your term in office?

My dream is to see a significant increase in the numberof Distinguished clubs. Our clubs are the catalyst of thisorganization and we want to feel confident that whenany visitor walks into a Toastmasters club anywhere inthe world, they are seeing the very best we have to offer.I believe that quality clubs are the key to both member-ship growth and retention.

I also dream that we will all have the Courage toConquer any changes necessary to catapult this organiza-tion into the future and embrace those changes with onevoice and one purpose – to see our strategic goal ofbecoming the world’s leading movement devoted to thedevelopment of communication and leadership skillsbecome a reality!



By Richard R. Bonner, CC

Opt to Be an

OutstandingOrator

and it wasn’t long before he becamethe highest-paid member of the fac-ulty; from there he became presi-dent of the school. Next, he drewupon his speaking skills to helphimself win the governorship ofNew Jersey and finally the presiden-cy of the United States.

All the while he felt buoyed bythe sheer exhilaration of publicspeaking, “because it sets my mind– all my faculties – aglow.. . I feel asort of transformation – and it’s hardto go to sleep afterwards” (fromBaker’s Woodrow Wilson: Life andLetters, published in 1927).

Making the CommitmentLet’s say that some of us wanted tobecome outstanding speakers. Whatmight be our first step? Simplydeciding to make the commitment,as Wilson did.

We could make the commitmentprivately to ourselves or, if we needto feel the spur and the lash to keepfrom backsliding, we couldannounce our decision at aToastmasters meeting. Making the

Many of us joined Toastmasterswith the expectation, or atleast the hope, that it wouldbetter our job and career prospects.

We probably thought in terms ofimproving our communication skillsin staff meetings, thinking morequickly on our feet when questionedby the boss or customers, makingcreditable presentations both to staffand clients, and, if called upon –God forbid – giving bona fidespeeches before live audiences.

In all those endeavors, we likelycared more about being competentfor our job performance than aboutbeing excellent for its own sake. Wehad neither the time nor the inclina-tion to try to be outstanding speakersand communicators; we simply want-ed to be good enough to get what weneeded. We didn’t care so much aboutlooking really good as not lookingreally bad. In essence, it came downto wanting a quick fix for promotionsand raises. Show us the money!

But if truth be told, that kind ofthinking grievously shortchanges us,denying us the brawny passion and

satisfaction that comes from becom-ing a standout speaker.

Woodrow Wilson’s InspirationConsider the case of U.S. PresidentWoodrow Wilson, as related by hisofficial biographer, Ray StannardBaker. While a student at PrincetonUniversity, Wilson read a magazinearticle about great orators, whichincluded his hero, British PrimeMinister William Gladstone. The arti-cle so excited and inspired him thathe vowed he, too, would become agreat speaker and statesman. Hepracticed aloud in the woods nearcampus and, when on vacation, inhis father’s church on weekdays. Theyoung Wilson soon gained a reputa-tion as a fine speaker and debater,which eventually brought him backto the school as a professor, despitean indifferent academic record.

In no time Professor Wilson’slectures drew some of the mostenthusiastic audiences on campus.By continuing to feed his fire andpassion for public speaking, hebegan to draw even more notice,

Woodrow Wilson

Is your focus on notlooking really bad oron looking really good?

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commitment sets the fire, and tokeep it stoked and fueled, to keepthe interest and passion up, wecould immerse ourselves in thestudy of public speaking throughbooks, CDs, DVDs, lectures, semi-nars, the Internet and classroomcourses. Such sources could includerhetoric, great speeches of history,grammar and usage, diction, voiceimprovement, gesturing and bodylanguage, the lives of history’sfamous orators, and other topics.

Perhaps we, too, could feel in-spired – transformed – by the wordsof, say, Queen Elizabeth I addressingher troops at the approach of theSpanish Armada: “I know I have thebody of a weak and feeble woman,but I have the heart and stomach ofa king, and a king of England too.”

Or a poignantly anguished Nehrueulogizing the assassinated MahatmaGandhi: “All we know is that therewas a glory and that it is no more;all we know is that for the momentthere is darkness, not so dark cer-tainly, because when we look intoour hearts we still find the livingflame which he lighted there.”

Or the thrilling hope of playwrightVaclav Havel upon assuming thepresidency of the newly liberatedCzechoslovakia after decades of com-munist rule: “Let us teach ourselvesand others that politics can be notonly the art of the possible – especial-ly if this means the art of specula-tion, calculation, intrigue, secretdeals and pragmatic maneuvering –but that it can even be the art of theimpossible, namely, the art ofimproving ourselves and the world.”

From the Page to the PodiumOf course, “doing” is usually themost effective way of learning, butdon’t scant the study and booklearning here. It’s invaluable. It givesus the substance and directionneeded. It provides the theory forthe practice – the theory we takefrom the page to the podium.

Besides, we’re already doing “thedoing” in Toastmasters! And thatdoing should include entering speechcontests. (Granted, somebody’s gotto lose in a contest, but everyonewho learns something – who im-proves from the experience – wins.)

Aside from the book learning,we have ourselves as resources todraw upon.

In 1830 U.S. Senator DanielWebster responded to a speechfrom a political opponent by quick-ly preparing and delivering one ofthe great orations of history. Whenasked how long it had taken him toprepare, he replied: “20 years.”

For 20 years Webster had thoughthard about, and agonized, over thesentiments that had led to his oppo-nent’s position, drawing heavily uponthe resources of his own life, accord-ing to the book Discussion andDebate: Tools of Democracy by HenryLee Ewbank and J. Jeffery Auer.

Virtually all of us in Toastmastershave at least 20 years of life to drawupon: our education (formal andinformal), our hopes and fears, ourtriumphs and tears. In looking overour life journeys, many of us mightsee only vast unremarkable stretches,but they’re not wastelands. They’refallow fields whose rich potentialawaits the skilled orator to unearth.

The Incremental Approach“Enough,” says a show-me-the-money type. “Spare me the poetry.Who needs, and who can take, allthe effort required to become anoutstanding speaker? Being a decentspeaker is all you need to be.”

That’s possible, but first let’s real-ize that the commitment and effortneeded to excel in speaking seemfar less unnerving if we demandonly small but continuous steps ofimprovement from ourselves. Thisincremental approach takes majorpressure off us yet puts improve-ment on a comfortable auto-pilot.Then one day, without our feeling

the pain of the process, it justdawns on us that we’ve becomedarned good speakers.

Second, if competent speakingability will likely help us on the job,what might outstanding speakingability do?

Certainly we can at least considermaking the extra effort, feeling asoul’s awakening as we uncage theoratory beast within ourselves.Maybe we’ll lie awake some nights,not in dread of a speech to begiven but from a lingering highwe’ve gotten from a speech justgiven, and given well. Put a dollarfigure on that!

Richard R. Bonner, CC, a formerwriter for several daily newspapers,is a member of the Jewel CityToastmasters club in Glendale,California. You can reach him [email protected].

CAN WE TALK?


“They got us out grandly,” sheexclaimed, as she described her bril-liantly masterminded deliverancejust a few hours earlier as “an extra-ordinary symphony,” “a miracle withno historical precedent,” an “opera-tion [that] was absolutely impecca-ble,” and “a moment of pride forColombians” – all figures of speechthat would have kept a grammarianbusy at a Toastmasters meeting. Andshe merrily swung back and forthbetween Spanish and French in thenext few days, with the same ora-torical dexterity.

Woven into the obvious articulacywere also some lengthy pauses andhesitations, some emotional looms,some awkward gestures – in otherwords, transgressions to the usualrules of proper public speaking. Yetthese were the most powerfulmoments. For all of her poise andfacile use of language, it was thetimes she grasped for control orexpression that moved us the most.These were the instances that told thereal story – the nearly seven years ofdeprivation and brutality she and theother hostages endured, chained bythe neck day and night, sleeping onmud, often under torrential down-pours, forced to march without bootsfor days, infected by jungle parasites,undernourished, arbitrarily humiliatedand abused, and with no opportunityto either read or converse.

Mrs. Betancourt, who is alreadycalled by some “the ColombianNelson Mandela,” not once expressedhate and bitterness against heroppressors. Her captivity seemed tocreate in her a greater sense ofgrace and generosity of spirit. Shewent right to our hearts and souls

� Any Toastmaster who watchedIngrid Betancourt address the mediaand public in the immediate daysfollowing her spectacular rescue fromthe Revolutionary Armed Forces ofColombia learned an invaluable les-son on the relation between extem-poraneous speech and authenticity.

When I heard of how this woman– along with 14 other hostages – hadbeen liberated by Colombian com-mandos on July 2nd, I immediatelywent online to catch the event onvideo. All I knew about Ingrid Betan-court was that she was a French-Colombian politician who had beenabducted by rebel forces in 2002 andheld captive in the jungle ever since.

As I watched the landing of herplane at a military airport in Bogota,I expected to witness the emergenceof a human wreck, with the ensuingimmediate evacuation to a medicalfacility. Instead, Mrs. Betancourtcame out looking bubbly and sur-prisingly composed, even carryingher own backpack.

Like the other millions of viewersaround the world who heard her firstfew words (in Spanish or its translat-ed form), I was spellbound; and forfive consecutive days, I listened toevery one of her multiple deliveries,interviews and press conferences.My interest, which was initiallyprompted by curiosity and compas-sion toward her unimaginable saga,quickly shifted to fascination withher eloquence and “onstage pres-ence” under the circumstances.

The Toastmaster in me replacedthe news “voyeur,” and I foundmyself instinctively wrapped up inthe role of evaluator – a veryhumbled one.

with statements such as “I am freeof envy, vengeance and bitterness…The people who stayed behind there,I forgive them .. . The first thing wehave to do is change hearts. We haveto change the vocabulary of hate.When I dreamed of being free, I toldmyself that I could not engage inhate or rancor . . . The guerrillas areour enemy, but we shouldn’t insultthem. We should show them how toseek a dignified exit through peace-ful negotiations. If we don’t defeatthem correctly, we will sow the seedsof hate for the future.’’

Being a polished, technically-versed speaker is important, butnothing is more powerful thanauthenticity and character. Whenyou speak with your heart, even ifyou lack practice and bend a rule,you will impact your listeners.

During her first address at themilitary airport in Bogota, IngridBetancourt said, “I’m sorry, but thishas to be a hug,” and she movedaway from the microphone toembrace the founder and host of“Voices of Kidnapping,’’ a radio pro-gram that broadcasts messages tohostages from their family members.She explained that the words readover the airwaves helped her fendoff suicide. I wept, as did everyoneelse on site.

When authenticity and characterare present, even leaving the lecternwill be forgiven!

Florence Ferreira is an interculturalcommunication consultant, founderof SpeakGlobal and member ofBoca Raton Toastmasters and theFlorida Speakers Association. Reachher at [email protected].

