Learning the Art of Competent Communication (Published in Anokhi Magazine.Com)

We all hear about Toastmasters and Public Speaking. So as the Vice President Public Relations of my club, I decided to write an article on Toastmasters for the Anokhi Magazine. This article is for all those who want to know how Toastmasters can help change your life!

Here is the link - http://www.anokhimagazine.com/online-exclusives/toastmasters

What do you think is the biggest fear for most people in the world? (Hint: The number two is death.) Based on several studies, the top ranking fear in this world is that of public speaking. Yes, majority of people would rather die instead of talking in front of a live audience.

The fear can have a negative impact on your career and can influence your success in life.

Sameer too was experiencing a similar situation. A business graduate with sharp analytical skills and a great personality, he was recently promoted to a Manager level position. His job now involved making effective presentations and leading teams. He thought he would be good at it. Yet, the transition to the new role was not going smooth. He struggled to keep the audience engaged during his presentations. He had trouble connecting with his team members. A few months ago, he expressed his frustration to his mentor who suggested that he try Toastmasters. It's been five months since he joined the club and the results are visible.

"Congratulations! Your presentation was awesome". Sameer is now a regular at receiving such praise.  His presentations are now structured — have a strong opening, keep the audience engaged and he gets his messages across quickly. Sameer can't stop thanking his Toastmasters Club for that.

With more than 270,000 members and 13, 000 clubs worldwide, Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. At Toastmasters, participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a "learn-by-doing" environment. The best part -— there are no professors, instructors or classrooms. Corporate houses realize that most schools or universities don't offer this kind of training. So, they encourage their employees to sign up for the club. TD Bank has 4 such clubs in the Toronto area alone.  Ashok Raghupathy, a Project Manager at TD Bank, joined one of the clubs a year ago. "When I first participated as a guest in Toastmasters, I observed that one can not only improve public speaking and communications skills but also improve on other leadership skills — like facilitation, organization, coaching etc in a fun, proven and structured way".  He had no second thoughts about joining the club. He is now the VP (Public Relations) at the TD Supreme Toastmasters chapter, which has about 30 members.

There are clubs outside the corporate world too. Prasad, a Toastmaster member for 10 years is an active member of the Grosvenor Club, one of the oldest public clubs in Toronto. Back in 2002, he joined Toastmasters to network with people and get comfortable while speaking in front of a live audience. He adds, "we have about 25 members. Being an open club (and not a corporate one), we have a great mix of individuals by blend of gender, age range, speaking experience."  Members of this club included individuals from different walks of life — industry professionals, artists, free lancers, public sector employees, retired individuals, life coaches.

A typical Toastmaster meeting consists of three sections. The first section is the Prepared Speech session where participants come prepared to speak on a topic based on a Toastmaster manual. The manual has ten speech projects and each project is designed in a different way to develop speaking skills one step at a time. Sample projects include the importance of organization, usage of right words, speaking to inspire and using visual aids.

The second section in the meetings is called the Table Topics. It is designed to help individuals think on their feet. Members are expected to speak impromptu for about 2 minutes on a given topic.

The last part is the Evaluation session. This is very precious for members as they get pointed feedback from evaluators on areas where they can improve and speak better.

In today's world, corporations are looking for people who are persuasive and comfortable communicating with a wide range of people, from top executives to assembly-line workers. They are encouraging employees to join Toastmasters. At TD Bank, the membership fee is considered as training and education for employee development and reimbursed by the bank. Toastmasters also ensures that the effort put by an employee is recognized. On completion of ten speeches from the manual and becoming a "Competent Communicator", Toastmasters can send a letter to the supervisor about the accomplishment.

Every Toastmaster club also has a unique personality. Besides improving the communication skills, the members make new friends and connect to a wide range of people. The Grosvenor Club even has a pub social after their meetings. Prasad adds "This is something I like about our club. The camaraderie and the friendships remain even long after club members have moved on."

Thousands of members worldwide can vouch for how joining a Toastmasters club has boosted their confidence and helped them formulate and express their ideas with ease. Public speaking is an art and you'll notice some of the finest speakers being developed here. With a lot of excitement, Prasad adds "On a broader level, Toastmasters is not just about public speaking and leadership skills. It provides an opportunity for interaction that enables us to learn and apply life skills in all aspects of our journey in a relaxed and supportive environment while having fun."

