Sunday, September 14, 2014

Perfect your Business Pitch at Speak Easy Toastmasters

Why join Toastmasters?
If you are involved in business or an entrepreneur thinking of starting out, Speakeasy Toastmasters will be the perfect fit for you.

Try the Fast-paced Fun of Table Topics!
Have you ever been asked a question during a pitch or presentation, only to have your mind go blank? Have you given an answer, but it was so disorganized that the point you were trying to make was lost? The ability to “think and speak on your feet” is an important skill that often determines your success in sales pitches and when recruiting new clients.
That’s why the “Table Topics” portion of the Toastmasters club meeting was developed. Table Topics provides you with the opportunity to practice impromptu speaking. By answering brief Table Topics questions, you learn how to present your thoughts clearly and convincingly, with no more than a few seconds of preparation. You also learn to listen constructively, and to think flexibly.

How it works
The Table Topics portion of a Toastmasters meeting takes place before or after the formal “prepared speeches” segment and usually lasts 20 or 30 minutes. The Topicsmaster announces a topic or question and calls on a member (not a guest) to give an impromptu -two-minute response to that topic. This can be on any subject. People deal with their topics in very different ways. It is up to the individual if they want to take the serious, comic, inspirational or down-beat approach to answering.
For instance some;
· State a problem and show its causes.
· Offer a viewpoint – yours or someone else’s – and elaborate on it.
· State a goal or problem and then tell what must be done to achieve the goal or solve the problem. If you recently found a new job, tell about the steps you took to reach your goal.
· Describe a process, such as how to plant a tree.
· Break a problem, situation or object into its components and discuss them. For example, describe the branches of your country’s government.

By participating, (as a club member) in Table Topics, you become more adept at delivering the perfect pitch. You learn to listen carefully and to create a mini-speech, with a beginning, middle and end. You also draw on your own experiences or knowledge on the topic in relation to the needs and interests of those present. With these skills honed, your business is bound for success.
You can see how Table Topics works, and see how members of Speak Easy Toastmasters practice the art of speaking “off the cuff” by coming along as our guest to our next meeting in The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow on 18th September at 7.50 pm. Further information visit our website at www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or by contact Liam 087 6380053 or Marie 087-9746947

No comments: