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AS I SEE IT. . .
How Do You Put A Price Tag on
the Benefits of Toastmasters?
by Leanna Lindquist , DTM—District Director
Over two thousand Every time you attend club
attendees, from all meetings you learn, either by
over the globe, were at the 85th Toastmasters doing or listening. The beauty of
International Convention in Washington, D.C. Toastmasters is, as you work through the manuals,
Some flew 26 hours to take part in the annual
event. you increase your knowledge of how
A topic of discussion was the dues increase to put together and deliver a good
taking effect October 1, 2016. As I thought about speech. Then you get to practice it,
this on the trip home, I took out pen and paper in front of a live audience. Feedback
and made a list. Perhaps you will have more
to add. helps you fine tune your delivery.
Toastmasters Benefits: Has your ability to write and
• A proven program in
speaking and leading deliver a speech helped you in
• Conferences with world class your workplace? Do you feel
speakers offered at break-
even prices more confident when asked
• Contests to meet with clients or give
• Experienced mentors a presentation? Has Table
• Feedback Topics helped you think on
• Friendship—and for some, marriage your feet instead of being
• Learn how to write and deliver a speech tongue tied? Did you enjoy the
• Learn to think on your feet and respond thrill of competing in a speech contest—or
intelligently did you excitedly cheer on one of your club
• Listening skills members? Are you a mentor to a new member?
• Monthly magazine from District 7—Voices! Have you been touched by a mentor? Is your
• Monthly magazine from Toastmasters club like a family who supports and encourages
International one another? Have you made friends? If you had
• Online Resources to run a meeting at work or in the community,
• Opportunity to could you do it?
• Lead a meeting If you answered yes to any of these questions
• Serve as a club or district officer you can credit Toastmasters.
• Speak before an audience I did some local online research to see what
• Submit articles and be published in you might pay for a speaking course. The dura-
Voices! tion of the courses will be dictated by the dollars
• Visit other clubs you have to spend. Once they are completed so
• Pathways—the new education program is the feedback. Here is some of what I found:
• Self-confidence • Breaking Bad Communication Habits
• Training - $199
• Transferrable skills • Dale Carnegie, 3–hour, live, online
How do you determine if you are receiving workshop - $299
the “bang for your buck?” If you earned educa- • 6 hours of speech coaching - $1000
tion or leadership awards, you made progress. • 75 minutes speech coaching - $229
Let’s get back to the dues increase. We are
going from $36 every 6 months to $45 every 6
months. The last dues increase was in 2011. What
does this mean in every day dollars? A nickel a
Volume 3 Issue 2 - AUGUST 2016 9
