Online Public Relations

More than ever, Toastmasters clubs have an opportunity and a responsibility to grow their brand through social media. Understanding how social media works, how it affects brands and what makes opinions change in an instant is key to maintaining a strong brand. The opportunity to relay facts and events to a wide audience has never been so easy and so inexpensive, offering a wide range of multimedia formats such as pictures, podcasts, graphics and videos. In 1996 Bill Gates stated that “content is king”. The belief that online content is central to the success of a website implies that readers demand quality and expect it…..

Our online visitors are looking for content that delivers value, expert knowledge, brand awareness, and is relevant. How can we deliver? Through unique, informative, entertaining, error free, structured text that is easily understood. To influence people through social media you need patience, good ideas and well-written articles. Social media is the ideal tool to to build a brand with some free publicity. How can we use social media to align with our mission to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment?

Firstly, we need to select members who know Toastmasters well. Members who have been a Toastmaster for many years, who care about the club and branding as much as Toastmasters International do. Toastmasters who can demonstrate quality leadership and communication skills. Creative thinkers, people with knowledge in-house, who are keen to have real relationships with visitors who are seeking to learn from us. They know how to build relationships, as a trusted source they persuade people they encounter through a strategic communication process which builds a mutually beneficial relationship.

Secondly, a good storyteller will protect, enhance and advance the Toastmasters brand. They find positive messages to share, create and execute special events, network, create an image, build credibility and trust. Understanding what you have to offer and why your target audience should care is what good public relations is all about. Online public relations through social media is a rapid way to get your message out there. Social media can augment PR efforts and serve as an amplifier. The use of images and videos, announcing special events and reporting on various activities can attract visitors and provide information that is helpful to them.

Online public relations  will lead to new members who are looking to improve their communications and leadership skills. Picnic Point Toastmasters is proud to support the local community with quality communications and leadership training. We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Come join us at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Picnic Point. We look forward to meeting you.

Know Your Audience

In general, all communication starts out with people expressing their ideas and feelings in the hope that others will understand them, but this is not always the case. Even professional communicators are known to get it wrong once in a while. Whether speaking to an audience of one or many, this rule always apply…….. Know Your Audience.

What sort of communication approach would you use in order to engage someone in conversation? It really depends on your relationship with the individual. How well do you know them? Is this a formal setting or somewhat more casual?

When people are nervous they sometimes use humour to break the ice….. but often end up walking on thin ice, with egg on their face. Using humour can be a very risky business and jokes are the riskiest type of humour. A punch line that connects with your audience can be a great ice breaker, but one that falls flat can break communication. How will you handle it if the humour flops or is misunderstood? You must react quickly to maintain the connection with your audience. Have a back-up plan just is case – or better yet avoid using humour too early in the piece.

Get to know your audience first. How? Through research. Start with demographics – do you know what age groups will be represented? Do you know the audience’s average age? Or the age range? Will their be an equal balance of genders? What about their academic or ethnic background?  Once you have gathered this information you can then tailor your message to suit the audience. Avoid stereotyping and sexist remarks. Consider people’s culture, ethnicity, race and religious beliefs. Tailor your language through choice of vocabulary and examples.

Your next consideration is attitude. What is your audience’s attitude towards the subject? Do they care for the subject? What are their beliefs? Will they embrace your ideas or be opposed to them? And then you need to consider people’s values. Will they be offended? Or nod in agreement?

The final consideration is the setting and environment. How large is the room? How many people will be attending? How will the seating be arranged? Where will you be speaking from – a podium or on the floor just in front of the audience? Will you require a microphone or visual aid equipment? What kind of lighting will be used? All these factors will affect the mood and level of participation.

Once you commence speaking you need to keep note of the verbal and non-verbal cues. Are people focused, smiling, nodding in agreement? Or are they fidgeting, looking at their mobile phones, yawning? Did they laugh, give verbal responses or applaud? Use this feedback to adjust your delivery and maintain audience interest.

Need to learn more about your audience through practice? Want to learn the audience perspective? Consider speaking to us at Picnic Point Toastmasters. We meet at 7pm every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Panania.

Why Mentoring Matters

Who can benefit from your experience?  What advice and guidance can you give to someone in your circle?  Mentoring is often an “individualised approach” and plays an important role in personal and professional development. It starts with a mentor who sets a good example. Being a mentor is more than knowledge, experience and connections, it’s about helping your mentee and what you can both learn from the experience.

Or perhaps you are looking for someone to mentor you. The responsibilities and opportunities proposed by the mentor will stretch you and implementing feedback will empower you. However, mentoring is a two-way street which means you need to put in the effort to gain the best results.  Often, the initial excitement of being mentored can fizzle, the way to overcome that is to set expectations from the start and have a genuine interest in what you plan to accomplish as well as a genuine appreciation and respect for the mentor.

A great mentor brings a greater vision than even you have for yourself, they are not concerned with impressing you, they are genuinely passionate about helping you grow and achieve. As a mentee you must decide what you need and be willing to do what the mentor suggests in order to succeed in your personal and professional growth. Your mentor will inspire you through their actions and belief in you.

Structured and naturally occurring mentoring relationships have powerful effects on both the mentee and the mentor.  Mentoring is linked with leadership and who you are as an individual. If you are looking to advance in your career then a formal mentoring program can be instrumental in helping you to attain your career aspirations.  However, if you experience any of the following then you have stumbled upon a poorly designed mentoring program: no purpose or clear objective, no success metrics, incorrectly matched pairings, very little or poor training available, poor participation within the company, no program tracking.

