Most of us can name our favorite brand, whether it’s a type of coffee, cereal or clothing line. But, we don’t often think of why the brand is important in our choice of that product. Reasons may include the quality of craftsmanship, the price, or the value you get for what you pay – but whatever it is, there’s that something extra that makes us want to purchase the item.
Recently, the term “branding” has become a buzzword that evokes not only a product but often something else associated with that product, such as a visual image or a catchy slogan. Think of Nike. One of the most recognized branding symbols in the world is the Nike “Swoosh,” the ever-present logo – it looks like a small tail or a little wing – that is on countless Nike products. Then there is its equally famous slogan, “Just Do It.” Together, the logo and advertising phrase have helped make Nike one of the most dominant brands in the world.
While Toastmasters isn’t in the business of selling sneakers, it has elements in common with Nike – and many other global brands as well. Perhaps you have never thought of Toastmasters International as a brand? Yes, there is also a famous appliance company called Toastmaster, Inc., that still generates phone calls to the Toastmasters International Headquarters about fixing toasters (honest!), but we are Toastmasters International. Whether you see our logo or just hear the word “Toastmasters,” there is an immediate recognition – at least for all members of this organization, and for many people throughout the fields of business and industry as well.
Defining a Toastmasters Tagline
If someone were to ask you what Toastmasters stands for, what comes to your mind – what’s your immediate response? That initial response gives us better insight into how we really feel about our organization. As an exercise, try this in your club meeting: Ask your members what words come to mind when they hear the name “Toastmasters International.” Hopefully, the words will include: communication, leadership, fun, speeches, Table Topics, evaluations, fellowship, meetings and other positive responses.
A strong and successful brand, however, is also associated with words such as: ethics, integrity, information, life-changing, confidence and leaders. Does the image of Toastmasters conjure up those words? For most of us, the answer is yes.
What other words can you name or would you expect to hear in response to this question in your club meeting?
The tag lines we use as an organization are also vital to our branding. Many of us remember this former Toastmasters tag line: “Making Effective Communication a Worldwide Reality” (and some readers of the Toastmaster may remember other signature phrases from our history). This former motto of ours was an excellent choice to help people understand that we are a communication-building organization. However, as we changed our organizational goals to also include leadership-building skills, it was necessary to change to our current tag line: “Become the Speaker and Leader You Want to Be.”
Now anyone who visits our Web site, or picks up our quality materials, can see that we are not only a communication organization but our program also builds strong leaders.
A Symbol of Quality
Our logo is another key piece of our branding, and it’s one we need to protect to maintain the high level of standards we represent. If you have ever been in a position to create a logo, you know how much thought goes into something like this. Many of us belong to organizations that allow us to use their logos on any piece of material we choose, whether it is a well-crafted business card or a poorly designed educational piece for a conference. There are no limitations. One danger of this is that someone might look at the item and – not knowing the organization – decide that the entire group is of the same quality as the poorly designed material. At Toastmasters, we have seen this happen many times, and so we take great steps to preserve the quality of the materials that bear our logo.
Likewise, the Toastmasters online store offers a wide variety of items that maintains the organization’s high standards and keeps them consistent across all levels.
As members of Toastmasters International, we each have an individual responsibility to protect and preserve our brand. When we wear a lapel pin, or talk to people about how this organization has changed our lives, or the lives of those around us – or how we have learned valuable communication and leadership skills – we are representing our brand. When people look at us and see the pin, or know our association with Toastmasters, they may be deciding whether or not this is a group they would like to be associated with, in some cases just because of that initial connection. How are you representing our organization?
What an organization stands for and how its members represent it are key elements for building membership in that organization. Many of us join clubs and associations because we believe in the work they are doing and what they stand for, and it is the same with Toastmasters. We all have the responsibility to bring more members to our meetings. While we have district officers who are responsible at that level for membership building, it is the individual members who have the greatest impact on new membership, club building and growth.
