What comes to mind when you hear the word Speechcraft? Lots of work. DTM requirement. Weekly meetings. Do you think about the opportunity for new members? Do you think about more speech opportunities? Do you think about helping someone improve while you get experience teaching?

Speechcraft can be all of these things, but most of all, it can be rewarding for the Speechcrafter and the Toastmaster members. Speechcraft can sell itself. Speechcraft can be a short 4-week, 6-week, or 8-week program. Ideally, 6-weeks is perfect because if the Speechcrafter becomes a Toastmaster, then the Speechcrafter has completed their Level 1 Pathway.

Now that the Toastmasters International store is back open, it is the time to buy your Speechcraft bundle and prepare to host a Speechcraft this coming winter or spring. I would love to see every Toastmasters club in District 6 hold a speechcraft before June 30, 2023.

To have a successful Speechcraft, a club needs to advertise 4-6 weeks in advance. Pick your program length, decide if the club is going to charge a fee or not and what that fee will be if applicable, and pick your start date. Then get it on your club website. Put it out on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, EventBrite, and Meetup). Also get it into your area newspaper, community education book, or corporate newsletters. If you are using Facebook and LinkedIn, advertise it weekly if not more than once a week.

I would suggest allowing more than five people to sign up and creating a waiting list – and expect that not all people will attend. Charging a small fee will usually ensure higher participation. People tend to value those things for which they have spent their hard-earned money on.

Schedule each meeting to flow like a typical club meeting. The idea behind Speechcraft is to help Speechcrafters recognize that they need Toastmasters. More specifically, they need to join your club.

Next organize your Speechcraft topics for each week. Encourage club members to volunteer in the necessary roles. Presenting the Speechcraft topics fits into almost any Pathway level speech. The best teachers are those who have just learned something for the first time. They understand what helped them grasp the new concept. Draw up a calendar of which club member would like to speak on certain topics, conduct table topics, evaluate, and be the Ah-Counter. Then get your agenda ready to go.

Being a coordinator for my first Speechcraft was a little daunting, but also very rewarding. There are many Toastmaster members that can help you through the new digital Speechcraft. The Toastmasters International website has resources and so does the District 6 website. After you have conducted one Speechcraft, most of the initial work is done.

After your Speechcraft is completed, make sure that you visit the District 6 website (https://d6tm.org/speechcraft/speechcraft-reimbursement-request/) to get reimbursed for purchasing the bundle.

Hosting a Speechcraft is an excellent opportunity to hone your leadership and speaking skills. It is a chance to pour into others and help them improve their public speaking. In a broader sense, Speechcraft showcases to non-Toastmasters what Toastmasters is all about and why they need to join.

When I hear the word Speechcraft, I think of sharing all of the benefits of Toastmasters with a non-Toastmaster and getting that person to join my club.

If you have not conducted a Speechcraft and would like to see how Speechcraft meeting is run, FarmTown Talkers Toastmasters is hosting a Speechcraft from January 11^th – February 15^th weekly on Wednesdays from 7-8:30 pm via zoom. Please reach out to Karrie Krear, Division C Director for an invite. Also check out the “Toastmasters on the Move podcast” about Speechcraft (https://d6tm.org/podcasts/).