Ingrid Betancourt’s Amazing Eloquence

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Be savvy and proactive in promoting your club.

The Power of

Publicity

There are people in your town right now who need Toastmasters– but they may not even know your club exists! One of yourresponsibilities as a member is to promote your club and theorganization, but that doesn’t mean you have to stand on the

corner thumping on the Competent Communication manual.

In fact, the best way to promote your club and to increasemembership is to show how Toastmasters members canchange lives for the better, and the best way to demon-strate this to the public is through publicity.

Publicity vs. AdvertisingWe often fall into the trap of thinking that placing an adin the local paper is the best way to promote a cause –or a club – but traditional advertising is becoming lessand less effective. According to statistics, we are now hit

with up to 5,000 advertisements every day. Radios comewith scan and seek buttons, and TiVo allows consumersto fast-forward through annoying chatter and ads.

Be honest, when you read the paper or listen to thenews, do you focus on the advertisements or the stories?Most people focus on the stories. We want and needgood stories – but we are tuning out the advertisements.That’s why an article – a story – about you or your cluband its life-changing benefits is more effective than anadvertisement.

By Joe Cooke, ATMB


Your Publicity GeneratorMost clubs and organizations send press releases tocommemorate awards, advancements and competitionvictories. Those are all good opportunities to get theclub name in front of the public, but they are not themost powerful sources of publicity.

The best sources for new releases are the things yourmembers do outside the club. Look especially for region-al and national tie-ins. For instance, suppose one of yourmembers travels to the state capitol to lobby for health-care reform. Write it up. “Local Business Owner Testifiesfor Health Care Reform” is far more compelling than“Toastmaster Wins Award.” You may have a speaker inyour organization who can promote Toastmasters bygiving a talk at a local school or service organization;that talk could be on public speaking, literacy, successor any other topic of interest to the students and teach-ers. “Bartender Serves Up Literacy Program to PublicSchools” could generate some publicity energy.

You can take this concept one step further. Lookaround your community and find a need. Maybe yourtown is suffering from growing pains. Have a couple ofmembers prepare presentations on urban growth, afford-able housing or the environment. Contact your localradio talk show and offer to share the information.

Be sure to mention that these speakers polished theirpresentation skills at Toastmasters, and give detailedinformation on how to contact local clubs.

Putting Energy into a Press ReleaseLearn how to write a press release. There are two keyelements to a good story – the hook and the slant. Thehook is embedded in the firstline of a press release and isdesigned to grab the reader.Some stories create their ownhook, such as earthquakes, polit-ical scandals and alien abduc-tions. For an ordinary story,though, you may need to playwith the hook a bit.

For the story on health-care reform, you might comeup with a hook like this – “Local business owner andToastmaster Joe Smith faced off against the state legisla-ture last week in a heated debate about affordable healthcare.” This is just an example; every story needs its own,unique hook.

In addition to the hook, use quotes and statistics asmuch as possible. Always put quotes in present tense –“We’ll never give up,” says Joe Smith.

The slant of a story is like the viewpoint. Manytimes, we write a story from our own viewpoint,such as the traditional “Joe Smith Receives CC Award.”

Look for a slant that is of interest to the readers.Always ask the question from the reader’s perspective:“So what?” If you can re-cast an award to be of gener-al interest, do it. Maybe Joe Smith has a comment ortwo on a current event or topic of broad interest,such as real estate values, the price of fuel or the warin Iraq. All of these topics are relevant and interest-ing, and the award can be embedded in the storyalong with a quote.

Even if you have a good slant, a newsworthy story anda well-written press release, without some kind of person-al connection that release will likely end up in the can.

Make the Media Work for YouAccording to publicity expert Joan Stewart, the numberone thing anyone can do to help launch an ongoingpublicity campaign is to develop personal relationshipswith the reporters who cover issues related to yourpress release.

“Reporters are looking for sources,” says Stewart.“Get to know the reporters and then send them leads.”

What you may not know is that many news storiesare provided by the company or person that is the sub-ject of the story. That is because good publicity houndsknow three things:

Reporters are extremely busy and are looking forgood leads, experts to interview and fresh ideas.

An article, radio interview or even just a short quoteby representatives from your organization can be worthhundreds or even thousands of dollars in advertising.

Publicity generates more publicity. A news articlewill prompt a radio interview. A radio interview could

lead to a guest appearance on a TV show.You may think that these reporters already have a

line-up of tipsters doting on them. Don’t make thatassumption. Your local reporters are always hungry foreloquent experts. And, for that matter, so are the nationalreporters.

Looking Beyond the Traditional PressPress releases are more important today than ever – butthe rules have changed a bit. In the past, we tried towrite press releases to please reporters, but now a pressrelease posted to your Web site improves your content,

“Even if you have a good slant, a newsworthy

story and a well-written press release,

without some kind of personal connection

it will likely end up in the can.”


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makes your site more valuable and increases your rank-ings on the search engines.

If your club doesn’t have a Web site yet, get one. Goto www.freetoasthost.com and sign up for a free site.The service is sponsored by Toastmasters Internationaland the template is quick and easy to use. You’ll have aprofessionally designed Web site up and running in afew hours.

Once your publicity machine is running, you’ll wantpeople to be able to find your club quickly and easily.A professional-looking Web site is a necessity in today’sbusiness world.

How Publicity Gathers SteamBesides being more effective than advertising, publicrelations has two bonus features: It’s free (a big bonus)and it generates more publicity.

Once you get to know your local reporters and theyrealize they can count on you for leads, tips and com-mentary, more and more opportunities for publicitywill appear.

