District 91 Leaders: Talk Up Toastmasters!

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Over the last few weeks, as part of the PR effort around the Talk Up Toastmasters campaign, (inspired by idea in a speech by Rupa, our District Director) I have been setting up interviews between the District Leadership team and Division Directors to ask them what brought them to Toastmasters and why they keep coming back. The Talk Up Toastmasters campaign is designed to get new Guests to visit Clubs. The campaign runs until the end of March 2023 and D91 Clubs will be rewarded if they add 5 or more Members in this period. What better way to do this than to reflect on what we have both got out of our time in the organisation. Hence these great videos!

You can see the individual videos below which I’m sure you’ll agree are very heart warming. I love to see the rapport and interaction between professionals who respect one another.

For my part and reflecting on what I have taken out of (in some cases filming) viewing and editing these interactions is that people come to Toastmasters for all sorts of reasons, and the reasons they come for and seldom the reasons they stay. I’d go further than that it’s impossible to predict how your journey will go when you first join, mainly because you have no idea of the different learning and leadership possibilities the organisation presents. When you meet people who have never heard of Toastmasters, don’t just sell them on the features and benefits tell them why are you came and why are you keep coming. Just as it is on stage with in the club personal stories and anecdotes are the most powerful ingredients for creating emotional connection and provoking action. Try it for yourself and gain inspiration below.

Chris Arning, Public Relations Manager & Debbie Williams, Club Growth Director

As D91 PR Manager, I caught up with Debbie Williams, Club Growth Director this week to speak with her about the Talk Up Toastmasters campaign designed to get new Guests to visit Clubs. The campaign runs until the end of March and Clubs will be rewarded if they add 5 or more Members in this period. What better way to do this than to reflect on what we have both got out of our time in the organisation. It was a short chat and we answered just two questions. One: what first brought you to come toToastmasters AND Two: what keeps you coming back to Toastmasters.

Amy Jones, Admin Manager & Diane Richardson, Program Quality Director

In this Talk Up Toastmasters video District 91 Admin Manager, Amy Jones and Program Quality Director, Diane Richardson discuss what brought them to Toastmasters and what keeps on coming back year after year as they joined in 2016 and 2015 respectievely. In this succinct but wide ranging chat they cover off being pestered by friends to join a meeting, creating community, living by a service ethos, why are you will never leave if you keep learning, and how Toastmasters ultimately makes us become ‘better pack animals’.

Rupa Datta, District Director & Eddy Quah, District Finance Manager

In the latest in a series of DISTRICT 91 Talk Up Toastmasters videos our District Director, Rupa Dutta sits down with District Finance Manager, Eddy Quah to Talk up Toastmasters. They ask each other why they first came through the door of a Toastmasters meeting and what keeps them coming back. It is a heartwarming chat, full of emotion, peeling back the onion and tears of laughter.

Gillian Prior Division J Director and John Akers Division L Director

Gillian and John discuss how joining Toastmasters helps us gain an extra-curricular activity and builds networks for some people. For others Toastmasters help them navigate career changes and to face their fears and to go in a new direction by building the skills to face an audience, and how for us all the learning never stops. Even the quietest little mice can find their voice at Toastmasters!

Division C Director, Emily McQuillen and Division H Director, Emmanuel Karamagi

Emily and Emmanuel talk to each other about how they both arrived at Toastmasters. It is as often by accident as by design, but whether it is arriving through a date night or more purposeful in improving one’s interview skills, Toastmasters gets us on a journey where we can develop and as these Division leaders have shown once you are on the learning track you keep developing in leadership growth and finding new paths in the organisation.

Division B Director, Andy Hessey and Division K Director, Rose Nakibirango

Andy and Rose talk to each other about how they both arrived at Toastmasters. Sometimes it can be an intriguing new pastime to take up when you have moved to a new area but that it often develops from there. The wonderful people, the learning and the fun is what keeps people coming back to meetings. And during lockdown some people ever became Key Workers!

Division A Director, Suhas Kumar and Division D Director, Janet Alkema

Suhas and Janet talk to each other about how they both arrived at Toastmasters. Starting one’s own business means that you cannot avoid getting up and speaking. For some people joining TM is an accident, for others it is more purposeful. Toastmasters can improve many aspects of your life – not only ones you might expect like speaking but others too like negotiation skills and time management – then you stay to pass these skills on to others!