You can register as a guest and attend a Toastmaster meeting in your area and check if it will make a difference to your life.

BY SMRUTI DAS / POSTED JULY 5TH, 2012

Rashmee Sharma's second edition of the coffee table book(Published in Anokhi Magazine.Com)

Read my article on Roshni - The Light of South Asia. A book presented to Hilary Clinton and Pratibha Patel

Here is the link - http://anokhimagazine.com/online-exclusives/roshni-light-south-asia-vol2

What is common to Deepa Mehta, Russell Peters, Bobby Jindal, Indra Nooyi and Vikram Pandit and our very own CEO and Founder of ANOKHI MEDIA, Raj Girn? They are all a part of the second edition ofRoshni: The Light of South Asia, a coffee table book that profiles 51 personalities in North America who have had stellar success and are an inspiration to South Asians across the world. After the remarkable success of the first edition of Roshni which came out in 2005 and featured 101 personalities, Rashmee Sharma is back this time as she profiles 51 South Asians across USA and Canada who have carved their own path to success.

The opinion of South Asians in North America has always been mixed. While a part of the world sees them as entrepreneurs and successful, the others have stereotyped them as convenience store owners and cabbies. Roshni, which means "light" in Hindi, illustrates profiles of South Asians who have battled myth, stereotype and many other obstacles to come out successful in the world. The underlying theme of Roshni is inspiration. The coffee table book is not just the professional resumés of these successful individuals but highlights the many ways these South Asians have been giving back, both to their country of origin and to the one they have adopted as home. These stars have discerned areas that they felt needed care and attention. As Rashmee talks about it, "If they couldn't find an existing organization to serve the need, they created one".
The idea to write the book struck Rashmee while she was teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle. During her classes, she was often asked stereotypical questions from students who perceived Indians as primitives. Rashmee did her research and shared with them about various accomplishments of Indians in all walks of life. She felt the need for a comprehensive platform that could feature inspirational individuals from diverse disciplines and thus Roshni: The Light of South Asia was born.

Rashmee herself could serve as an inspiration to many. Born in Delhi and raised in Jaipur, she was fascinated by the power of words and became an English department chair in Sikkim, India. After an untimely demise of her late husband who was in the military, she decided to move to the U.S to complete her PhD. It was a daunting task for a mother of two young children in an alien country without any support. She worked hard and became successful and there has been no looking back since then. Over the years, she has been an educator, journalist, published poet and author. She has raised her children well - her son is an attorney and her daughter, a physician. She thrives on taking challenging projects and enjoys every moment of her life.
When asked how she selects the personalities, Rashmee mentions that she has a research panel which based on nominations, research and decide on those who will make the final list. "Since we have many disciplines in which to feature individuals, it becomes a tough choice when we have to put a cap on certain areas. Roshni is not a definitive 'Best Of' list. Instead, it is a chronicle of the contributions South Asians have made over many decades", she adds. The first edition of Roshni received an overwhelming response not only from the South Asian community but also from schools and mainstream community. The second edition is set to be launched this week, and has already generated a lot of interest. It will be available for purchase on Amazon.com and on the Roshni Media website.


BY SMRUTI DAS / POSTED ON MAY 3, 2012
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ROSHNI MEDIA 

Let's learn Salsa! ( Published in Anokhi Magazine.com)

Recently my article got published in North America's largest South Asian fashion and lifestyle magazine. Here is the link to the article -
 http://www.anokhimagazine.com/online-exclusives/lets-learn-salsa-dancing-toronto

Let’s learn Salsa!

"The chemistry was beginning to fade". This was what Natasha mentioned to me a few days ago. She had been married for 7 years now.

Mother to a 4 year-old boy, Natasha was concerned that she and her husband weren't spending quality time together as they were busy in their daily chores. But she was excited now. "Every weekend, we go for Salsa dance classes. My hubby isn't a great dancer, but he is giving his best, and he is enjoying it. The close dance is reigniting the intimate connection between us".