What does good mentoring look like? If you are being mentored or are looking for a mentor the following list is a good place to start:

• Mentee-centred with a warm and approachable style
• available to mentees when help is needed
• help offered with a smile
• communicating what they know
• preparing for each mentoring sessionon topics or subjects the mentee wants to talk about
• good listening skills
• being honest and diplomatic with constructive feedback
• inquisitiveness and interest in continual learning
• objectivity and fairness
• compassion and genuineness.

Why does mentoring matter? It helps the mentee perform better, develops new skills in both the mentee and mentor, fosters respect and camaraderie, is rewarding and a proven method to derive satisfaction through valued contributions. Are you ready to take on a mentoring role? Or looking for a mentor to help you achieve your goals in communication and leadership? Then look no further…… Picnic Point Toastmasters has a mentoring program that offers you both opportunities!

When you join Picnic Point Toastmasters you are appointed a mentor who will guide and support you through the program. Toastmasters offers a self-paced mentoring program that will take you from mentee to mentor.  We meet at 7pm every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Panania.

Leadership Programs

How old were you when you first learnt about leadership? When we think of leadership programs, we often think of work related activities, like graduate programs. Yet, leadership programs are available at a much earlier stage in life. Consider the girl guides and boys scouts. Through cookie sales they master everything from business ethics and public speaking to financial responsibility and time management, essentially becoming the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. This is an extraordinary opportunity and one we may not readily consider as a leadership program.

Leadership programs come in many shapes and sizes. How do you decide which one is right for you? In today’s rapidly changing society, keeping up with the concept of what makes a great leader is an ever-evolving process. Leaders  need to grow, as people, as support for others and as high-performing team members that keep your business ahead of the game.

What are some of the key learnings you can attain through a leadership program? Self-mastery, improved performance, a focused mindset, team collaboration, time management and coaching…. just to name a few. Are you looking for a short course that focuses on one aspect of leadership, such as “Strategic Leadership”? Or perhaps you are looking at a longer commitment, one where you can continue to evolve with regular feedback? There are so many choices in today’s market that we are often unsure where to start.

A combination of practical and theory is often the best approach. How many leadership courses have you paid for in the past, only to find that you lack the opportunity to put your learning into practice? If you are interested in learning new practices and new ways of thinking that will help you throughout your leadership career then it’s time you considered joining Picnic Point Toastmasters.

During the meetings you will take on leadership roles that teach you how to give effective feedback. Other opportunities, like taking on a club executive role, will expand your leadership skills through team collaboration, goal setting and mentoring. Our self-paced training program includes subjects like communication styles, leaderships styles, mentoring, speaking persuasively, developing communication plans, public relations strategies, and much more.

John F. Kennedy stated that “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”. Isn’t it time that you considered investing in your leadership future?

If you are looking for a leadership program that offers ongoing practical application, constructive feedback and continuous learning, consider joining Picnic Point Toastmasters at Club Picnic Point, 124 Lambeth St, Panania, 2213. We meet on the 1^st  and  3^rd  Tuesday of the month at 7pm.

The Art of Public Speaking

The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie and Joseph B. Esenwein was originally published in 1915 and it is still in use today. This self help book is a valuable tool that you will refer to again and again. Whether the occasion in question is sharing travel experiences with friends, a toast for newly-weds, or a public debate, the tips and tricks collected in this book will come handy anywhere.

Reading how to make effective use of one’s voice and gestures, how to gain and convey confidence in front of a large group, and which methods to use to persuade an audience is a great way to whet your appetite. Examples and practical exercises can teach you only so much. Books are a great way to learn the theory, but it’s practice and feedback that will help you with the art of public speaking.

Why are public speaking skills important? First impressions count….Whenever you talk to anyone, it is your speaking skill which becomes the first impression for the person to whom you are talking. Many people are of the opinion that public speaking skills are required for professional speakers, or people in sales or marketing. This could not be further from the truth.

It is true that sales and marketing individuals should have public speaking skills, however, public speaking skills are not just for professionals. It’s for anyone who wishes to speak clearly, with confidence. Having public speaking skills ensures you communicate effectively, overcome stress and anxiety when presenting at work or speak up during a performance review.

When all eyes are on you, that’s when anxiety can present itself.  What can you do to overcome the anxiety? First, you need to shift your focus on another sensation, like the feel of the ground under your feet.  Next, breath deeply to help you relax. Then close your eyes and visualise your audience smiling and listening attentively to your every word. Use palm notes to keep you on track.

Being prepared is the key to reducing stress and anxiety when practising the art of public speaking. Improving your public speaking skills is a common goal for many people. And feeling confident when speaking in public is something many strive for.

If you are interested in the art of public speaking, want to reduce the stress when addressing an audience or are looking to improve your confidence and communication skills, then let Picnic Point Toastmasters help you with your goals. We use a proven system that teaches you the basics of public speaking, we provide feedback, encouragement and support to help you succeed.

Are you available on the 1^st  and 3^rd Tuesday of the month?  Then come along to Picnic Point Toastmasters!  We meet at 7pm at Club Picnic Point, 124 Lambeth St, Panania, 2213.

Let us help you with the art of public speaking.