We hope you will gain some inspiration and identification from what we said. Find out more about the campaign and what it could mean for your Club.

Talk up Toastmasters

Perhaps you will conduct your own interviews and put them out on social media? If so we will share them on D91 channels. We look forward to hearing from you.

Chris Arning,
PR Manager, District 91, 2022-2023

The Laughing Toastmaster: Call for Law Banning ‘Salescism’

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Legislation would make it mandatory to befriend salespeople

Having worked in corporate sales longer than The Lion King’s run in the West End, I still experience the sting of discrimination caused by ‘salescism’.
‘Sneaky salespeople’, ‘Bunch of crooks’ and ‘Annoying loudmouths’, are just some of the hurtful things people say without realizing the devastating consequences it has on us sales folk. The feeling of loneliness (no one wants to be your friend) and low sales-esteem can last a lifetime.

Now that I’m self-employed, selling is still an integral part of my life. Unfortunately, salescism has crippled me so much that even motional phrases like, ‘Don’t be small make that call’ make me bawl.
I’m not alone. Statistics show salescism (defined as: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against salespeople on the belief that your job is superior), impacts 100 in every 100 salespeople. Stats not accurate. Like a true sales gal, I made them up.

Now you may think this has nothing to do with you. Maybe you’re the kind of person who’s never had to sell because the clients come to you (in which case you’re probably a drug dealer). For the rest of us, whether you’re selling ideas, services or ourselves (dating is the ultimate sell), nothing can shield you from the stigma of salescism.
Things are so bad we use covert language like, ‘Shall we explore the possibility of collaborating together?’. We feel the need to use encrypted job titles to hide our true identity:

• Business Development Manager (new sales)
• Key account manager (big clients but take tiny too)
• Account Manager (anything from serving coffee to whatever it takes)

Unlike secretaries who rediscovered themselves as ‘PAs’ (and are now allowed to look miserable and not help), these new sales titles have done nothing for us except make clients distrust us even more! After all, you wouldn’t want your plumber to be called ‘pipe dreamer’.

In Toastmasters it’s no different. Terrified of being called ‘salesy’ or ‘pushy’ we use phrases like, ‘Let’s publicize Toastmasters to the public’ or ‘We need to inform guests about our benefits’.
When one club advertised their open house as ‘Pizza & Toastmaster Night’, it wasn’t called a ‘fantastic sales idea’ (which it was!), but a ‘prudent marketing initiative’. Toastmasters is such an outstanding organization we shouldn’t be ashamed of selling its benefits, but proud of doing so! Sadly, salecism gets in the way.

When confronted, ‘salescists’ deny any wrong doing and claim history is full of dodgy salespeople. They have a point. Starting with the great car manufacturer and ultimate sales guy Henry Ford who said, ‘Customers can have a car painted any color they want … as long as it is black’, giving all car salesmen a terrible reputation.
Then ‘The Godfather’ comes along with the most effective (if extreme) sales pitch, ‘I will make you an offer you can’t refuse’. Trust me clients don’t take kindly to such drastic negotiation techniques.
Even the late Steve Jobs said, ‘Get closer to your customers, so close that you tell them what they need before they realize it’. With all due respect isn’t that Machiavellian manipulation coupled with serious stalking?
OK, so maybe we haven’t exactly been a ‘beacon of morality’, but like any convict that’s done his time, don’t we deserve a second chance?

Anti-salescism lobbies around the world are calling for legislation to tackle the problem by suing salecists who make inappropriate comments and refuse to make friends with salespeople.
And it shouldn’t stop there. It needs to be written into employment laws sales people must be invited to social events, even if that means installing quotas to overcome centuries of oppression.
Sales people are cautiously optimistic. ‘Society has a negative perception of sales people’ says Jim (not his real name), who has kept his real job hidden from his family for decades. ‘My parents are very proud of me. They think I’m a dentist’.

New laws would make it mandatory to invite us to weddings, christenings, bar mitzvahs and anniversaries. Music to my ears as these events are ideal places to bombard unsuspecting guests with interactive business cards. I can’t wait!