It is often said that dancing is good for the soul. And if the dance is Salsa, what better! Salsa dancing, popular in North and Latin America, is gaining popularity in the rest of world. The origin of Salsa dates back to the 1950s and the popular style followed today emerged from New York in the 1970s. Salsa music is an amalgam of a number of Cuban styles. What makes this dance unique is the beauty and grace where subtle movement of legs and upper body is used to convey the energy of the dance.

As it is a partner dance and follows a high tempo, learning Salsa requires practice. Hence, there are several dance schools in North America with the most popular classes offered being Salsa lessons. Almost all dance schools have a Level 1 lessons meant for beginners. These lessons span over 10-12 one hour classes. The best part is that once the individuals get the Salsa basics, they could try out their moves at the social outings often organized by these dance schools or by various night clubs. And it's just so much fun!

There are various reasons why individuals sign up for salsa classes. While some have a long term desire to learn Salsa after they see a TV show, others follow in for the music. Tracie Yee, Instructor at Toronto Dance Salsa, Canada's largest dance school is one such person. She relocated to Toronto in 2002 and enrolled in Salsa classes as she wanted to meet people and learn a new style of dance. Soon, she fell in love with the dance and through further Salsa education is now an instructor helping beginners learn the dance.

When asked what she loves about teaching Salsa to beginners, Tracey says, "I love experiencing the excitement that a student feels when they accomplish something in class: remembering a turn pattern, figuring out footwork or executing a combo on their own." She loves it when her students who start as absolute beginners gradually venture out to socials and outings and make an impact. The feeling of seeing a novice being comfortable at Salsa makes her "feel like a proud parent!"

Learning Salsa has certain advantages too. Salsa dancing is a great way to stay fit, let loose with a partner or even spice up a romantic relationship with your significant other. When asked how one can figure out if dancing is for me, Tracey quickly retorts "I hear this kind of thing all the time. Figuring out if you can dance is just a matter of trying. I have seen many people who have confessed to having two left feet or no dance experience become wonderful dancers. Remember that in dance, as in learning, any art form, technique and passion are equally important. When you're learning to dance, remember that it's not just about what you're learning, but why you're learning. When the technical side of dance becomes frustrating, recall the reason why took up dance in the first place - it could be the love of the music, the love of the feeling on the dance floor or the love of learning something new. Then dance will be a wonderful and inspiring companion for life".

Wanting to learn Salsa could be your long term desire, but it takes some courage to get out of the comfort zone and try something new. You'll enjoy the experience. As Tracey puts it "You'll learn to laugh at yourself and celebrate all the awkward and the graceful moments equally. Embrace wherever your love of dance takes you and enjoy every moment."

Yes, learning to dance Salsa could be a wonderful thing. If you had ever wanted to get fitter or spice up your relationship, pick up those dancing shoes and let yourself lose. You'll take your time to learn but will have fun and enjoy the experience.

BY SMRUTI DAS / POSTED APRIL 19, 2012

Well, your virtual store is here!

Source: Strategy Online,Canada

A few weeks ago, I had written a blog on QR codes. I had mentioned about an article how smart marketers use QR codes. The Global supermarket giant Tesco used QR codes to entice hard-working, time-strapped Koreans into its stores by bringing the shopping experience to them, with virtual stores based in subways and metro stations. Now the same thing is happening here in Toronto, the first of its kind in North America.

Well.ca, a Canadian online store that focuses on health, beauty, personal care and household products has launched what it says is the first virtual shopping wall in North America.

The Union Station (Subway stop) in Toronto has the virtual walls now. Folks can scan the QR codes to make the purchase and the items will be delivered free to them the very next day. The virtual shelves hold products from P&G brands such as Tide, Crest, Head and Shoulders and Pampers.

Who is the target audience? The folks at well.ca claim that the target audience are women with children who after a long day of work don’t necessarily want to carry large diaper boxes. It'll be interesting to see if these "women with childen" adopt this technology (and scan a wall) and are attracted to the idea. Perhaps, the Union Station was the best test bed. The wall is out there until April 30. So, do check it out!

You can propose or accept through FB!

People in the history have tried different ways to get attention and propose to their loved ones. Some have tried banners flying in the sky, others got their message flashed in a stadium during a break. Here is a new addition to that. Using FB to get the message to your loved one. Yes, that is possible! The biggest advantage of FB is that you can target an ad to a specific audience.

