Public Speaking Club Launches New Member Drive

Roseland, NJ, May 04, 2011 --(PR.com)-- ADP Toastmasters was founded in 1998 and is part of Toastmasters International, a network of more than 10,000 clubs worldwide with over 200,000 members that come together in a friendly environment to develop communication and leadership skills. The club’s learn-by-doing program is designed to help anyone become a better speaker and leader. Toastmasters strives to help people acquire the skills and confidence they need to effectively express themselves in any situation. Whether a professional, student, stay-at-home parent or retiree, many have found it an efficient, enjoyable and affordable way of learning to effectively formulate and express their ideas, as well as be more persuasive and confident when giving presentations.

Club member Charles Allen, a fiction writer and West Orange, N.J. resident says, “Public speaking has always been my biggest fear. As an author, I knew it was something I had to conquer if I really wanted to sell books. Speaking in front of an audience just goes with the territory. I started looking around for a seminar to get some training, but the cost was beyond my means. I then looked into Toastmasters and was floored when I saw how low the fees were. I visited a few clubs to find the right fit, and when I came to ADP Toastmasters, I knew I was home. What I have learned in my eight months of membership is priceless. I feel like I am being transformed into a new person, empowered to take control of my future and give my books the exposure they deserve.”

A typical ADP Toastmasters meeting is made up of 8 to 15 active members. The environment is friendly and supportive and each person is given an opportunity to participate in a variety of roles. Meetings usually begin with an explanation of the meeting format and agenda, followed by a word of the day, where a member presents an interesting or useful word. This is followed by a joke of the day.

Afterwards, two or more members present speeches based on projects from the Toastmasters International Communication and Leadership Program manuals. Projects cover such topics as speech organization, voice, language, gestures, and persuasion. Every prepared speaker is assigned an evaluator who points out speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement. This is followed by Table Topics, where members speak for one to two minutes on an assigned subject.

ADP Toastmasters meets from 12 P.M. to 1 P.M. the first and third Tuesday of each month. Feel free to visit one of their meetings. "It’s the best way to find out what we are about," says Charles Allen. "Just let us know when you are coming. And of course contact us any time if you have any questions or want to talk."

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