In our club, we have several members who nurturecontacts with the media, and it pays off. Recently, a localradio show host in our town invited us to fill a spot inhis programming. Three of our members spent an houron the radio show during the morning drive talkingabout Toastmasters – what it is, what it does, how itworks and how it benefits the members. Try buying an

hour of radio advertising during the morning rush andyou’ll see how valuable your media relations are.

Your work in the community, networking with reportersand your ability to write and speak in public will eventu-ally generate a feature article in your local paper. Thelocal article will land you more radio spots. You can hiresomeone to transcribe the radio interviews and turnthem into online articles or podcasts that you can thensubmit to local, regional and even national Web sites.

For those members of your club that have an aptitudeor desire to do more work in the area of public rela-tions, publicity and promotion, make sure they checkout Toastmasters International’s Public Relations Manualin the Advanced Communication and LeadershipProgram as well as Let the World Know, ToastmastersPR and publicity manual which is available for freedownloading at members.toastmasters.org.

Take your club up a notch by developing a strongpublic relations campaign and you will find that newmembers gravitate to you. Your club will grow, yourmembers will benefit and you will be doing good thingsin your community.

Joe Cooke, ATMB, is a business consultant and novelist,and writes articles on business, marketing and real estate.He is a member of High Noon Toastmasters club in WallaWalla, Washington. Reach him at www.joecooke.info.

A Publicity PrimerA ccording to publicity hound Joan Stewart, there are more news outlets today than ever before. Here are afew ideas for ways to promote your Toastmasters club through speaking opportunities and publicity efforts:� Speak at free seminars, especially ones like “Public Speaking 101” (and be sure to send out a press release

about it before and after the event.)

� Public speaking engagements – contact your local service organizations, such as Kiwanis, Rotary and theChamber of Commerce. Organizations are always on the lookout for good speakers.

� Local morning talk shows – find experts in your club, get to know the reporters and be a source for them.� Also try the following: teleseminars, webinars, podcasts, e-zines, traditional newsletters, writing a column for

the local paper, submitting articles to localWeb sites and online newsletters, and, of course, the venerablepress release.

� Send a press release when someone wins an award, does community service, fills a board position or partici-pates in any worthwhile venture. Always send a picture of the member or members you are highlighting aftergetting their permission. Readers will skip sections of text, but a picture catches their attention.

� Check out Joan Stewart’s comprehensive on-line tutorial for writing press releases atwww.publicityhound.com.

By Joe Cooke, ATMB

VPPR:


By Craig Harrison, DTM

When YouPromote It,They Will Come!

Make your club site as invitingas possible. Photos can help. Ifyou don’t already have a clubWeb site, you can obtain one fromwww.FreeToastHost.com. Here’sa few tips for designing yours:

� Make sure your club site is linkedto your district’s site.

� Make sure Toastmasters Interna-tional’s Web site includes yoursite’s URL in its “Find A Club” list.

� Make sure your site has a title,description and keywords, aswell as meta-tags that reference“Toastmasters,” “public speaking,”your location and related termsin its header information (askyour Webmaster how to do this).

Club Flier or BrochureA club flier or brochure helps tellyour club’s story in writing. It canbe handed out, posted on bulletinand notice boards, and left instacks at your local libraries andcommunity centers, as well as yourcompany lunchrooms and breakrooms. It can also be brought tofairs, community events and townhall meetings.

Imagine a role in Toastmasters that lets you speak to inform,tell stories, lead programs and campaigns, and tell theworld about the wonders of your club. That, in a nutshell,is a description of the role of Vice President Public Relations.

Best yet, each club member is your assistant. And together you

spread the good news of Toastmasters!

� Leadership development� Career advancement through the

development of these skills

Your challenge: to tell the out-side world what awaits them whenthey join your club. And there aremore ways than ever to get theword out.

The Club Web SiteThese days many people will findyour club through your club’s Website. Does your group have oneyet? Such a site tells people whenand where you meet, and how toget to the location. It providesanswers to frequently askedquestions: What does it cost tojoin? Is there pressure to speak?How does one dress?

What Is Public Relationsfor a Toastmasters Club?Club public relations involves thegenerating of publicity about yourclub for the purpose of helping itgrow. As VPPR, you and yourcommittee spread the word to non-members, aligned organizations andthe media about your club’s exis-tence, activities and successes.

Share the Secret of Toastmasters…with the World!You know of the benefits that mem-bers receive from the Toastmastersexperience. Among them:

� Increased self-confidence� Powerful speechmaking skills� The ability to speak

extemporaneously

Tips for VPPRson promotingtheir clubsworldwide.


Your handout should have theusual who-what-where-when-why-and-how information. Include aphone number, e-mail address andWeb site URL for more information.Make a smaller electronic version ofyour flier (using the PDF file for-mat) that can be e-mailed as anattachment or downloaded fromyour club’s Web site.

Your club may wish to purchaseToastmasters International materialsat www.toastmasters.org andcustomize them to your own club’smeeting specifics.

Give your Flier Wings!Distribute your flier throughout thehost meeting site, and throughoutthe company, building and com-munity where you meet. Get it tocorporate or local newsletters, put iton the windshields of cars in thenearby parking lot, and post it inlocal businesses close to your meet-ing place. Each club member shouldbe given a stack of handouts todisseminate using their own promo-tional channels.

