Using Video Recording as a tool for attracting and retaining members is more effective in an area that may be surprising to most of us.  It is not the speeches themselves.

I have been recording speeches at Toastmasters (TM) for over 4 years, off and on.  Initially, we were able to use a club VHS video recorder with tapes that members could bring for themselves.  This was a benefit for the individual only.

We evolved to camera recorders and camcorders.  We also evolved to posting pictures and videos on our website ExtremeToastmasters.com

I have discovered that there is interest in viewing speeches for personal improvement.  Great speeches serve as a model for others to follow.  Easy access to videos, the storage retention on the web, and the effort to produce the speeches are factors that can be complex and involved.  A team club effort is required for this to be an ongoing benefit of the club.

While the speeches may be temporary in effectiveness, the surprising use of video recording is the interviews of members about their participation in TM.  These interviews serve to reaffirm what the member is experiencing and they can express their future expectations.

On the website, they can be placed in various topic areas to reaffirm what is written.  What trailers have done for movies, the interviews provide for the TM experience.

Various individual benefits are also derived from the video recording of speeches.  Speakers may improve their speaking skills, encourage member involvement in the club, and pave the way for improvement in their own businesses.

PowerVoices.com is an example of applying what is learned at the club level to a business opportunity.  Many talented speakers in TM will apply themselves in acquiring these video recording skills for use in their own websites.

Using a website for distributing videos is much easier than producing individual DVDs or media.  This requires obtaining permission from the speakers.  Some speakers do prefer more privacy in this area.  A subtle benefit to the club is that the video content provides continuous freshness to the website.

Rocky Romero
Co-Founder, ExtremeToastmasters.com

PowerVoices.com