Shortly after the last time I blogged about the display table at Toronto Go-Getters, it changed again, but only slightly. So I’m taking this opportunity to present for the third time our display table, and tell you how to arrange one for your Toastmasters club.

A display table at your club meetings is a great tool for both guests and members. The purpose of a display table is to provide guests with information they can use to evaluate your club, as well as allow members to evaluate their progress and keep up to date with Toastmasters and club business. Toronto Go-Getters accomplishes this through various club and marketing materials, as well as display charts for tracking member progress openly.

The display table is somewhat split into three sections. Closest to the door to the meeting room is the promotions section, where you put marketing materials, the supply catalogue (item 1205) with order forms and purchase flyers, the guest book (item 84), and a sign-up sheet for future meetings. The marketing materials we use are the “Find Your Voice” (item 99) and “Confidence – The Voice of Leadership” (item 101) pamphlets, as well as the Marketing Card set (item 125). As you can see, these are neatly arranged, again with the guest book on the table edge closest to the door.

The middle of the table, the education section, provides prospective members with an idea of what they will receive as Toastmasters members. Therefore, display sample copies of the Competent Communication (item 225) and Competent Leadership (item 265) manuals, so that guests can evaluate for themselves the Toastmasters educational program. As well, having the latest issues of Toastmaster Magazine available allows guests to see what else is happening in Toastmasters around the world, and showing that our communication and leadership education can occur outside of the club as well.

The third and final part of the table, the progress section, is more for active members of a club, but can also allow guests to evaluate the people who make up your club. The wall chart set (item 306) provides three progress charts for the Communication and Leadership tracks, and members and guests can see at a glance how often and how lately members have been completing their projects. The DCP wall chart (item 1111C) is another good one to hang up, especially as your club attains more and more goals in the DCP.

By providing all these materials, you provide your guests with greater insights as to the value of Toastmasters and your club. Likewise, you can make it easier to encourage members to continue completing projects toward their educational awards and encourage them to volunteer for meeting roles in a proactive fashion. At no time, however, should your display table become a replacement for communicating with guests and members directly—instead, use it as an aid to facilitating conversation. And don’t forget to encourage guests to take part in meetings they attend. Talking with them and showing them materials is one thing, but never forget this wise saying from Confucius:

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do, and I understand.”