What is your favorite memory? Who was there? How did they help make the event a merry memory?
Some of my favorite memories involve spending time with people who are important to me. Life is more fun when we share moments with folks we care about. Each time I am able to participate in a Toastmasters meeting, interacting with my fellow members creates a delightful memory.
How can you help make your Toastmasters journey more fun?
Bring FRANK!
Friends
Relatives
Associates
Neighbors
Kids’ friends’ parents
Think back to our very first Toastmasters meeting? How did you feel walking into a Toastmasters meeting? Thankfully, I was a FRANK! My Toastmasters journey began when a coworker asked me to visit her club. Knowing I would have a kind face there helped ease the anxiety I was feeling as we drove to and entered the meeting.
Who do you know would benefit from honing their leadership, project management, and communication competencies? Who would you love to join you? When you ask them to join you at a Toastmasters meeting, ask if they would like to bring someone, increasing the number of faces they recognize. Then tell them you will save two seats.
Share the happy news with your fellow club members; two guests will be attending the meeting. Communicating the guest(s) favorite or least favorite food/color/movie/activity with the Table Topics Master will give them an opportunity to weave in a question the guest(s) can easily answer.
My friend, we are stronger together. Your guests will feel more at ease knowing folks they recognize will be at the meeting. The anxiety of answering a Table Topic question will be reduced by being asked something they already know. A greater connection with the idea of becoming a member will be made by seeing familiar faces and experiencing a successful Table Topic.
Start now. Create a FRANK list. Challenge your fellow club members to encourage two folks they know to participate in a club meeting. Before you know it, the room will be filled with FRANKS.
