Is Toastmasters International Right For You?

Toastmasters International is a club dedicated to serving people that aspire to do public speaking & training by providing an environment of like-minded individuals and a supportive environment.

But before you rush out to join your local Toastmasters, there are a few things you might want to know ahead of time.

That's why I've put together this handy guide to some of the major pros and cons of Toastmasters.

That way you can make a much better informed decision when it comes to public speaking training that meets your needs.

• Pro: you will be surrounded by a group of people that support and encourage your skill development and will help you to identify and eliminate common negative speech habits.
  
  
• Con: the individuals in the group probably won't have the actual ability to help you achieve the tangible goals and results that you'd like to reach with public speaking, such as persuading audiences to do business with you or buy from you.
  
  
• Pro: Toastmasters Clubs will give you plenty of chances to speak in a safe environment so you can reduce fear of public speaking.
  
  
• Con: They don't teach more modern methods of how to conquer stage fright and fear of public speaking that work much better than outdated and worn out traditional advice.
  
  
• Pro: you will be carefully monitored to eliminate "junk" words and phrases like "you know" and 'um' and 'uh' from your speeches.
  
  
• Con: eliminating ums and uhs and junk speech won't contribute to you being able to influence a group you speak to take a specific action you designate such as sign up for your cause, make an appointment in your office, or purchase your product or service.
  
  
• Pro: you will have plenty of opportunities to deliver speeches and practice delivering presentations.
  
  
• Con: you will be assigned themes and topics to speak on, so you will not be able to hone a speech or presentation geared to your personal or professional business outcomes and goals.

Summary & Bonus Tips:
On the surface, joining Toastmasters seems like a logical choice and a good idea. But the reality is that many times these and other speakers' organizations are comprised of people who have joined for the same reason as you and ends up being "the blind leading the blind".

You may encounter accomplished speakers at some organizations, but don't expect them to focus on your specific goals and your particular desired outcomes. After all, organizations exist primarily to serve their continued existence and are often quite self-serving and even somewhat "incestuous". Most speakers' organizations focus on "getting a standing ovation" or generating a speaking fee and not how to get the audience to take the action you want them to take.

The best and most effective public speaking training does not focus on generating a speaking fee or getting applause - the best public speaking training focuses on your needs and helping you get the results you most desire from doing public speaking.