Marketing & Membership Corner

Fellow District 14 Toastmasters:

My role as Lieutenant Governor Marketing is to "make the benefits of Toastmasters membership available to greater numbers of people." Toastmasters International is an educational, non-profit organization. It is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality. There are many benefits that go unused each year. Benefits such as attending an Area or Division contest, TLI, Fall and Spring Conferences. A great majority of the benefits are outside of your club meeting. Let’s make it a goal this year to attend at least two events outside of your club meeting. You will be amazed in what you have been missing. There is a lot of fun out there. Let’s make sure we have some of that fun.

The mission of the District is to enhance the performance and extend the network of Clubs, thereby offering greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from the Toastmasters Educational Program by:

• Focusing on the critical success factors as specified by the District educational and membership goals.

• Insuring that each Club effectively fulfills its responsibilities to its members.

• Providing effective training and leadership development opportunities for Club and District officers.

One of my primary goals is to support clubs that are struggling to keep their club membership up to the recommended strength of 20 members.

I encourage you to get involved! If you have a lead for a new club location, want to help start a club, mentor a new club, or coach a club back to success, please contact lgm@gatoastmasters.org . Remember that serving as a Sponsor, Mentor, or Coach is one of the requirements for the Advanced Leader Silver award on the path to Distinguished Toastmaster, plus it can be a very rewarding experience!

How can you do to help District 14?

Start a Club — Have you been thinking of starting a new club in your business or community? Contact Dwight Jones lgm@gatoastmasters.org. I'd love to help you get started!

Serve On a Demo Team — Do you love speaking about Toastmasters? Do you love meeting new people? Apply to be on a team that helps companies and organizations fulfill on their goals by creating new clubs. Contact Dwight Jones lgm@gatoastmasters.org.

Generate New Leads — Think you might know of an organization or community that would benefit by starting a Toastmaster club? We'd love to hear your ideas! Contact

Be a Club Coach, Mentor or Sponsor — Put your leadership skills and experience to work by coaching a struggling Toastmasters club. Contact Dwight Jones lgm@gatoastmasters.org.

Toastmasters International Membership contest:

Annual Membership Program
Acknowledges individuals who sponsor new members during the Toastmasters year July 1 – June 30. Be sure that your name and home club number appear on the new member’s application. If you sponsor 5 or 10 new members, you receive a special pin. If you sponsor 15 new members, you receive a special discount code for 25% off your next product purchase from Toastmasters International World Headquarters.

Smedley Award
Commemorates the founding of Toastmasters International on October 22 1924, by recognizing Clubs that add 5+ members during August and September. Clubs that do so will receive a club banner ribbon and a special discount code for 10% off the next club order from Toastmasters International.

Talk-Up Toastmasters
Recognizes clubs that add 5+ members during February and March with a club banner ribbon and a special discount code for 10% off the next club order from Toastmasters International. You can encourage your members to invite guests to a special meeting where regular procedures are augmented by a discussion of Toastmasters' many benefits!

Beat the Clock!
Your Club can build Distinguished Club Program credit and meet the membership requirements by adding new members before the end of the Toastmasters year. When a Club adds 5 members during May and June, it earns a club banner ribbon and a special discount code for 10% off the next club order from Toastmasters International.

I will be providing a lot of resources throughout the year to make sure the benefits of Toastmasters is being use by all members.

LET’s HAVE A GREAT YEAR AND A FUN YEAR!

Dwight Jones, DTM

Lt. Governor of Marketing 2010-2011

lgm@gatoastmasters.org

678-685-1704 cell

413-845-9839 fax