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