Why Compete in the twice a year public speaking contests?

I competed in whatever competitions I was eligible for as soon as I joined Toastmasters. Why? Why not?

If others drop out through illness or business commitments, you might get to represent your club by default. The first time I entered a club competition I did not win. 

I was second of only two speakers. The other speaker was away on business for the next round, so I was automatically the club representative at the Area competition! Going to the Area competition for the first time allowed me to meet lots of other people, network and socialise. Entering a speech competition forces you to prepare a speech and practise a speech. You have a chance to give a speech to a larger audience and in a new venue.

The Table topics contest is easiest because you don’t have to prepare in advance. Unless you think you should read newspapers all week to be genned up on current affairs.

The Evaluation contest helps you concentrate on analysing other people’s speeches.

You learn from your mistakes. When you fail, it makes you keen to ask why, and listen to the answer. You can measure your progress if you are not placed the first year but win an award the next year.

You are always a winner. Regardless of whether you are placed in the ranking, you get a certificate of participation. Count them up and after five years you can see how you have progressed.

When you meet people who say, ‘I could never give a speech!’ or, ‘I never have the courage to enter a contest," you realise that, whether or not you win, just entering is an achievement.

Harrovians is not usually short of candidates. What is annoying is the stress for organisers of having no candidates, frantic appeals, then last minute drop outs and others stepping in when persuaded, resulting in a dozen the day before or on the day who are not on the agenda, making the printing a last minute stress. You need people signed up well in advance so they can practice.

Francophone French speaking club in Singapore never enters competitions because the competition is in English and the VPE had never even heard or competitions? Competitions don’t appear in the manual. The area governor would have to send them encouragement in French. 

If a club did not enter last year, the area governor should be chasing them to enter, making it one of the tasks in the CL manual and for mentors. Mentorship should be one of the committee roles.

The contests are a draw to bring back members and visitors to hear speeches of a high standard. Some people join a club solely to compete. Others only pay their membership dues when they realise they need to do so to compete.

What An Evening Christmas in Harrow with Harrovians Speakers Club Monday Dec 7 2015

Amparo's Speech on The Spanish Lottery, El Gordo

Amparo told up about how her family, and many families in Spain, do the Spanish Lottery. It is called El Gordo meaning the big one, because of the large prize.

It is a large prize because the amount you have to bet is large. The amount you have to bet is more than many are willing and able to pay. So groups of people get together and contribute a share towards the betting money. Then of course the whole group are all equally interested in gathering together to hear the results.

Angela's Speech
on Harrow Arts Centre

PR for clubs - about contestants for contests, winners, and good losers

You don't plan to fail, you fail to plan. Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, said, Preparation is the key to success.

PR like speeches is much easier if planned in advance. Surely planned means in advance? Yes, but I was going to say well in advance. However, speakers are often not finalised until the day of the contest - sometimes even in the last few minutes. So how can you plan?

Start by working out who are your contestants. Usually fewer then ten, because in a two or three hour contest you don't have time for more.

When you are running a contest, the speakers will all be from your club. Make a list of members of your club. How many are eligible?

Most clubs have between 15 and 45 members, the majority having 15-25. But in some contests, only those who have completed six speeches will be eligible. Those who have just joined and not yet given two or three speeches are unlikely to want to enter. So you have perhaps a maximum of ten speakers. The people who are judges cannot also be contestants. One or two people will have warned you that they cannot attend. They may be on holiday or overseas working, in hospital, or away because of a birthday or bereavement.

You can then prepare a press release about the winning speech and speaker in advance. In Toastmasters international the speakers are asked to fill in a form giving the title of their speech, and another about themselves listing their local or nation newspapers.

If they do not supply this, twenty minutes research on the internet will find the speaker's current home, their workplace, their country of origin of different. That will supply ideas for local and national newspapers who can be contacted.

Check the length of article published about events in local and national papers. Some newspapers might simply include a photo of the speakers and the name of the contest they won.

You can take a photo at the speech rehearsal at your club, or another club in the centre of the city. Or at the speaker's home. Or in the centre of the city. Or a well-known coffee shop or pub before the contest.

Check the newspaper deadlines. Send advance notice of the club contest to the paper. Follow up by  phone and ask if your local paper wants to send a reporter or photographer - or to present the prizes!

In advance prepare a set or questions and email them to the speakers so they have time to find interesting, detailed, coherent, original answers.

Photograph the speaker with their main prop or some item of interest. For example a local landmark in good weather, perhaps with an animal such as their cat or dog or pet, or in their their garden. At their home or workplace or club pick an item showing their hobby or favourite sport or club such as tennis racquet, dictionary, golf club, football supporters shirt, previous certificate or award, or pretty tree or flower such as an orchid, their toastmasters manual or club banner.

You can ask every speaker, what will you say if you win? What will you say if you lose? What will you say to the other speakers? What will you say to other speakers? What do you think of  ... (place where the contest is held). What do you think of ... (the company they work for/the club they represent/their mentor).  Who has helped you? Who has inspired you?

Ask: 'How will you celebrate your win?' If they don't have an interesting answer, suggest: Pub, restaurant, drink, food, phone family overseas, tell boss, tell employees, thank mentor, tell club, thank God, watch your video, make notes for your next speech, at the club or at next level?

How do they cope with fear, with losing? Is this a one-off or 3rd or 25th attempt, despite never winning?

What they won't do, if they don't drink, or don't take time of work, can be equally interesting.

End with a call to action for the reader, such as links to your club website, and the speaker's contacts or business if relevant.

You might need short and long versions for different papers, such as under 200 words for your local paper, or 500 or 1000 or even 2000 for a magazine national paper doing a double page spread.

Take photos of all members of the club and (if they give permission) put them on your club website and on the social media such as Facebook. If local media need photos in a hurry they can take the photo from the public source or use the profile to fill out their own article and research it.