The Secret to Great Presentations: ENTHUSIASM

The Secret to Great Presentations:  ENTHUSIASM

By Doug Staneart

If you take only one piece of advice about public speaking, make sure that it is this pearl of wisdom.  If you focus on this one simple thing, the number of times you say "uhm" won't matter.  If you focus on this one thing, your gestures and not knowing what to do with your hands won't matter.  If you focus on this one thing, then the occasional loss of train of thought won't matter.  In fact, if you focus on this one simple thing, you can break just about every rule that public speakers are supposed to abide by, and you will still win over your audience.

This one simple rule has transformed countless mediocre speakers into good speakers, scores of good speakers into great speakers, and numerous great speakers into world-class speakers.

This simple rule that can make or break a speaker is… ENTHUSIASM.

That's right, if you have a little excitement in your talk and a spring in your step, people pay attention.  Your audience will have just about as much excitement about your talk as you do, and no more. So, if you want to win over your audience, add a sparkle of enthusiasm.

One of my mentors told me that there are two rules to live by in the world of professional speakers.  She said, "Rule number one is to never speak on a topic that you yourself are not enthusiastic about, and rule number two is that if you ever violate rule number one, fake it 'til you make it."

Frank Bettger in his book How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling said it a different way. He said, "If you act enthusiastic, then you'll be enthusiastic."

For those of us who get nervous in front of groups, it's even easier.  However, 90% of our nervousness doesn't even show.  Let's look at the other 10%.  When we are nervous, we often cut out preambles and get right to the point, our rate of speech typically speeds up, we tend to move around a lot more, and we may move our hands around more than normal. Well, when we are excited about something, we do the exact same things.

Years ago, when I was a sales manager, I was often amazed at the number of times that a brand new sales person without a lot of product knowledge and absolutely no experience, could close sale after sale while my more seasoned people were struggling.  The more times I went on sales calls with these new people, the more I started to notice a pattern.  New salespeople are often nervous, so when they walk into an office on a sales call, they tend to cut right to the chase.  They also generally talk faster because they are afraid they'll forget something.  They have a tough time sitting still because of the nervousness, so they move around a lot.

I noticed that these symptoms of nervousness worked to the advantage of these new salespeople, because their prospects looked across the table at salespeople who appeared to be extremely enthusiastic about what they were selling.  I would imagine that these potential buyers were saying things to themselves like, "if this person believes so much in this product, it must be good."

We as speakers can also use our nervousness to our advantage.  When we turn that pent up nervousness into energy and enthusiasm, our audience can't help but be energized as well.
 

Doug Staneart is President of The Leader's Institute, leadership and public speaking training. He can be reached by e-mail at doug@leadersinstitute.com or toll-free at 1-800-872-7830 x-100.

How to Be a "Ray of Hope"

Leaders Should Be "Rays of Hope" Piercing the Darkness

A dark cloud of doom and gloom hangs over those of us in the United States and in other countries where we have subscribers.  Much of the worldwide gloom is of an economic nature.  For those of us in the US, we are faced with not only a struggling economy but also a war in the Middle East, high gas prices, an upcoming election and a miriad of other issues including recent natural disasters.

There's no doubt that several of these issues have touched each of us personally.  Most of us have felt it at the pump; perhaps you or a family member are serving in the US military; many of us have seen the political campaign commericals and see partisan supporter's signs in yards and on buildings during our commute.  It's all swirling around us.

In fact, most popular media are promoting doom and gloom.  We read it in the morning papers, see it on the television, hear it on the radio, read and view it on the internet and a lot of folks are passing negative emails.  It's difficult to escape it all.  Gotcha feeling down?

While I believe all citizens should be informed, many folks are living in a vacuum and just sucking this negativity up.  Those of us active in fraternal organizations are fortunate however.  Fraternal organizations, clubs and associations offer us a healthy retreat from all this doom and gloom.  Our organizations meet regularly and offer opportunities for fellowship that locks out the secular world if only for a while.  You can literally "get away from it all" by attending a meeting, social function or working a charitable event.

Speaking of charity, most fraternal organizations perform some type of charitable work.  The needs continue in our communities no matter what is going on in the world and we are there to help others.  Our fellow human beings still need our compassion, friendship and financial assisitance.

So, assuming you are serving in some leadership capacity, be a "Ray of Hope" for your organization.  Make your meetings fun, enjoyable and productive.  Let your members bask in the good works they do and talk about it.  In these difficult times, fraternal organizations can thrive and be a welcomed respite for our members.

Finally, I encourage you to tune some of the media out and focus on your communities, organizations, schools and places of worship.  Lend your skills to build these institutions up while many are busy tearing them down.

Being Productive

Productivity Tips:  Guerrilla Communication

You can save time and improve relationships with your subordinates and colleagues by using these communication strategies:

*  Use voice mail during the daytime hours to say “thanks.”  Call when you believe the person may be at work and say “thank you” for a job well done.  When the person arrives home and checks their phone messages, it will be a pleasant surprise.

*  Use voice mail or email to send a birthday wish or message of congratulations the same way.  Send the greeting the evening before and it’s likely you‘ll be the first person they hear from the next day.

*  Pre-print “occasion” postcards on your home computer, complete with your return address.  Have a bunch of them pre-stamped and ready to mail.  As situations and occasions arise, jot a nice note and drop it in the mail the next day.  Larger office supply stores have perforated postcard stock for ink jet printers in a wide variety of stock designs.

Frat Lines

Remaining True To Your Mission

Remain True To Your Mission

So many times we can get sidetracked and lose sight of our original goals.  We get caught up in the day-to-day operations or status quo.  Also, because our fraternal orgnizations may meet only once each month, it's easier to forget our objectives.

