Important information for Toastmaster Members

April 2021: More Firsts!

Fellow Toastmasters - can you believe it's already District Conference time ? This year, I'm looking forward to welcoming you to our first-ever virtual conference. I'm sad that we won't be together in person, but delighted at all the new opportunities it's opening up (no travel time or costs, for example).

The conference is free to attend - another first! - and it will have all the features that are so appreciated, year after year: the District International Speech Contest, outstanding workshops and training sessions, and an amazing keynote speaker, Patricia Fripp, to name but a few.

As I write this, there are only a few spaces left - our attendance will "max out". So if you haven't already done so, register here and take the opportunity to become even more accomplished.

A big thank you to the committee that has organized such an outstanding program, and I look forward to seeing you, beginning April 16.

Wendy Williamson DTM, District Director

For Club Presidents and VPs Education -

April 13 Deadline

Presidents and VPs Ed: time is running out - you have less than one week left to fulfil one of your most important duties.

You're responsible for voting in the 2021-22 District leaders (District Director, Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director and all the Division Directors). And to do that, you must pre-register to attend the virtual District Council Elections Meeting by 11.59pm, April 13.

The actual meeting, where you'll vote, isn't until April 17. But you can't be admitted to the voting meeting unless you've pre-registered by the deadline.

If you're going to be in the new District 60, click here to register.
If you're going to be in the new District 123, click here to register.

Remember:

Each club's President and VP Ed are eligible to vote, if they and their club are in good standing
If you hold both roles, you can vote twice
But, if each of you holds one role, you can't vote on behalf of the other person. No proxies are allowed.

Not sure which District you should register for? Then click here and here to review.

You're also invited to the annual District Council Reports meeting, to hear "end of year" reports from each of the current District leaders. Separate registration is required, and you can do that here. No need to worry about which new District you'll be in - all Presidents and VPs Ed are invited to the same meeting.

Thank you for your prompt registration - we must achieve quorum for votes to be binding, and your registration is vital.

For Everyone - Register for District 60's FREE Virtual Conference

Mark April 16 – 18 on your calendar and plan to attend District 60’s inaugural virtual conference, featuring 13 free workshops, keynote speaker Patricia Fripp, International Speech contest, awards presentations and the election of new district leaders.

International Speech Contest

The club, area and division contests culminate at the District International Speech Contest where one winner from each division will compete for the district championship and the right to advance to regional competitions. Registration to the April 18 District competition is included in your free conference registration.

Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp

Pre-conference warm-up workshop, April 10: This is a roll-up-your-sleeves, virtual, interactive workshop. Pre-selected volunteers will deliver a small portion of their presentations and Patricia Fripp will offer laser-focused mini-coaching for all our benefit.

Conference kick-off keynote, April 16: Transform your presentations from good to great with this educational keynote that will teach you how to:

• Connect to every audience

• Open with impact

• Improve your stories

• Build credibility with specificity.

Learn more about Patricia Fripp here.

Thirteen Free Workshops

Going virtual means we can offer more workshops in more formats. Thirteen workshops will be offered by outstanding presenters simultaneously on Sunday, April 18. Sign up for one, but there is no limit to your learning. All workshops will be recorded for your listening at leisure after the conference. Click here for workshop descriptions.

Is this your first conference?

Learn how to maximize your conference experience at a First-Timer’s Introduction Workshop with FAQs on Friday, April 16. Then, be sure to participate in networking games and activities, and win prizes, the morning of Saturday, April 17. Watch for an email with details from the First-Timer Team closer to the conference.

For Club Executives: Recruiting New Members

Congratulations, District 60! Since July 1 last year, we have welcomed 1,183 new members to our clubs. At a time when no-one has been able to experience the camaraderie of a club at first hand, that is an extraordinary achievement.

And now, it's time to prepare to welcome even more new members.

During May and June, we'll be running Beat The Clock - a membership drive that aims to bring all the benefits of your Toastmasters club to at least five new members.

Add five new, dual or reinstated members between May 1 and June 30 and you'll receive:

a ribbon for your club banner (remember those?)
10% off your next club order from the Toastmasters store
the energy and enthusiasm of five new-to-your-club members
maybe even an additional point towards your Distinguished Club goal!

To support you, we'll be running ads on Facebook and LinkedIn (in recent months, we've been generating an average of 350 enquiries a day).

