April 2023 Leader Letter

Sign up for a Sea of Possibilities — Register now for the 2023 International Convention, a hybrid experience taking place August 16-19 in beautiful Nassau, Bahamas at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Resort. Catch the wave of inspiration through live and livestreamed sessions and festivities.

Help Recruit Convention Sponsors — Toastmasters International is now taking applications for convention sponsors at a new rate: all online booths are $500 USD! Might your company or club's corporate sponsor be interested in becoming a convention sponsor? Present them with the opportunity to showcase their goods or services to a global audience this August at a special 2023 rate.

Submit New Club Forms Early — More clubs charter in May and June than at any other time, so beat the rush and send your new club documents early for timely processing. If you have questions, review the How to Build a Toastmasters Club manual or email newclubs@toastmasters.org.

Dues Still Accepted Online — Although the April renewals due date has passed, you and your club members can still submit dues payments online to keep your club and members in good standing. Log in to Club Central to submit dues or conduct other club business online. You may also contact Club and Member Support by emailing renewals@toastmasters.org.

Submitting a wire transfer — It is important to send an email with the wire receipt to the appropriate email box to ensure the funds are promptly applied. Adding a club number or other identifier also helps to have the wire applied to your club account correctly.

Club Recognition Reminder — Does your club meet the Qualifying Membership Requirement needed to earn recognition within the Distinguished Club Program? Review your club's specific Distinguished Club Program Dashboard and notice that the number of members your club must have to earn credit is listed in the "Required" box in the upper-right. Even if your club has five or more goals, it must have the required "To-Date" membership to earn its Distinguished Club Program award.

Share 2023 Convention Resources — Encourage members and non-members to get excited about the 2023 International Convention (#TIGoesBahamas) by utilizing new promotional tools, now available. Display 2023 Convention Zoom Backgrounds in online meetings, share 2023 Convention Presentation Slides with members before meetings begin, and post 2023 Virtual Convention Social Media Graphics on social channels.

Club Officer Roles, Clarified — Check out the club officer documents, featuring descriptions of each officer role, including a list of key responsibilities and transferable skills. Use the Role Summary documents to help inspire members to fill officer roles during election season.

Got a Minute? —Recording meeting minutes is an essential part of every meeting! To learn more about best practices for recording and maintaining meeting minutes, please review the Club Leadership Handbook. There are also templates and examples available for Club Executive meetings.

Good Record-Keeping —The Club Secretary is responsible for maintaining club records and managing club files, including Membership Applications, club rosters, club charter documents, bank statements, and more. Some files are required to be kept on-hand by the club for a specific amount of time, or even indefinitely. For more information about the length of time these documents need to be retained by a club, please see the Club Secretary section of the Club Leadership Handbook.

प्रस्तुतीकरण दक्षता — स्तर 3- ज्ञान वृद्ध
Newly translated! — You can now download and use Level 3 Pathways projects in Hindi! Visit the Resource Library for guides on how to access Hindi projects.

Choose Your Words Wisely — DCP. Pathways. DTM. District Director. To a newcomer, these Toastmasters acronyms and phrases can be both confusing and intimidating. To help attract guests and gain new members, make sure you're using inclusive, clear language.

Irish Members Go the Distance — In this club profile, discover how members in Northern Ireland bonded and built rapport by running together in the Belfast City Marathon. Does your club offer excursions outside the normal meeting setting? Tell us about it by emailing submissions@toastmasters.org.

Tune In: Breathe Life into Your Slide Presentations — Don't let your PowerPoint slides suck the life from your presentations! Get tips from The Toastmasters Podcast episode with Dave Henson, also known as the “Slide Presentation Man.” He has spent more than 30 years on slide design and can help you turn your nightmarish deck into a dream. You can catch Henson's education session, Next Slide Please at the 2023 International Convention.

Membership Dues Adjustment — Starting with the October 2023 renewal period, semiannual international membership dues will increase to $60 USD. Any member who renews prior to August 1, during the October 2023 renewal period, will be able to do so at the current rate, so encourage your members to renew early! For questions and more information about why the Board of Directors made this decision, please view the Dues Increase FAQ page.

2023 International Speech Contest Semifinals — This year, following the region quarterfinals, two contestants from each region will be randomly assigned to one of four International Speech Contest Semifinals, which will be held during the Toastmasters International Convention in August. The regions for each semifinal have been determined, so be on the lookout for updates regarding who will represent your region!

Discontinuing Printed Marketing Materials — Some previously free printed marketing brochures and fliers (including items 99, 101, 103, 108, and 354) are being discontinued and will be offered only until the current supply runs out of stock. They will continue to be offered free in digital format.

Board Briefing Recording — If you missed the Board Briefing on March 29, don't fret; you can now watch the recording to hear important announcements from the Board of Directors.

Stand By for Talk Up Toastmasters Awards — Contest submissions for Talk Up Toastmasters have ended. Please be advised that all notifications regarding clubs that have earned the award will not be posted until late April due to month-end closing. For more information about the month-end closing dates and their impact on reporting, please refer to the Month-End Closing Dates page.

New look for the Start a Club page — It is now easier for individuals and companies to learn how to start a new club! The Start a Club page now features step-by-step instructions to get started and quick access links to helpful resources. Share the Start a Club page with your contacts interested in starting a Toastmasters club!