Free Toast Host Presentation

1. Free Toast Host
Mario Flores, ACS

2. Overview
 What is Free Toast Host?
 What?
 Why?
 Uses
 Caveats

3. About Me
 Web Development Manager or
Webmaster
 Worked in the IT field with websites for
8 years

4. What is Free Toast Host?
• A free service to toastmaster clubs
• A web-based content management
information system
• Benefits the public and club members
• Created by Bo Bennett, DTM

5. Club Activites – Rising Stars
 Agendas
 Contests
 Communications with members
 Marketing
 Goals
 Dues

6. Issues
 Communication is difficult once
members leave the meeting
 Information dispersal happens at the
meetings and through email
 No centralized location to find
information
 Potential members must contact a
club officer to attend

7. How Free Toast Host helps
 Centralized location for club
information for club officers and
members
 Potential members can find
information about the club meetings
 Inform all members in one location
 Does not require technical knowledge
to manage
 61 clubs in our district use Free Toast
Host

8. Features for club officers
 Mailing lists
 Club news and forums
 Duty roster
 Member information
 Statistics
 Downloads
 Semi-annual dues
 Club goals – annual and quarterly

9. Features for members
 Signup for roles online
 Member contact information
 Forms
 Club calendar

10. Features for potential
members
 Publicize your meeting location and
time
 Communicate what your about
 Corporate clubs can communicate
internally
 Promote your club through Google

11. FreeToastHost

12. Caveats
 Balance marketing and member
information
 Get leadership involved when setting
up the site
 Remove unused sections
 Check the link from the district site to
your site periodically

13. Caveats
 Start small and add in features over
time
 Train your members
 Use only what you need

14. Caveats
 Design
◦ Stick to the basics
◦ Unless your comfortable with changing a
website, stick with the basic setup
◦ Use caution with colors

15. Caveats
 Chunk your words
◦ Users online do not read, they scan
◦ Chop your communication by using
bullets and headlines
◦ Get to the point

16. Downtown Professional

17. Dripping Springs

18. USAA Bank

19. Cartus Magnus

20. FreeToastHost vs. Club
Scheduler
Free Toast Host Club Scheduler
Online Personal Computer
Focused on collaborating Focused on scheduling
Allows all to interact Allows only an administrative
person
Does not generate a schedule Generates a schedule
Stores member information Stores member information
Free with a club number $40 donation
7000 clubs use Free Toast Host 1000 clubs use

21. Ready to start?
 VP of Public Relations should manage
 If possible, have two officers setup the
site
 Ensure the username and password is
available to all managing parties
 Club contact
 Club information
 Only one site per club

22. Ready to Start?
 Requirements
◦ Internet Explorer 6+
◦ Firefox 1.5+
◦ Some users have reported issues with
Mac and some say it works fine