To get ready:

Reconfirm who within your club is responsible for responding immediately to all guest enquiries
Check your club profile on Toastmasters International, and on all the social media sites you use. Is there an easy-to-find link for potential guests to request more information?
Tidy up your guest pack, so that it's ready to send immediately. Is your virtual meeting link easy to find?
Prepare a standard follow-up email to be sent to every guest who attends your club.

Best practice (gleaned from clubs who have been ultra-successful in converting guests to members):

Send a follow-up email the same day as the guest attended your club
Be very clear that you'd like the guest to join - attach a membership application form
Be upfront about the cost, and tell the guest how they can send you their fees.

Need inspiration? Here's how Speak Up at TD (a closed, corporate club) went from 9 to 20 members.

Alex-Bobbie Mason, President (and the speaker in the picture above) says there were three keys:

Awareness - using all of the organization's internal communication channels to promote the club
Engagement - talking to colleagues about how Toastmasters can help them, professionally and personally
Every member taking any chance they get to promote the club.

He pays tribute to previous President Carolyn Ayson's hard work in highlighting individual members' contributions and skills at every opportunity. For him, that led to his story being featured in a Level Playing Field video (Alex-Bobbie's section begins at 15' 53", and you can see Speak Up at TD in action at 20' 30").

For Club Officers: Time For Succession Planning

It's hard to believe, but the end of this Toastmasters year is almost in sight. During May, each club will stage elections and on July 1, new Executives will take the reins and lay plans for even greater achievements in the coming year.

So, now is the time for every current Executive to talk to members, sound out their interest and listen to their enthusiasm, skills and capabilities. Successful succession planning - handing over a healthy club to an energized new team - will ensure your hard work lives on for another year.

If you've never taken on a Club Executive role, this could be the time for you to expand your experience, and gain highly marketable new skills. Read more about each of the roles in this comprehensive guide, and talk to your current Executive to learn more.

For Everyone: NEW Pathways Level 1 Incentive

How is your club doing in Pathways? Are your members doing speeches, completing projects, getting credit?

Not only is this important for the Distinguished Club Program, now it’s also a great way to go shopping!

When every member* of your club completes a minimum of Level 1 in any path, your club will be entered to win $150 (US) in Toastmasters International gift certificates – money your club can use for incentives, rewards, educational materials, and more.

Entering the draw is simple: just ensure that every member of your club has completed Level 1. Make sure their level is approved in Base Camp, and entered at Club Central. Notify your Area Director of your club’s achievement, and leave the rest to us!

*Applies to members as of January 1, 2021.

For Everyone - Welcome Our Newest Clubs

Congratulations and welcome to District 60's two brand new Toastmasters clubs:

Centennial College Alumni Association Toastmasters - thanks to sponsors Diane Paton-Sutherland and Catherine Sanchez-Estuart, and mentors Jennifer Magee and Darren Verasammy.

TCCA (Toronto Certified Chartered Accountants) Speakers - thanks to sponsors Fitz Timon Harewood and Laura Wilson, and mentors Catherine Sanchez-Estuart and Michael McAra.

Thanks too, to our Club Growth Directors David Veights DTM and Sudha Datta DTM, and Club Extension Chair Karen Goodyear DTM.

For Everyone:

Our Helping Hands Initiative

Are you a member of a thriving club that enjoys membership success and energetic meetings?

Great, this is for you.

Or are you a member of a club that's finding it a bit tough right now, and don't know what to do to revive your club's Toastmaster experience?

Great, this is also for you.

D60's Helping Hands initiative aims to pair up clubs for mutual benefit. It's intended for two clubs to form a partnership between a club that has found success in growing membership, creating an exciting club meeting atmosphere, and/or continually achieves the Distinguished Club Program award, and another club that seeks to grow membership, hold memorable meetings, and achieve Distinguished Status.

Both Clubs will receive District recognition and a $50.00 (US) Toastmasters International gift card when the Club receiving support achieves Distinguished Club Program status by June 30.

If you need help - or can offer help - let either of our Club Growth Directors know (you can click on their images at the foot of this newsletter). Thanks to those clubs which have already stepped forward. We're hearing some encouraging early results!

recipients.

For Area Directors: Time To Submit Club Visit Reports

There's just a few weeks left for you to submit second round Club Visit Reports - the deadline is May 31. Congratulations to the nine Area Directors who completed this task by the early bird deadline.

These reports are a great way to work collaboratively with your clubs to identify challenges and action points. It's not too late to work out how to attract new members, help existing members attain educational goals and earn points to achieve Distinguished Club status.