Guest Information
Here are some answers to many of the questions you may have if you’re thinking about attending a meeting or joining our club. Clicking on a question below will take you directly to the answer to the question. Click the “Return to questions at top” hyperlink to return to the list of questions. Of course this document cannot answer all of your questions, so feel free to contact our Vice President of Membership, Bill Self, via email. Any club member will also be happy to answer questions you may have.
- What can I expect at the meeting?
- What is that bell all about?
- How much does it cost to join Postprandial and what do I get from the dues?
- How often are meetings held and at what time?
- How many and what types of people attend the meetings?
- Is there a dress code?
- Am I required to speak when I am a guest?
- What is a typical meeting?
- Is there a meeting agenda?
- Is there a cost to attend a meeting?
- What is required when I join?
- How often do I have to prepare and present a speech?
- It seems like so much is going on at the meeting, how can I understand all the different roles?
- What is a mentor?
- What can I expect from joining Toastmasters and Postprandial?
- How does Postprandial compare to other clubs?
- How do I join?
- Can I attend other clubs if I am a member of Postprandial?
What can I expect at the meeting?
Our club meetings, and all the Toastmaster meetings, are intended to be a mutual supportive environment for people to develop their speaking, personal and leadership skills. You will see people try their skills in a safe environment where they can get feedback and support.
Throughout the meeting you will here a bell ring. One of the most common speaking flaws we all have is the use of “Ahs,” “Ums” and other like fillers. They are so common that most of us don’t even notice when we, or someone else, uses them in their speaking. In our meetings we have an “Ah counter” who rings a bell each time he or she hears one of these fillers. Don’t worry, it is used for members only. Members will tell you that this practice has made them more aware of, and much better at reducing the use of fillers in their speaking.
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Is there a cost to come as a guest?
All guests, and members, pay for their meal at a meeting. The meal cost is the same whether it is a member or a guest. The cost is announced in the meeting invitation and is generally $15-18. Meal costs can be paid by cash or check. Checks need to be payable to Postprandial Toastmasters. If a member or guest reserves a spot at the meeting and cannot make the meeting, they are responsible for the cost.
How often are meetings held and at what time?
Meetings are held every other Wednesday from 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM. We recommend you arrive between 6:00 and 6:15 PM so people can check in and socialize with other members.
How many and what types of people attend the meetings?
In general, we have 30 or more attendees at any given meeting. The membership is very diverse. Everyone has one thing in common, a sincere interest in improving their speaking skills whether in a one on one setting or in front of groups. Our members come from all walks of life, they are educators, engineers, nurses, secretaries, sales people, business owners, manufacturing workers, motivational speakers, marketing professionals. Members speaking skills range from those just learning to explore their communication skills to more experienced speakers. This diversity is what makes the club exciting and a great learning opportunity.
Yes, gentlemen are expected to wear a jacket and tie; women are expected to wear equal professional dress. Postprandial prides itself in creating a professional environment which mirrors many work environments. The dress code is one way we create a this environment.
Am I required to speak when I am a guest?
No . . . with one small exception. At the end of the meeting, if there is time, the Club President calls on guests to share any comments about the meeting. This is optional. Comments are brief and guests share what they liked about the meeting. If a guest is familiar with Table Topics and wants to participate in this segment, they can notify the Table Topic master at the meeting that they would like to be called on.
What is a typical meeting like?
Keep in mind there is no typical meeting. There is a standard agenda for each meeting. Each meeting is unique because every meeting has different participants and different speeches. That is why we ask guests to attend 3 meetings before they join so they have a sense of what the meetings are like.
There are 4 basic sections to our meeting and an agenda is provided at every meeting.
1) The business session covers the administrative aspects of the club. This segment provides updates, announces special activities and includes club officer reports.
2) The table topics segment allows members to try impromptu speaking. A member is called on to stand up and talk “off the cuff” on a specific topic or scenario for 2 minutes or less.
3) There are prepared speeches which follow the specific manuals provided from Toastmasters. Every member receives a manual from Toastmasters and speeches follow the specific objective of helping a member develop speaking skills. For example the manual guides a member though using body gestures, making a toast, telling stories etc. Once a manual is completed, the member can select from the next in a sequence of manuals.
4) The fourth section of the meeting is the evaluation segment. Each speaker is assigned an evaluator who provides written feedback to the speaker. The Evaluator also provides a 2 minute verbal evaluation of the speaker. The evaluation provides feedback on what a speaker does well and suggestions for areas of improvement.
