8 Members Should Pay Dues by Oct. 10

Dues aren't due for over a month, but that doesn't mean you have to wait to start reminding your members to pay. 

To meet the Distinguished club requirement, you have to have 8 members paid up by October 10.

Sponsor Members!

The district will be giving awards at the end of the year for individual members who sponsor the most new members. Awards tbd.

What can we do to help sponsor members and bring in guests?

Half by Half

District is encouraging clubs to meet half of there education goals by Dec. 31

Publicity Contests for Clubs Announced

Clubs should submit their websites and newsletters to the district 66 Public Relations officer.

Winners will be announced at the spring conference, and winning clubs will receive gift certificates to the TI website.

Give updates to the PRO

Our district public relations officer wants to hear from clubs about open houses, member recognition, and more.

Toastmaster of the Year

District gov. suggesting clubs do a toastmaster of the year program. More here http://www.toastmasters.org/outstandingtm

Area Contest Announced!

Wednesday, October 1: 7pm-8:30pm

Contestants and Judges Arrive by 6:30pm

Hampton Public Library 

4207 Victoria Blvd, Hampton

Each club may advance 2 contestants for each contest: Humorous Speaking and Evaluation.

In addition to contestants, we need each club to bring 4 volunteers to help judge, time, and facilitate the contest.

Contest rules, roles, and more can be found in the Toastmasters 2014 contest guidebook: http://www.toastmasters.org/interactivespeechcontestrulebook

Map to the Contest

View Hampton Public Library in a larger map

Create a Safe Environment, Officers Should Step in if a Member is Too Harsh

Remember Toastmasters is meant to be a Safe Environment where we can learn from each other. Don't embarrass members by saying, "You said 48 ahs, and I counted every one of them."

Instead, say, "You said some ahs and ums. Come up to me after the meeting if you want to know the count."

Facilitator of Leading the Club to Success, said: "If you have a person in your club who think it's their role in life to tell us everything we're doing wrong, someone in leadership needs to go to that member and say 'Slow your role.'"

5 Principles of Motivation

Tips for motivating members of your club:

• Understand what motivates the individual 
• what do they want?
• what do they value?
• what stands in their way?
• Focus on the benefit to the individual
• frame your ask in terms of what the member will get out of it
• Make expectations clear
• when you ask for help, ask specifically
• identify what success will look like
• Recognize members
• have celebrations when members achieve educational awards
• praise members when they take on additional responsibility
• Be a leader
• lead by example

How to help new members set goals

Craig Stevens (Creating a Quality Club) recommends setting these targets with members:
- attend 75% of meetings in first 6 mo
- give 1-3 speeches
- Set expectations

("When we think about speeches, what do we think about? President Obama giving the state of the union... we're aiming for the summit... We're not President Obama. We're not giving the state of the union.")

Tips for helping new members

The audience of the Creating a Quality Club session at leadership training this morning were asked what are some things they should do to address guest and new member needs:
- give guests introductory materials
- get guest emails and send them a personalized follow-up and invite them back
- make an acronym cheat sheet
- create a new member welcome packet
- assign mentors to all new members
- train and bring in new mentors every 6 mo
- post member testimonials online

Session leader Craig Stevens adds:
- have new members bring their welcome packet to next meeting so someone help orient them
- have mentors work in a personal development plan with new members (1328)
- brainstorm speech topics together

Quoting former international director: "If you get out of toastmasters everything you can get out of toastmasters, you'll never get out of toastmasters."

Why do members leave:
- time constraints
- personal issues
- job transfers
- new interests or commitments
- meeting length

"The longer the meeting duration the more likely a member would not renew sure to interest, motivation, or encouragement."

Toastmasters isn't about public speaking

Craig Stevens dropped a bomb at officer training this morning. Toastmasters is NOT about public speaking. It's about personal and professional growth through learning public speaking and leadership.