Did you renew your membership in Toastmasters for 6 months? Or a year?

Membership dues were due to Toastmasters International by April 1st for at least the coming 6 months (April thru September).

Did you renew for 6 or 12 months?

During every dues cycle members evaluate what they want to accomplish in Toastmasters versus the cost of the dues. Some clubs have to pay to rent their meeting spaces which can increase the club dues but I have never heard of a Toastmasters club that cost even half of the expensive two or three day seminars that seem to be popping up everywhere.

Toastmasters continues to be an incredible value...
... for those that believe in developing their skills. The members that do not renew are often the ones that either used to being spoon-fed their education or just are not committed enough to their own progress.

Life is not easy.
And it won't get any easier if you don't try new things. It can become more boring by doing less, but that won't get you any more than what you have ... and it will probably end up costing you what you have since nothing is standing still. The competition is always getting better and either you are improving or you are getting (relatively) worse.

You NEED Toastmasters.
Not just for the social interaction with supportive members a few times a month but for a chance to push outside your comfort zone on a regular basis. Toastmasters is one of very few places where you are encouraged to try new things, learn by doing and where failure is only when you don't try.

Make the Most of Your Membership !
Make a plan for the coming 3 months. Take a role or give a speech at every meeting. Complete your CC and your CL. Don't worry about doing things perfect... do the best you can in the time that is available and LEARN from the experience. Next time will be better.

Don't be an April Fool...
If there is going to be a "next time"... I hope you paid your membership dues !

Media Mixer Meeting concept

I was reading an interesting book called "Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Work--And Why Your Company Needs Them" by Peter Shankman and it gave me an idea to help promote Toastmasters ...

In the book, Peter talks about "adding value" and "being a resource" for a reporter before you ask them to write an article about you or your client.

One of the ways that he suggests to do that is to offer your expertise.

He has a great letter in the book where he states all the different things that he or his clients have done to show the scope of connections that he has and how it might be of value to a reporter.

Here is the idea for Toastmasters.... What if the VP-PR for a Toastmasters club invited a specific reporter (or other media contacts) to a "Media Mixer" event (i.e. a Toastmasters meeting) where the theme of the meeting is designed to showcase the experience and interests of all the Toastmasters members?

Obviously the reporter would see a Toastmasters meeting in action but they would also be introduced to a wide range of very interesting people who could give them material for many, many articles in the future.


The side benefit... Toastmasters would likely be mentioned in any of the stories that were printed or aired.

It probably would not hurt to have some good food and other incentives (like a REAL nice invitation with a personal follow up telephone call) to get the reporter(s) to the meeting, but it could plant some good publicity seeds... plus it would create personal connections between the Toastmasters club and someone in the media.

What do you think?

Leave a comment below !

Fwd: M&M Research (Therapy) for Toastmaster Leaders

Since I've assume role of the new M&M (Marketing & Membership) leader for District 53, it was great to get the following email from Past District Governor, Roger Brown. He said it is based on something he found on the internet back in 2005 and I hope it makes you smile too!

It is also an interesting tie-in for the upcoming Fall contests. (Clubs should have their contests done by Aug.23rd!)

Dave W.

From: Roger H Brown
Subject: Re: M&M Research (Therapy) for Toastmaster Leaders

M&M Evolution

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.

Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters. That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.

I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theatre of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.

Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.

When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."

This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament.

From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.

There can be only one.