TOASTMASTERS ®
INTERNATIONAL
M PR
Marketing & PR resources to ensure success
April 2011
Marketing Zone
Medical Professionals Need Toastmasters–Stat! HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR DOCTOR, only to be baffled by what he is trying to say? Or frustrated that she is not listening to you? Maybe you’ve wondered if the right hand knows what the left hand is doing when you speak with the nurse or staff members in your doctor’s office. Clear communication, listening and teamwork are crucial when working with patients. Do the physicians in your area know that Toastmasters can help their staffs improve in these areas? It’s time they found out. But don’t just tell the medical professionals how Toastmasters can help – show them. Having a special themed meeting geared to medical professionals is a perfect way to accomplish this. These are great ways to get the Toastmasters message across:
Thought of the Day: Use a quote or a thought-provoking statement to set the stage for how critical clear communication, listening and teamwork are in any medical professional’s line of work.
Word of the Day: Choose meaningful words in the medical field, such as “ambulatory” or “prognosis.”
Table Topics: Develop a list of questions a patient would ask a doctor, nurse or office administrator, or questions a nurse might ask a doctor.
Prepared Speeches: Gear speeches toward clear communication, listening, teamwork and the importance of each in the medical field. Need help locating doctors’ offices in your area? Your favorite Internet search engine is always a great resource. Or have your club members target their own physician’s office. Use the Event Flier on the Virtual Brand Portal to promote the themed meeting. Be sure to include relevant information about why Toastmasters is important to this group. Also attach a copy of a promotional brochure. Related articles can be found on the Toastmasters website at www.toastmasters.org. Just type “medical” in the search box. Here is a great reference article about nurses improving their presentation skills.
MARKETING AND PR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER • APRIL 2011
What’s New? Refer potential members to The What, Why and How of Toastmasters for easy answers to these questions: What is Toastmasters? Why should I join? How do I join? Tell them to check out the new “10 Questions for...” section featuring a different member each month.
Facts and Stats: Leadership is still going strong; more than 1,700 members have already earned their Competent Leader awards in 2011-7.2% increase during this same time period last year.