The Business CardMany clubs create their own businesscards to personally hand to Toast-

masters prospects of all kinds –colleagues, friends and strangers.Such cards are a form of currencyin the business world. Yours canhave the usual information: timeand place of your meetings, andyou might use the back of the cardfor an explanatory paragraph aboutToastmasters, a map or other infor-mation. Some clubs print a couponon the back: “Good for one freevisit to our club!” You and I knowit’s always free to attend as a guest,yet people cherish the “coupon”and regard visiting as more valuablewith this free “Get Into ToastmastersMeeting” card!

Give business cards to all yourclub members. Hold a contest tosee who can generate the mostguests from handing out businesscards. The template for these cardsare available on the ToastmastersWeb site.

Club NewslettersIn a world full of ads and promo-tional copy, newsletters providereaders with substance. A clubnewsletter, whether monthly orquarterly, gives you a great printedpiece to help non-Toastmastersunderstand the magic of Toast-

masters. They reinforce the success-es that occur at each meeting. Theyalso bring pride to members,strengthening your club’s communi-ty. You can print and pass out thesenewsletters, mail them, or convertthem to a PDF to be e-mailed ordownloaded.

The Open HouseOpen Houses are wonderful eventsthat showcase your club, its meet-ings and what Toastmasters is allabout. Attending a meeting may bescary to a non-member, but attend-ing an Open House is often moreinviting. Include food and bever-ages, a Q&A session, a sampling ofwhat occurs at a meeting (a speech,some Table Topics and an evalua-tion), and informal time, too, forsmall group discussions.

(Read Lindy Sinclair’s article inthis issue of the Toastmaster formore details about holding anOpen House.)

The Press ReleaseA press release is the standard wayin which an event or campaign isannounced to the media. Radio, TVand newspapers all prefer to receivesuch information through a press


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release: a short, typed announce-ment containing the vital informa-tion about your event, along withcontact information. Write it interms of the benefits to the audi-ence. Press release samples can befound in the back of the VPPRtraining manual.Public relations expert Mitchell

Friedman, APR, who is the directorof MBA Career Services at theUniversity of San Francisco, offerssome tips about writing a pressrelease:

� Keep it to one page (or two atmost).

� Always list contact informationfor further inquiries: name,phone number, e-mail address,Web site URL.

� Topic should be timely andnewsworthy in nature.

� Catchy title and explanatorysubtitle always helps.

� Should address the who, what,where, when, why and how.

� Avoid sales speak. This is not amarketing piece. Emphasis is onnewsworthiness for reader.

� Use these standard symbols– # # # – to end your press release.

Save your last several lines toexplain that Toastmasters Inter-national has been the world’s fore-most communication and leadershipdevelopment nonprofit since 1924,or something to that effect.

Release and Catch!What can press releases promote?Open Houses, contests, memberaccomplishments, noteworthy guestspeakers, club activities like Speech-crafts, Youth Leadership Programs,training programs and roles in com-munity affairs. Send your release toall the local media: radio stations, TVand newspapers. Include businessand community publications.These days press releases can be

e-mailed as text or sent as smallPDF attachments. Now, don’t forgetto use your verbal skills to followup with a phone call. Media people

receive hundreds of press releasesand public service announcements aday. Make yours stand out throughits writing and your ability to followup by phone.

Calendars, Chambers,Cable and Craigslist!Most newspapers have a communitycalendar where clubs can list theirregular meeting time and place forfree. As a nonprofit, Toastmasterclubs should avail themselves of alldiscounts and free opportunities topublicize meetings.Your local Chamber of Com-

merce should be informed aboutyour club. Get fliers and brochuresto them for dissemination. Get yourfliers added to the packets that areprovided to newcomers uponarrival in your city, town or com-munity. Don’t forget the local SmallBusiness Administration office.They, too, need to know aboutyour club. As do local colleges, uni-versities and adult education pro-grams. Most business professorsrecommend Toastmasters to theirstudents; reach out to them to helpyou spread the word.Most communities these days

have local cable access TV stations.Take your place alongside Garthand Wayne of Wayne’s World andpromote your club through freecable access.The Internet can also be a great

source for new club members.Use free Internet calendars to listyour meetings. Many communitiesworldwide have a Craigslist(www.craigslist.org) whereorganizations can list their meetingsfor free. Conduct an Internet searchfor community calendars your clubcan post to, so that online visitorscan easily find information aboutyour club.

Doctor, DoctorMany clubs drop off past editions ofthe Toastmaster magazine – with aclub business card stapled to it – inthe waiting rooms of their dentist’sor doctor’s offices.

Plenty of Toastmasters membershave joined after reading about theorganization while waiting for acheck-up. Four out of five doctorsrecommend Toastmasters to remedypoor communicators.

Word of Mouth: ElevatorSpeeches and Success StoriesDon’t underestimate the one-on-oneapproach to membership growth.As VPPR you can teach your clubmembers to deliver an elevatorspeech – that 16-second promotionalsound bite – when they’re tellingpeople about their club.A more persuasive tool for sell-

ing the benefits of Toastmasters con-versationally is to deliver 30- or 60-second “success stories” about your-self. The stories should share thesetting by which you joined yourclub, the situation you sought helpwith, and the solution Toastmastersprovided for you. Your personalexperience is a compelling testimo-nial. Use Table Topics to help mem-bers hone their own success stories.

Pin to Win!Remember to wear your Toastmas-ters pin wherever you go and beprepared to share your elevatorspeech or success story in responseto inquiries about the pin andToastmasters. As VPPR you shouldbe collecting testimonials frommembers about the benefits they’vereceived from joining the organiza-tion. No more powerful endorse-ment exists!