And she exactly did that. Read this article in Metro News

"After hearing a social media expert talk about how you can micro-target advertising messages on Facebook, Judi Brown decided she would accept Matt’s proposal digitally by creating a Facebook ad that would be guaranteed to be read by him.

‘Yes I’ll Marry You Matt’ was the headline Jodi used in the Facebook advertising campaign along with a picture and a short blurb about how she felt.

....It took Matt just five minutes on the day the campaign was launched to notice it on his Facebook page.

She says the campaign ran just for the one day, and seven people including Matt saw it an average of 12 times each. At the end of the day, the campaign cost her three cents in total — for every thousand times the ad showed up, the price was one dollar.

Now, isn't Social Media an effective way to get your message across to the right audience for a small investment. Advertisers, this article is some good inspiration to try Social Media advertising.

Love for LUSH!

As the lady at the store explained me how to use the “Mask of Magnaminty”, my husband looked at me and asked "Can I eat this?" His question was a valid one as LUSH products are technically edible. He did not dare to try that though.

LUSH,a brand known for fresh handmade bath and beauty products,is extremely popular worldwide. They have over 600 stores in more than 400 countries. From Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, and from Bangalore to Toronto, LUSH has a strong loyal fan base.But what makes these products special? They are 100% organic and handmade. What excites most individuals at a LUSH store is that the products are full of bright colors and great scent. To top that, the reps at the store are extremely knowledgeable. They are polite, take personal interest and know the stuff.

LUSH is a great example of a high quality product with some unique selling tricks. It has some innovative marketing and branding strategies. Sample this – a product called “Bath Bombs” are solid balls made of sodium bicarbonate that fizz with different scents and colors when dropped in the bathtub. Isn’t that cool?
I have hardly seen any ads of LUSH in the print and television media but I have heard many women talk passionately about it. And LUSH makes sure that there is lot to talk about it. They do not sell products older than four months. The soap bars are sold "naked" i.e. free of wasteful plastic packaging. They also promote recycling of containers.

And my favorite part - each LUSH product has a sticker with the date the product was made and the name of the person who made it. I think that this is a great way of employee motivation. Imagine if I worked at LUSH and made a face mask and the package had my name on it.! BTW, the mask that I bought was made by Adam. Thank you, Adam!

Roll up the Rim to Win

As soon as you finish your coffee (or even before that), you roll up the rim and check if you have won something? If you are lucky, in the best case, you could be winning a Toyota Camry or in the most likely case - a free coffee. Yes, am talking about Tim Horton's "Roll Up the Rim to Win" contest. Every now and then, I see folks in Toronto finishing their coffee and rolling up the rim to see if they have won anything. Recently, a stranger at the subway station asked me if I had won anything just as I had just finished my coffee and had rolled up the rim.(Unfortunately, the message read “ Play again”).

A promotional event something like this is bound to create some excitement. I found out that Tim Horton’s has been running this promotion for the past 26 years!. When they started this annual contest, the prize was just a box of Timbits. And every year since then, the prize has grown bigger and better. This year, Tim Hortons is promising $60 million in prizes. It is believed that about 80% of the prizes are redeemed every year. The company claims that he chances of winning are 1 in six. The excitement runs so high that there were recent reports that thieves have been stealing the Roll Up the Rim cups. Perhaps, this was the easiest way for the thieves to win a prizes that include Toyota Camry Hybrids and Panasonic 3D TVs.

I was curious to know if anyone had won a Toyota Camry yet. I googled and read that an Ottawa rapper had won it recently. Good, makes me believe that these promotions are for real! :)

Personally, I think this is a great marketing campaign. The loyal customers would feel good if they won something (even a free coffee) and the not so regular drinkers would hope for a big prize and try it out. And all this should ensure increased sales for Tim Hortons. Perhaps not!. This is what Tim Horton’s reported last year as it could not meet shareholder’s expectations. (I find this difficult to digest.)

Anyway, I’ll keep purchasing a few more Tim Horton products till the contests last and hope that I get a big prize. Owning a Camry or a 3D TV as prize would be nice ! Keeping my fingers crossed!