Frequently Asked Questions


1. What is Word Masters Toastmasters Club?

The Word Masters Toastmasters club is a branch of Toastmaster International, a non-profit organization focused on helping improve communication and leadership skills.

 

2. When and where do you meet?

We meet every 1st & 3rd Saturday from 11 AM - 12.30 PM.
Location: Coldwell Banker, 1875 Plaza Dr, Eagan, MN 55123.

 

3. How do I join Word Masters?

It is a very simple 3 step process:

         Attend a meeting.

         Fill out the membership application.
         Pay the membership dues.

 

4. What are the fees for membership?

The membership fees are as follows:

  • Monthly dues: $5.50/month. ($4.50: Toastmasters Intl. & $1: Club dues)

  • New membership kit: $20 (One time fee for new members)

 

Monthly dues are collected every 6 months in March and September.  

Membership kit is available from Toastmasters International within 2-3 weeks of joining. All members receive Toastmaster magazine from Toastmasters International every month.

 

New members may join any time during the year and fees are prorated. Further information and an application packet may be obtained from the President or VP Membership at any club meeting.

 

5. What happens after I pay my dues?

The VP (Education) will work with you and understand your speaking goals. If you wish, a mentor can be assigned to guide you through your speech projects. While you are waiting for your manual from Toastmasters, the club will share the basic manual. We encourage our new members to take their speech projects as per their comfort level.

 

6. Does the club provide any help to get me started?

Word Masters believes in providing high quality of program. Every new member gets a mentor to help understand the Toastmasters program. The mentor also works as a guide for the first few speeches or until the member becomes comfortable.

 

7. How dedicated is a member expected to be?

It completely depends on your own initiative. It is recommended that you sign up for speeches or take different meeting roles on a regular basis. Remember, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. After all, everyone in the club wants you to be a successful speaker/presenter.

 

8. Can I join even though I am not a good speaker?

Yes, Word Masters is a place for everyone to develop his/her communication and leadership skills. We are here to support each other, give feedback and have a good time.

 

9. Is Word Masters open to everyone?

Yes. Word Masters is a diverse group. Members from very different backgrounds. We have computer professionals, entrepreneurs, financial planners and artists, to name a few. Also Word Masters has members from different parts of the world with the common goal of improving their communication and leadership skills.

 

10. How does Word Masters help me to develop my skills?

Word Masters offers members many opportunities to develop their communication and leadership skills. Each meeting, every member will have a chance to speak in front of people, either with impromptu or scheduled speeches. Members can also develop their leadership skills by serving as club officers.

 

11. Can I give a speech without being a Word Masters member?

Yes as a guest speaker you can. If you are a Toastmaster, you also earn a credit towards a manual speech.

 

12. I may not be able to attend the meetings every week. Will that be a problem?

Not at all, but it would be best to let the VP Education know about that in advance (if you can) or else just leave a message whenever you can.

 

13. Do you have a discussion group?

Yes we do. To better manage our roles & discussions, we use a yahoo newsgroup (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minnwordmasters). This newsgroup is open to members only. Once a member, you will be invited to join the group.  

 

14. How can I contact Word Masters if I have any questions?

You can email us at info@wordmasters.org, or you can contact any of our club officers or members by telephone. Once a member, you will receive the club membership roster.

 

15. Does Word Masters conduct any programs outside the club?

We occasionally conduct Youth Leadership programs for students at nearby schools.