Tell the World!As you can see, there is no short-age of avenues to promote yourclub. The fun is in exposing othersto the magic of Toastmasters. Tellthe world!

Craig Harrison, DTM, is the founderof LaughLovers club in Oakland,California. He is a professionalkeynote speaker, trainer andprincipal of Expressions Of Excel-lence!™ For more resources, visitwww.ExpressionsOfExcellence.com.

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HOW TO

Hosting a Club Open Housewant them) and to write a name tagas each guest arrives.

� You may also want to prepare aguest book.

The Home Stretch – Day 29� Members each report how manyof their guests are coming.

� Based on that number, doubled,the refreshments coordinatormakes a shopping list (rememberthe plates!).

� Supervisor schedules decorationscoordinator, refreshments coordi-nator and set-up crew to arrivean hour before the guests.

The Day of the Open House – Day 36� A/V Coordinator arrives an hourearly to check that equipmentand DVD player work. (Haveback-up plan in case they don’t.)

� After guests arrive, follow yourprogram (DVD, guest speaker,Table Topics or whatever youchoose). President or supervisorasks guests for feedback.

� After a 10-minute refreshmentbreak, meeting is reconvened.

� The “What Toastmasters Meansto Me” speeches are given.

� At the end, thank guests forcoming and let them know that,whether they joined that day ornot, they are welcome at yourregular meetings.

AftermathClub members bask in the glow ofa successful event!

Lindy Sinclair, DTM, founded Water -gate Toastmasters in Emery ville,California, in 2002. She is the princi-pal of www.EmotionsandMoney.com.

Everybody Has a Role – Day 8� The group decides whetherto invite a guest speaker orsomeone from within the clubto give a speech illuminatingthe benefits of joining your club.

� Choose a refreshments coordina-tor, decorations coordinator andset-up crew.

� An advertising coordinatorvolunteers to write a one-paragraph press release describ-ing the event. That personsends the release to a localnewspaper and places it on thecraigslist.com Web site everyweek until the event.

� Someone offers to design a flierand coordinate flier distributionby all club members.

� The agenda is discussed: howmuch time will be given to eachsegment of the event (e.g. TableTopics, speeches).

� A volunteer is chosen to design andprint the Open House program.

Now We’re Really Rolling – Day 15� Refreshments coordinator leads dis-cussion about what kind of foodyou will serve (catered, purchasedor potluck) and whether you willneed plates, flatware, cups, etc.What is the budget for the food?

� The coordinator asks for three orfour members to volunteer to giveone- to two-minute speeches aboutwhat Toastmasters means to them.

Just Two Weeksto Go! – Day 22� Assign greeters to makethe Open House guestsfeel welcome.

� Select a volunteer tobring name tags (if you

One of the best ways to boostmembership in your Toast -masters club is by hosting anOpen House. This is a party givenby a club with the goal of drawingguests who will become members. I have broken down the planning

process into a general timeline ofspecific steps – covering approxi-mately five weeks, including the dayof the event. There isn’t enoughspace here to give the full extentof steps and suggestions, so I’ll be hitting the highlights.

The Suggestion Stage – Day 1You are the person with the idea.Make an announcement at a meet-ing suggesting that your club holdan Open House. If – and only if –you have the support of the club,ask for someone to be the lead person for the event. (It may endup being you.) The supervisor asks members to

select three potential dates aboutfive weeks away, and to choose alocation. Ask for a volunteer to befacility coordinator; that person willmake the reservation within the nextfew days for the earliest of yourthree dates that is available at thechosen location.Choose an audio/visual coordina-

tor and have them order these itemsfrom Toastmaster International’s Website (www.toastmasters.org): theDVD “Welcome to Toastmasters!”(which will be played for theOpen House guests),the free pamphlets“Find Your Voice”and “Confidence:The Voice ofLeadership,” anda pad of member-ship applications.


By Lindy Sinclair, DTM


for Speaking Progress

What’s your dream and how areyou going to achieve it?

At the 1996 Summer Olympics inAtlanta, Michael Johnson madehistory when he became the firstman to win Olympic gold medals in both the

200-meter and 400-meter sprints. Although

there is no denying the man was fast, speed

wasn’t the only attribute that helped him

realize his dream. Johnson was a goal setter.

Well before the Olympics, he wrote down his inten-tion of winning the 200- and 400-meter races – andthe times he would run both races in. He then placedthis “reminder” note inside one of his running shoes.

Although the Toastmasters program starts withone goal – complete the 10 basic speeches and earnthe Competent Communicator award – each memberis different and comes to the organization with varyingexpectations. To receive maximum benefit from Toast-masters, all members must analyze their needs anddiscover what motivates them to excel.

Start With Self-AwarenessRus McCarter, a leadership and training consultant, saysall goal setting begins with self-awareness. “What areyou passionate for in life?” asks McCarter. “To motivateyourself, you must first be aware of what needs you aretrying to satisfy.”

Some people may join Toastmasters because their bossmade them; others, because they dream of a motivational

speaking career. Still others – while wanting to improvetheir speaking skills – may have a need for acceptance, aneed to be liked or a need to overcome past failures.

“It’s never just about being a better speaker,” saysMcCarter. “Your underlying needs – acceptance, money,admiration, being seen as successful – drive your pursuitof your goal.”