Word of Mouth is Best Promotional Tool
Think about it – why did you join Toastmasters? For most of us, it was because someone asked us to come to a meeting, or a friend or relative suggested this great place to learn or hone communication and leadership skills. Or the idea may have been brought up at an annual employment review. Maybe you simply saw a sign advertising Toastmasters meetings in your area and you were curious, so you attended a meeting.
Whatever brought you to Toastmasters, you are here. But what is keeping you here? Whatever it is, share your enthusiasm with others. What role are you playing in helping to build your club or our organization? Have you brought a guest to a recent meeting? Have you asked friends and family to get involved with our organization? Do you remember the excitement you felt when you finished your Ice Breaker without fainting, or completed your first manual? How has your life changed?
I know that my life changed tremendously because of my involvement with Toastmasters. It’s easy for me to talk to people about this organization, because it not only changed my life, but I have seen so many other lives changed for the better as people learned how to put their thoughts together and realized that not only do they have something to say, they are now empowered and equipped to say it. For some of us, the benefit may just be presenting thoughts at work more efficiently. Others have talked about their life experiences in their speeches, in order to give hope to others dealing with difficult situations. The list of how we use the skills we learn in Toastmasters is endless, but sometimes we forget how far we have come from that first club meeting – how much we have grown!
Smedley’s Sage Words
Our organization’s founder, Dr. Ralph Smedley, once said, “Ours is the only organization I know that is dedicated to the individual. We work together to bring out the best in each of us, and then apply our skills to help others.” It is indeed our responsibility as members to make a difference, to introduce others to this life-changing organization, remembering why we got involved and why we stay involved.
When we all work together to protect the valuable brand of communication and leadership training we have developed over the past 85 years, and to make sure the Toastmasters name and logo is representative of our quality programs, more people will understand why we are so proud of what we have to offer.
What a unique gift we can give others as we bring them to our program. Fellow Toastmasters, together we do make a difference in our organization!
Tammy A. Miller, DTM, PID, is an international speaker, author and coach. She is a member of the State College Toastmasters and the ARL Pingers, in State College, Pennsylvania. You may contact her at www.tammyspeaks.com.
Editor’s Note: Here are some items available in our online store to help you get the word out about Toastmasters while preserving the organization’s branding efforts.
- Find Your Voice (Item 99)
- Confidence. The Voice of Leadership (Item 101)
- All About Toastmasters (Item 124)
- How Confident Are You? Fliers (Item 116)
- Your Membership Provides Fliers (Item 354)
For details about these items or a complete listing of products, go to www.toastmasters.org/shop.
The Globe Logo vs. the Text Emblem: Which to use?
The Toastmasters “globe” logo is recognized worldwide. But over the years, the organization has also used a graphic image of the Toastmasters name as an alternative or in addition to using the official logo. This text emblem can, at times, be a better representative of Toastmasters International, depending on the project at hand. Both the logo and the alternative text emblem are acceptable to use on official Toastmasters materials. You’re encouraged to use the text emblem as it best suits your needs: in addition to the logo or instead of the logo. But you should know the rules for using the logo and the text emblem, in any case:
• Using Existing Toastmasters Products. Toastmasters’ manuals, programs, and other materials are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without advance written permission from WHQ. So if you find materials that carry a logo or text emblem, be sure to ask for permission by e-mailing trademarks@toastmasters.org before copying and distributing any of it.
• Using the Logo or Text Emblem on Your Own Materials. The names “Toastmasters” and “Toastmasters International” as well as the logo are trademarks and cannot be printed, engraved or placed on any other items (e.g. badges, trophies, plaques, certificates, coffee mugs, clothing, etc.) without written approval from WHQ. Any such use is a violation of trademark law and TI policy. For example, Club 9999 may not purchase trophies from a local shop and have “Toastmasters International” engraved on them. They can be used, however, for official Toastmasters documents, such as a club or district newsletter.
This is only part of the story. Be sure to visit www.members.toastmasters.org and search for “logos” to read more about the appropriate use of the logo and the text emblem.