Vice President of Public Relations

1. Vice Presidentof Public Relations by Rick Sharon, DTM rasharon@midpa.com www.midpa.com/toastmasters/DivE

2. Agenda • What does VP of PR do? • Standards and Methods • Resources • Creative Strategies • Brainstorming • Your Challenges? What works?

3. Introductions • Your name • How long have you been in Toastmasters? • Club name • When & where you meet • Company or community club? • What do you hope to take away from this session?

4. What doesVP of PR Do? • Promotes the club to local media • Keeps club members informed • Club Website and/or Newsletter • Publishes stories and advertising • Promoting your Club • Upcoming events • Member and Club “brags” & achievements • Attends and participates in Executive Committee meetings (of club officers)

5. What doesVP of PR Do? • Attends District-sponsored Club officer training • Arranges for a replacement if unable to attend club meeting • Prepares successor for office • Prepare a notebook of everything you had to learn to do the job & give it to your successor • Sets Standards for office …

6. International’s StandardsOutside of Club Meeting • Promote the club to local media • Produce a club newsletter and/or Website • Promote membership programs • Attend every Club Executive Committee meeting (at least monthly meeting of Club Officers) • Attend Other Toastmasters Events • Area and Division Speech Contests • District Conferences

7. International’s StandardsOutside of Club Meeting • Attend District Sponsored Club Officer Training EVERY six months esp. Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) • Arrange for a replacement if unable to attend a club meeting • Prepare your successor for office

8. Promote the Clubto Local Media • Target your audience • Who? What are their unique characteristics? • Develop a media list • How does targeted audience get their news? • Contacts for each news source • Send promotional materials to media members • Cover letter, press kit, contact info, articles, website links, flyers • Follow-up, mention Toastmasters is non-profit

9. Publicity Materials • Maintain a press kit • Send news releases • Give interviews • Maintain a website • Kit for guests and guest prospects • Kit for new members

10. Why a Club Newsletter and/or Website? • Document and publicize current events • What? When? Where? Why? Who? • Inform with educational material • “How To’s”, “Did you know?...”, Where to find, useful tools, tips, and tricks • Provide visitors with publicity / information • Provide club contacts • Brag about member achievements

11. Important Newsletter Features • Content • What? When? Where? Why? Who? • Size -- max words per article? • Readability • Reverse pyramidSummary followed by detail • Keep It Simple • What’s in it for them? Why should they care? • Visual Impact • Attention getting: photos or graphics, headlines, variety, color, layout

12. Keep in Touch With Toastmasters Events • Be aware of Area, District, and International events • Calendars – District, Area • Attend whenever possible • Monthly Area Councils • Area and Division speech contests • District, Regional and International Conferences • Promote the benefits of the organization

13. Guest Kits • Welcome note from Club President • Calendar of upcoming events • Newsletters – Club’s, District’s • Toastmaster Magazine • Toastmasters Brochures • A Toastmaster Wears Many Hats • Top Ten Speaking Tips • History of Our Founder, History of Toastmasters • Membership Application, Dues Structure

14. International’s StandardsAt Club Meeting • Announce upcoming events and programs • Display and distribute • Newsletters • Promotional Flyers • Kits for guests and new members • Ask for contributions to the newsletter • Greet members and guests

15. Rick’s “Extra” Standards • Prepare a notebook for you & successor,anything needed to do the job: • Club officer manual from International • District 25 Calendar • Any additional calendar items (Club, Area) • Advertising flyers – Your’s, District’s, International’s • Contacts and Correspondence • Club Officer meeting minutes • Notes

16. Rick’s “Extra” Standards • Publish a Club Newsletter • Set a publication schedule • At least monthly • Better: after every meeting • Publish deadlines for submitting articles • How much lead-time do you need between receipt and publishing? (for editing, packaging) • Ask other Club Officers to provide columns • Send each issue to Area Governor • Upcoming events and promotions, Member Achievements, Summarize meetings • Put copies in Guest & New Member packets

17. Rick’s “Extra” Standards • Publish a Club Website • Club meeting location, time, and contacts • Member testimonials and profiles • Club officer list • Club resources – downloads and links • Agenda Templates • Promotional flyers • Guest & new member orientation materials • Links to other websites e.g. International, District 25 • Club dues structure, how to join, membership form • Upcoming Events, Calendars • Club Roster (may need to password protect)

18. Rick’s “Extra” Standards • Publish a Club Website • Newsletters – Club, Area, Division, District • Hall of Fame – anything you can brag about • CTMs, ATMs, CLs, ALs, DTMs, • Holding District Office, serving on District Committees • Speech contest winners • Speech contest judges & contests judged • Outstanding Club Officers • Sponsors, mentors for a new club • Coaches for a rebuilding club • District 25 Elite Members

19. Rick’s “Extra” Standards • Publish a Club Website • Hall of Fame – anything you can brag about • Club DCP achievements • International promotions earnedTalk Up Toastmasters, Beat The Clock, andSmedley Award ribbons • District promotions earned • Talk to anyone who will listen • Benefits of Club & Toastmasters • Club and member achievements • When & where club meets

20. Resources • Your Club Officer Manual • Club President received one for every club office last May or June • Get it from your predecessor • Or order anotherfrom on-line storeor supply catalog • District “Store” may sell itat TLIs and Conferences

21. Resources • Club officer notebook from your successor • If they didn’t make one, start one! • Pass it on to your successor • International’s Publications • Publicity & Promotion Handbook“Let The World Know” • Various Promotional Brochures • Order from Supply Catalog or download from www.toastmasters.org • DFW Media Guide

22. Resources • Your other club officers • Form a Public Relations committeerecruit club members to help you • Other VPs of PR in your Area • Your Area Governor and their team • Area Council Meetings • Other District Officers • Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) • District 25 Conferences

23. Resources • International’s website: www.toastmasters.org • District 25’s website:www.d25toastmasters.org • Division E’s website:www.midpa.com/toastmasters/DivEVisit the “Public Resources” page! • Links to International’s publicity guide, DFW Media Guide, awesome promotional flyers from District 50 • Club and District websitesuse on-line search engines to find them

24. Resources • Free club websites available from freetoasthost.org!! • Template based – just “fill in the blanks” • No software neededMaintain via “admin” pages right in the website • On-line membership roster (password protected) • Public and private downloads • Club calendar • On-line duty roster for meetings, members can update • On-line discussion forums • “Meet The Members” page • Club DCP tracking, Individual member goals • You can add custom pages

25. Resources • Free club websites available from freetoasthost.org!! • District 25 clubs using freetoasthost.org: • Keller.freetoasthost.org • FAA.freetoasthost.org • PET.freethoasthost.org • Lakeside.freetoasthost.org

26. Creative Strategies • Elevator Speech • Host a Toastmasters table at events • Employee conferences or HR trade shows for company clubs • Community Events • Entrepreneur shows • Conduct “free food” meetings • Discount Dues • Donate a free membership to charity auctions, raffles, or employee events

27. Brainstorming • What are your challenges? • What works at your club? • What ideas have you thought of during this meeting? • What have we missed? • What do you want to know more about?

28. Summary • What does VP of PR do? • Standards • Resources • Creative Strategies • Brainstorming • Your Challenges? What works? • More questions? Feedback? Contact Rick Sharon at: rasharon@midpa.com

29. If you put into Toastmasters what you get out of Toastmasters …You will never get out of Toastmasters!