BAG ItThink big. Set a Big, Audacious Goal – a BAG. For ex-ample, a BAG for one Toastmaster may be to earn herliving as a keynote speaker. A BAG for another may beto emcee his company’s award banquet. Toastmastersis but a means to an end. Why do you want to

By Dena Harris, ACB, CL


improve your public speaking andleadership skills? What’s the payoff?A promotion? A raise? Self-confi-dence? A new career? Setting a BAGfor your speaking career is a dailyreminder of why you joinedToastmasters in the first place.

Create SMART GoalsOnce you have a BAG and under-stand what motivates you, it’s time toset SMART goals. SMART stands for:Specific, Measurable, Attainable,Realistic and Time-lined. Write downyour goals and follow these SMARTguidelines for effective goal setting.

S pecific: “I want to be a professionalspeaker” is vague and open-ended.Be specific. “I want to give fivespeeches outside my club during thenext quarter” is better.

Measurable: A popular adage says,“If you can’t measure it, you can’tmanage it.” A measurable goal setscriteria so you know when your goalis accomplished. Using the firstexample, if you only have one out-side speech completed by the middleof next quarter, you know you’re noton track to meet your goal.

A ttainable: Setting a goal to earn$10,000 giving speeches when you’venever been paid to speak isn’t realistic.But setting a goal to earn some income– even if it’s only $10 a speech – maybe within your reach. Remember thatgoals change over time. So a goal that

may once have been unthinkable may be within yourgrasp as you expand your speaking career.

R ealistic: Setting goals too high leads to burnout. It’sgood to stretch, but setting realistic goals means you’veaccounted for the availability of time, resources and yourpersonal motivation. Using the first example above, do youhave the time to prepare and practice five speeches in onequarter? Even if the goal is attainable – meaning you’resuccessful getting the speeches lined up – it might not bepractical for you to devote the time to see them through.

T ime Lined: Without a deadline, you lose the sense ofurgency. Try, “I will complete my Advanced Communica-

tor Bronze designation by September 2009,” or “I willgive two speeches outside my club in the next month.”

Anticipate BarriersEven with good intentions, goal-setting sometimes failsto produce the desired results.Some reasons are behavioral. You’ve set the goals,

but are you doing the actions necessary to achieve them?If your goal is to achieve your Competent Communicatoraward by the end of the year but you never sign up togive a speech, there’s a disconnect. You may need totake a break and figure out why you’re not followingthrough. Is it a fear of failure? Do you hold an underlyingbelief that your speaking ability isn’t funny enough, smartenough, good enough, etc.? Identifying the behaviorsand beliefs that cause performance gaps will help yourealign your vision, goals and actions.Another barrier may be setting goals that are not your

own. Perhaps you joined Toastmasters with the goal ofimproving your talks at work, but taking on a leadershiprole never interested you. Still, your group or your bosstalked you into holding an officer position. You may setgoals to achieve Toastmasters leadership designations,but without interest on your part there will be littlemotivation to achieve them.Other barriers include setting unrealistic goals or

setting too many goals. Especially for those interestedin growing a speaking career, too many goals lead toconfusion and an inability to determine what takesprecedence. Joan Koerber-Walker, an entrepreneur whocounsels small and growing businesses, recommendswould-be professional speakers set goals in three areas:financial, product oriented and customer oriented.

Financial: “Speakers need to do the necessary research todetermine what a realistic financial goal is for them,”says Koerber-Walker. “Then they need to break the goalinto manageable chunks.”For example, let’s say your BAG is to quit your current

job and earn your living as a speaker. Your first six monthsmay involve just finding places to speak – paid or unpaid –and networking for referrals. As your reputation grows, yournext goal may be to earn a quarter of your current salary inspeaking engagements for the coming year. The followingyear’s goal may be to double the number of speakingengagements and your income earned from speaking, andso on until you’re able to realize your BAG. Huge goals areoverwhelming. Breaking big goals into smaller ones andsetting SMART sub-goals will keep you on track.

Product Oriented: These are goals involving what yourproduct will look like – your business cards, brochures,Web site and speaker’s bio.


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Customer Oriented: This is anoften overlooked area for goalsetting, but without venues todeliver speeches there is nospeaking career. A sample goalhere may be, “By March 15thI’ll be meeting with two neworganizations each month topitch my presentations.”

Encourage OthersThe president of ourToastmasters group recentlyhad each of us stand and announce our goals, withtimelines, to the club. Those not present were contactedand asked to send him their goals. He then e-mailed toclub members a “goal-list” that contained all our statedgoals and deadlines. His purpose was to not only holdus publicly accountable for our goals, but also for us touse the list to encourage fellow members in meetingtheir goals. For example, one member’s goal is to enterthe next humorous speech contest. She’d had this goalthe year before as well but hadn’t accomplished it. Thisyear, with everyone in our club expecting her to enterand encouraging her, there’s no question she’ll checkthat goal off her list – moving her toward her ultimategoal of being a more confident and entertaining speaker.

Remember Michael Johnsonand his slip of paper? That wasjust the first step. After writingdown his goals, Johnson threwhimself into an exhaustive train-ing regimen designed to helphim reach top speed in eachevent. He also petitioned theOlympic Committee daily tomove the 200- and 400-meterraces to separate days from eachother. (One reason no one hadever won both events is because

they were held on the same day, which didn’t allow forrecovery time.) Johnson had the vision, then he took thenecessary actions to see his dream come true.

You can do the same. Your speaking career startswith a dream. What is your motivation for achieving thatdream? Once you’ve decided, break the dream downinto manageable steps and set SMART goals for yourself.

Setting goals increases your chances for success. Onceyou discover what it is you’re seeking from Toastmasters,you can create the vision – and goals – necessary tomove forward with your speaking career.

