Public Relations Officer

Publicize Toastmasters to increase, maintain, and reward the membership by highlighting the personal and professional benefits gained through active participation in the various Toastmasters programs and events.

Recruit and work with a top notch PR Team to fulfill our mission statement through press releases, web sites, and other multi-media. To increase the visibility of the Toastmasters program by shinning a spotlight on member achievements, District conferences, and training workshops.

Responsibilities:

1. Bulk Mail
2. Community Relations
3. Email Communications
4. Contests
   • Diamond Web Award
   • Founder’s Film Award
   • Public Relations Achievement Award
5. Newsletter
   • Spotlight Questionnaire (Word doc 102 kb)
6. Photographers
7. Publicity
   
   • Famous Founder’s Members
   • News Releases 
   • Proclamations 101
8. Speakers Bureau
   • Meeting Location
   • Speakers’ Profiles
9. Web Master

Public Relations:

• If you pay for a sign to say, “Circus Coming to the Fairgrounds Saturday,” that’s ADVERTISING.
• If you put the sign on the side of an elephant and walk him around town that’s PROMOTION.
• If the elephant walks through the mayor’s garden and the media reports on it, that’s PUBLICITY.
• If you can get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s PUBLIC RELATIONS.

Job Description (General):

The public relations officer establishes and maintains mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation between the district and its members, as well as between the district and the public, working to increase awareness of Toastmasters through all available media.

1. Administers the policies and programs related to public relations for Toastmasters International, the district and the club.
2. Prepares a public relations program to keep both members and non-members aware of the Toastmasters program and help achieve district goals for membership building and retention, building new clubs and achievement of CCs, ACs, CLs, ALs and DTMs.
3. Promotes use of Toastmasters’ educational programming, district conferences and events, as well as leadership and training opportunities within the district.

This officer serves in a staff position under the direction of the district governor. He or she may be elected or appointed by the district governor subject to approval of the executive committee and confirmation by the district council.

This position is not considered a fourth top officer and is not in logical progression to the office of district governor. The public relations officer is eligible for reelection or reappointment for one succeeding term only.

Duties:

1. Serve as a staff officer under the direction of the district governor.
2. Serve as member of the executive committee.
3. Uphold the bylaws and policies of Toastmasters International and the district administrative bylaws, following them to the best of his or her ability.
4. Work in support of the district governor, lieutenant governor education and training and lieutenant governor marketing in an effort to successfully train division governors, area governors and club officers.
5. Work in support of the lieutenant governor education and training to achieve the district’s CC and AC goals.
6. Work in support of the lieutenant governor marketing to achieve the district’s membership growth goals.
7. Work in support of the lieutenant governor marketing to achieve the district’s club building and club rescue goals.
8. Serve as a resource to division governors and area governors to help achieve their goals.
9. Work in cooperation with the district newsletter editor, Web master and speakers bureau chairman in an effort to achieve public relations goals.

1. Prepare a comprehensive communications program to keep both members and non-members aware of the Toastmasters program.
2. Submit a public relations program plan to the district governor and executive committee for approval. The plan should incorporate public relation strategies to promote:
   Use the district newsletter, Web site and other publications to keep members informed about district activities, events, goals, achievements and educational programs.
   • Membership building and retention in conjunction with the lieutenant governor marketing.
   • Building new clubs in conjunction with the lieutenant governor marketing and marketing chairman.
   • Achievement of CCs, ACs, CLs, ALs, DTMs and use of Toastmasters educational programming in cooperation with lieutenant governor education and training.
   • Leadership and training conferences and other special events within the district.
4. Work with the public relations committee to implement the district’s public relations strategy.
5. Develop publicity through the use of the press, television, radio and other media aimed at making Toastmasters better known.
6. In consultation with the district governor, serve as media representative for the district.
7. Review and recommend to the district governor all advertising and publicity material dealing with district programs and activities.
8. Organize speakers’ bureaus at the district and club levels, giving individual members the opportunity to promote the organization through speeches to local groups and seminars and workshops.
9. Serve as a public relations resource to district clubs.
10. Prepare his or her successor to assume office by completing the steps necessary for an orderly transfer of office by June 30.

Initial content above compiled, documented and updated 09-06-2013 by Michael Varma, DTM, Founder’s District Public Relations Office 2009-2010.