In the meantime, if you’re still not a Toastmaster, ‘Let me inform you of the multiple benefits of joining’.

Sonia Aste is an engineer, writer and comedian. She’s a Toastmaster and member at Riverside Communicators Club.
More from Sonia on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

1-21-100 Incentive – A Trifecta of Achievement

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The 1-21-100 Award – a Trifecta of Achievement The 1-21-100 Incentive What is the 1-21-100 incentive? I hear you ask. Well, it’s an important incentive for us at District 91. It comprises three key criteria that for the clubs that achieve them will mean that they are on the road to accomplishing excellence in both … Read more

Save the date: The District 91 Conference

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Save the date:  The District 91 Conference 12-13-14th May – Inspiring futures   If you have not guessed it, we are excited to announce that this year’s District 91 Conference will be having its Saturday’s events at the Barbican. The Barbican Centre is a renowned performing arts centre in the City of London. It has Grade … Read more

Club Growth Newsletter – February 2023

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Renewals

The renewals window is open. As some clubs experienced delays in their renewals, I encourage you to submit them early. As further incentivisation, there will be an early payment award of £50 for the first 30 clubs that submit their renewals with a minimum of 20 members by the end of February.

If you have already submitted your membership renewals, thank you for investing in your personal growth. If you haven’t already done so, it isn’t too late!

Talk Up Toastmasters

February 1 – March 31 2023

The Talk Up Toastmasters membership programme gives members the chance to invite guests to a special meeting where prospective members can learn about Toastmasters’ many benefits. Add 5 new, dual or reinstated members with a join date between February 1 and March 31, and you’ll receive a special Talk Up Toastmasters ribbon to display on your club’s banner.

Special events might include members bringing a friend, inviting former members, hosting an ‘Open House’ meeting, or speechcraft workshop.

A guide to all incentives is here: https://d91toastmasters.org.uk/members/resources/incentives/

Open House Meetings

An Open House Meeting is a fun meeting to publicise Toastmasters to members of the public, friends, family or work colleagues. They are very similar to a normal club meeting, but feel more like a demonstration of the benefits of Toastmasters while providing a taste of what a regular meeting is like. Some roles will be carried out a little differently, and the agenda will be planned to give guests the opportunity to actively participate. Organising an open-house meeting can be done either by the club’s committee or an ad-hoc organising team – perhaps you have a member that would like to complete a Pathway Project, for example.

The key to a great Open House meeting is teamwork, and getting all club members on board to ensure it is a success. As a great example of an Open House recently, please see the write up of the City of London event on 17th January in the link below

Welcoming the World to Toastmasters

 

Debbie’s Top Tips

  • Do you remember your first Toastmasters meeting and why you joined? Share your testimony with your club members and guests. Do this at regular club meetings in addition to special events. You might inspire someone to achieve something that they never thought was possible, including potential future leaders!
  • Do you inform guests and new members about all the exciting training opportunities available to them? Did you know that new and existing members can attend club officer training and other District webinars? Please share, so everyone can benefit.
  • When was the last time that you invited an external Toastmaster to your club as a General Evaluator? Sometimes we can get too comfortable in our clubs, and it’s always helpful to see how we’re doing by bringing in fresh eyes. We grow from evaluations, and external evaluators provide an opportunity to learn about what your club is doing well and receive suggestions on how you might improve

Here’s a reminder of the Toastmasters’ Promises

As a member of Toastmasters International and my club, I promise  

  • To attend club meetings regularly
  • To prepare all of my projects to the best of my ability, basing them on the Toastmasters education program
  • To prepare for and fulfil meeting assignments
  • To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations
  • To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all members to learn and grow
  • To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so
  • To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy
  • To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters membership offers
  • To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters education and recognition programs
  • To act within Toastmasters’ core values of integrity, respect, service and excellence during the conduct of all Toastmasters’ activities

And if you want a refresher on how to integrate the Promises into your Toastmasters life, then join us on Friday 17th February for a LinkedIn Live event all about the promises brought to you by D91 Toastmasters.

You can sign up here: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7028417454993219584/

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023