Dena Harris, ACB, CL, is a member of Blue Moon Club inHigh Point, North Carolina.

Why Set Goals?� Goals force you to set priorities.� Goals encourage you to be responsible for

your choices.� Goals allow you to measure your progress.� Goals align you with your vision for your

business and your life.� Goals allow for growth and flexibility.� Goals increase your chances of success.

MANNER OF SPEAKING


Get Paid to SpeakYou’ve just walked off theplatform after winning theInternational Speech Contest.The crowd is going wild in a stand-ing ovation. People rush to congrat-ulate you and tell you how amazingyou are and how much you haveinspired them. You think to your-self: “This is so cool! Imagine if Icould do this for a living!”

Many Toastmasters have thoughtabout speaking professionally buthave been confused about how tostart. If you are married, then havingyour spouse’s support is, of course,crucial. And it’s a bonus if theiremployment includes benefits,

By Jane Atkinson

Whether your topic is motivation-al, inspirational or based on a busi-ness expertise, you need to do yourhomework to make sure it is onethat the marketplace values – and,more importantly, will pay to hear.

Although content is immenselyimportant, style is usually what dif-ferentiates you from the crowd andwill move your fee up the ladderquickly. Consider your style: Is yourtechnique, your presentation, strongenough to make you a pro? Ask pro-fessional speakers who are makinga good living, prospective clients ora mentor to help assess your dis-tinctiveness. What makes you unique?

Once you’ve done your researchand know you are ready, here aresome tips to help you get starteddown the path of professionalspeaking:

Making freebies count. Get out andspeak to anyone who will listen -for free – for a set period of time.The best way to turn a free speechinto paid engagements is to ask theaudience for help from the platform.I call it the “help me” speech. It’stwo lines that you place right beforethe closing of your speech. It goessomething like this: “As you can see,I am passionate about this topic.If you know of any company orassociation who could benefit fromthis material, please hand me yourbusiness card following my speech.”That’s it. Then use those businesscards to follow up and build adatabase for future marketing.

How to get started on thepath to professional speaking.

lessening the financial pressure onyou. There are a number of otherissues to think about, as well:

Who will pay? First, you need toconsider whether someone will payfor the information or expertise youhave to offer. Chances are that youhave spoken in front of some largeraudiences or have won some com-petitions. Evaluators are singingyour praises. Having people offerkudos after your speech is great forthe self-confidence, but when theywant to hire you to speak to theirorganization, that’s when you knowyou’re onto something.


I remember my first job as anagent in the speaking industry. Thespeaker I was representing handedme a stack of cards she hadacquired through her “help me”speech. I spent three months work-ing through that pile, and the result-ing speaking engagements filled herschedule for the next three years.

The killer speech. A killer speech isthe best form of marketing – noflashy brochure, no innovative post-card, no cutesy giveaway – can topit. Audiences will remember a greatspeech that motivated or movedthem. Because you are a Toastmas-ter, I realize I’m probably preachingto the choir on this one! But if youfocus more time and energy onhaving a great speech in the firstthree years of your professionalcareer, you will increase your oddsof success dramatically.

The credibility factor. Put together abio that will establish you as anexpert in your field (include educa-tion, work history, companies youhave spoken for or consulted with,books/articles you have written,etc.). It should establish why clientsshould hire you over all the otherspeakers they might consider. Whenyou go to the marketplace, you’llwant to position yourself as anexpert first and a speaker second.My colleague Brian Palmer, fromthe National Speakers Bureau inChicago, says, “Clients don’t wantto hire speakers; they want to hiresmart people who happen to speak.”

Marketing materials. In order to getbooked, you’ll need to start devel-oping materials to promote yourservices. A Web site is your firstpriority. Print materials may not benecessary, depending on yourmarket. Many speakers start with abasic Web site that allows visitors tosee exactly what they do, who theydo it for and how they do it.

Always test your marketing materi-als with prospective clients beforelaunching them. Ask them thisquestion: “Would this piece makeyou want to hire me?”

Hang out with other pros. ManyToastmasters clubs have profes-sional speakers as members. Findpeople who are earning a goodliving in the speaking industry andask them to mentor you. Uncoverthe top habits of successful profes-sional speakers. Many Toastmastersalso join the National SpeakersAssociation.

Setting your fee. Establish a speak-ing fee and post it on the wall ofyour office. You don’t want to bepulling a number out of the airevery time you have a conversationwith a prospective client. In orderto set a fee, do some marketresearch. Ask other speakers foradvice – and ask clients too.Remember, the client is paying forthe 20 years of experience that goesinto your speech, not the 60 min-utes that you actually speak.

Fees are truly a state of mind. Ionce worked for a successful moti-vational speaker. When I startedworking with him, he was earning$2,500 per speech. We decided toaim for $10,000 per speech. Whilehe agreed at the time, I found outfive years later that he thought Iwas dreaming. But he set his mindon the goal and there was nostopping him. Today, his fee hasdoubled again and he speaks 80times per year.

Strategy. Put together a sales andmarketing strategy. Define yourtarget market, start making the callsand send your Web site link ormaterials to people who could hireyou. The key to your success isgoing to be consistency and clarityaround what you are offering.Touching the same group of people

four times a year could pay offhandsomely down the road

Documents

Ingrid Betancourt’s Amazing Eloquence TOAS TMASTER · 2020. 11. 27. · members.toastmasters.org Ingrid Betancourt’s Amazing Eloquence VPPR: When You Host a Club Promote It, They