aitken spence toastmasters newsletter viii
DESCRIPTION
Aitken Spence Toastmasters Club newsletter for quarter 3 of 2014/15.TRANSCRIPT
International & Impromptu Speech Competitions
Aitken Spence Toastmaster demonstrated some real talent during the International & Impromptu Speech competitions that were held during the time period of February 2015 – March 2015. Two members of our club represented the club at the Area Level competitions and continued from there to the Division Level. Results of the competitions from club level to the division level are given below.
Join us on every 2nd& 4th Tuesday
of the month
to learn & have fun!
AITKEN SPENCE TOASTMASTERS CLUB NUMBER 2321352
NEWSLETTER
Meeting Venue:
Corporate Auditorium
Aitken Spence Tower I, 11th Floor
Division Level
Toastmaster Dinal Edirisinghe
Aitken Spence Hotels
Winner
in the
Impromptu Speech Contest of
Division C,
and the
1st Runner Up
in the
Impromptu Speech Contest of
Division C,
held on 22nd March at the National Institute for
Vocational Training in Narahenpita.
Aitken Spence Toastmasters competed against
experienced speakers from 16 clubs in Division C to
secure this achievement.
Padmal Vithanage of Aitken Spence
Technologies also competed in the International
Speech Contest at the Conference representing the
area.
Area Level International Speech Competition
Winner – TM Dinal Edirisinghe 1st Runner Up – TM Padmal Vithanage
Impromptu Speech Competition
Winner – TM Dinal Edirisinghe
Club Level International Speech Competition
Winner – TM Dinal Edirisinghe 1st Runner Up – TM Padmal Vithanage
Impromptu Speech Competition
Winner – TM Dinal Edirisinghe 1st Runner Up – TM Padmal Vithanage
2nd Runner Up – TM Deepa Silva
Great leaders are not defined by the absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths. —John Zenger
Congratulations to the members who completed
manuals during this quarter.
TM Dinali Alexander
Completed Manual: Competent Leader
TM Deepa Silva Completed Manual: Advanced Leader Bronze
TM Sineth Withanage Completed Manual: Advanced Communicator Bronze
A sales pitch or proposal seeks to persuade. The objective of the presentation is to sell a product, concept or
idea. The ability to present sales pitches and proposals effectively can open the door to professional
opportunities.
To organize ideas into an effective sales pitch or proposal, use the “inverted pyramid” approach, which gives
an audience the most important information in the first few sentences (how much money might be saved, how
lives might be improved, etc.). Support claims with logic and evidence, and end every sales pitch or
proposal with a call to action. If an audience agrees with the initial message or point, the supporting material
that follows will reinforce that agreement. If an audience disagrees, logic and evidence may win them over.
Use high-quality yet simple visual aids, such as charts or slides, to help clarify any sales pitch or proposal.
Make sure the visual aids can be seen by every person in the audience, and limit each chart or slide to a single
main point.
Offer a question-and-answer period following a sales pitch or proposal, which can supply you with valuable
feedback about the effectiveness of the pitch. It also gives an audience the opportunity to further clarify specific
points or data that was presented. Below are a few ways to effectively answer questions from an audience:
Anticipate possible questions by rehearsing with colleagues or friends.
Provide answers that support the sales pitch or proposal.
Disarm loaded questions (those based on false premises or irrelevant assumptions) by being polite and
asking the questioner to further explain his or her question.
Divide complicated questions into several parts before answering them.
Source: http://www.toastmasters.org
Giving Sales Pitches
Mark the Date!
DTM Ajitha Goonewardene
will be delivering an
educational session at the Aitken Spence Toastmasters Club
On
21st of April
AITKEN SPENCE TOASTMASTERS NEWSLETTER
1. What was your first impression about Toastmasters and what made you join the club?
My First impressions were of a group of people who seemed to be very confident about themselves sitting on
judgement over a jittery novice like me. The novice somehow made it through without faltering and the
comments we got were fair and educative. My fear lessened. I knew I could do it too. I also felt that now I was
with some people who knew how to handle nervous wrecks like us and that we would not be humiliated in
front of groups even if we made mistakes.
Call it serendipity or call it happenstance. I had heard about Toastmasters. I had read about them in the papers.
I thought them as a body of professionals who trained people in public speaking. Now public speaking was the
last thing in my agenda. But something in the back of my mind compelled me to join and I did. It was pure luck
that I joined. 2. What is your opinion about what you have gained by being a member of the club? My opinion about what I gained by being a member of the club is positive. When I joined I was a person who
had never made a speech in front of an audience. By nature I was diffident, nervous and scared of making
myself the center of attention. To be frank even my reading was confined to pulp fiction which I never had to
be critical. After joining Toastmasters Club I began serious reading. I began listening to good speakers. I began
to think critically about what I read or heard. I began to notice when a speaker or writer was insincere, playing
to the gallery or simply using flowery language to cover their designs. Most of all I gained self-confidence.
3. What was your most memorable moment as a Toastmaster? My most memorable moment at Toastmasters was the day I made my first speech. The speech was running in
my head. Even though it was a prepared speech.
In spite of my nervousness and fear I made the speech. Once I began and noticed that my audience was with
me and not there to scare me I relaxed. After that it was easy. I had made my mark.
4. How has being a toastmaster helped you to progress in your job role? Even though my job is in the field of accounts and public speaking is not one of my priorities. It has helped me
tremendously in handling our customers. Not only that Toastmasters has taught me to analyze a subject, present
it without lapses and have control over words. This was achieved because all 9 speeches I made so far was
about my own personal approach to a given situation.
5. What message would you like to give to the new members joining the Club? This is a club which is much more than a club. You will enjoy the proceedings. You will be trained to think out
of the box. You will gain self-confidence. You will discover what you are capable of. Your hidden or discarded
talents will be brought out. Do not think that toastmasters is only about public speaking. It is the core but
everything else you achieve is the flesh that makes Toastmasters such an entertaining, encouraging
enlightening experience.
Why am I a Toastmaster...
Featuring Nilmini Kuruppu