There is voting after each segment (table topics, prepared speeches, evaluations) as a way of further recognition. Guests can vote for the participants in Table Topics. Voting for best speaker and evaluator is reserved for members only.
How much does it cost to join Postprandial and what do I get from the dues?
The first year a new member pays an initiation fee of $26 plus the membership dues. Members can choose to pay dues in either 6 month ($36) or full year increments ($72). The actual dues amount varies based on the month a member joins and the relationship to the semi annual renewal dates (April 1 and October 1). The only other cost a member incurs is for meals at meetings they attend.
Members receive a subscription to Toastmasters Magazine, their speech manual and the rights of being a member of Postprandial. The manual provides various speeches for a member to prepare in a sequence that maximizes the development of the member.
The most important thing required of you as a member is to make an effort to make it to meetings. Many of our members either never miss a meeting or miss meetings infrequently. Of course everyone runs into personal or professional conflicts.
The meeting roles are completed six weeks in advance to allow members to prepare for their role or find a replacement if they cannot be at the meeting. There are times when a member cannot make it to meetings on a regular basis. When this occurs a member can request to be listed as inactive so they are not assigned meeting roles. During their inactive status, a member can attend meetings at any time.
As a general rule, if a member does not attend 3 meetings in a row, they are listed as inactive.
How often do I have to prepare and present a speech?
The easy answer is “as often as you would like.” Some members like to speak frequently and might present a speech every month; others might only present a speech every 3 to 6 months. The Vice President of Education works with each member to determine how often a member wishes to speak. Also, members take on various roles during a meeting that require them to speak. Some are pretty in-depth, like the toastmaster for the meeting; others are less intense, like the vote counter.
It seems like so much is going on at the meeting, how can I understand all the different roles?
Postprandial has a published book of job descriptions which outlines the responsibilities of every role at the meeting. Members receive this when they join. A mentor helps members prepare for a role, especially if they haven’t performed that role previously. The easiest way to understand these roles is to attend meetings and ask anyone at the meeting about the various roles. Members are always happy to answer questions.
A new member selects a mentor to help them prepare for their speeches and meeting responsibilities. A mentor must have a minimum achievement level of a Competent Toastmaster to be assigned as a mentor.
What can I expect from joining Postprandial and Toastmasters?
Members will tell you that they enjoy a higher level of confidence when speaking, whether it’s one-on-one or in a group. Members join to improve their communication skills, leadership ability, confidence and job advancement. They also enjoy social benefits of making new friends.
Members strive to achieve various levels or designations (i.e. Competent Toastmaster, Advanced Toastmaster). In total there are more than seven different designations. Achieving a designation can require up to 10 speeches.
There are two development tracks in Toastmasters: The Communications Track and the Leadership Track. Members are free to choose which track they wish to pursue (or both). Each track emphasizes different aspects of speaking and leadership skills. At the completion of each Track, members receive recognition from Toastmasters International and can have Toastmasters notify their employer of that achievement, if desired.
Visiting Toastmaster International’s website can provide you with valuable information about this more than 80 year old organization, with over 200,000 members who belong to 10,000 clubs across 90 different countries.
How does Postprandial compare to other clubs?
Each club has its own flavor, some are longer, some are shorter, some are bigger, some are smaller, some are newer, and some have been around for a long time. Postprandial is one of the oldest club in Rochester; over 35 years old. Our meetings are a longer dinner meeting format because we want to mirror the types of speaking engagements one might experience in their profession. We are one of the larger clubs, if not largest, locally with over 55 members and over 30 active members at any given time. Postprandial enjoys the national status of Distinguished Presidents Club from Toastmasters International because of our club achievements.
When seeking a club, a guest should take into account what they want to accomplish and the environment of the club. The first and most important decision to make is whether to join Toastmasters, after that, one should decide which club to join.
After 3 meetings a guest is eligible to join the club. Why 3 meetings? We want to ensure that the club is a good fit for our member and that the prospective member is comfortable with the commitment of being involved. Guests are always welcome and can come for more than 3 meetings. There is no pressure to join.
A guest fills out an application and pays dues and an initiation fee at the meeting when they join. The costs are very nominal. See “How much does it cost and what do I get from the dues?” A guest is inducted at a regular meeting and is asked to select a mentor within the first few meetings they attend.
Can I attend other clubs if I am a member of Postprandial?
Absolutely, we recommend this for our members. This includes encourage members to attend other club meetings as well as other Toastmaster events that occur at the local area level all the way up to the international level.