I find it helpful to have a model or diagram of the current mission, task or goal on paper.  Every month or so, I can refer to the model and refocus on the mission.  Often as leaders in fraternal organizations, clubs, etc. we can forget our original objectives for a term in office.  Pull the model out at team or officer meetings, review it and measure success achieved toward the goal.  This will help keep you and the team accountable and focused on the mission.

Influencing Others

The Art of Influencing Others

Leaders of every type of organization must be skilled at influencing others in order to achieve their goals and objectives. Listening is one of the most important necessities of human communication. If you don't listen to people, you are missing out on one of the best ways to influence people.

People will always listen to you when you listen to them. One of the greatest influencing tools is listening. When you listen to what's on a person's mind, you will find that communication barriers are broken. Even if you think you know what they are going to say, listen to them.

If you are a “bad listener,” people will think that you are not interested in them. People will like you if you listen to them. How do you feel about people who listen to what you have to say? Isn't your admiration for them high? Others will feel the same way about you.
Eliminate All Distractions
Distractions inhibit good talkers and listeners. It is important that you remove all distractions when listening to another person. Tune everything else out. You want to create a very warm and comfortable atmosphere for the talker.

What Questioning Will Do
Questions we ask people arouse their thinking processes. When you arouse people's think processes, you give them the chance to express their own ideas and feelings. The only way you will find out what you want to know about another is by asking questions. If you are able to help people think on their own they will respect you and like you. You have been able to do something for them that they were not able to do for themselves. By listening to others, you also fulfill their need to feel important. Through your concern, they feel special.

Keep The Conversation Open
In order to listen, you must keep the conversation open. Some people won't tell you everything on their minds, so you may have to question them to keep the conversation going. All of your questions should relate to who, what, why, where, when and how.

What Questions Do You Ask?
The questions you ask must have a specific purpose. If they don't, you will lose credibility. You must ask questions the person understands. Don't confuse other people by asking complicated questions, such as questions with many parts. Ask them one part of a question at a time. Try to get others to tell you "why." "Why" is one of the best questions to ask people. The reason for asking people questions is to get definite answers. Your questions should prompt definite answers, and they should discourage others from guessing at the answers. The therapeutic value of questioning is lost when people guess at answers.

How To Get Publicity for Your Organization

Getting Publicity:
What’s Newsworthy About Your Organization?

How many times have you seen a segment on your local news, or read an article in the paper and wondered, “How on earth did this make the news?” I live in Louisville, Kentucky, a medium sized city (market) and I find myself asking that question frequently. Too often, as organizations, we assume that we aren’t doing anything that is “newsworthy”, when in fact, most of what we do is. Many fraternal organizations, clubs and associations work diligently on behalf of charitable events all year round. Most of it goes unnoticed because of a lack of public relations efforts.

Don’t confuse getting publicity with “tooting your own horn.” Publicity should be designed to be favorable in nature and to serve as a vehicle to create awareness.

There are a lot of folks out there who are good candidates for membership in your organization. Many would ask to join if they only knew a little more about what you do and what you stand for.

Getting publicity is often as easy as just asking for it. Local TV news and newspapers are always on the lookout for subject matter. Here are some ideas on what may be considered “newsworthy” about your organization:

- A recognized person in your community (ie: business leader or politician) will be a guest speaker at your event.
- You’re hosting a civil service recognition event to honor police officers, firefighters and EMT’s.
- You're hosting an event for military personnel or veterans.
- A prominent community figure is elected to your board of directors or to lead your organization.
- You’re having a special fundraiser for a local charity.

Make contact with the media. Write letters, send a fax or email and follow-up with a phone call. Remember to be persistent and these tips will payoff.

Custom Lapel Pin Video

Membership Retention

The Overlooked Key To Membership Retention:
Delivering What You Promise

I want to challenge you to take a look at your organization’s recruiting material this month. Read it thoroughly.

Many large, national organizations have recruiting brochures and literature that is professionally generated. Smaller organizations utilize less fancy materials but usually these recruiting tools make big promises. After all the purpose of this material is to sell a prospect on the benefits of joining your organization. What promises does your organization make to prospective members?

A lot of recruiting brochures promise opportunities for advancement in knowledge, personal growth, fellowship, social activities, family outings, helping charitable causes, etc. In short, most of them outline at least one membership “benefit” that should be appealing to a prospective member. Keep in mind that when a prospective member submits his (or her) application or petition, he has a reason or motive for doing so. Something that he read or heard, either directly or indirectly, about your organization has attracted him to seek membership.

Based on that fact, is your organization delivering on it’s promises? Are you meeting the expectations of the new member or are you letting them down? Is your organization committed to fulfilling it’s mission? Read your recruiting material. Do you make all of those opportunities available to the members or is it just “lip service?” Is your organization living up to the claims outlined in it’s promotional material or are you advertising falsely?

Independence

INDEPENDENCE

A Webster’s definition:  “not requiring or relying on something else or somebody else.”  A synonym to the word “independent” is “self-reliant.”

Self-reliant.  Is this term included in the definition of “you”?  Successful people in all walks of life are independent or self-reliant.  They are decisive… on their own.

There’s nothing wrong with getting another person’s opinion.  In many cases, when making a decision, you need another point of view in order to cover all the bases.  However, ultimately you must learn to figure things out for yourself.  Trust your own judgment.

Leaders often find themselves making split-second decisions.  These are the times when you’re on your own, solely responsible for the outcome.  You won’t be right 100% of the time; nobody can be.

Leadership expert, John C. Maxwell says, “Successful leaders have the courage to take action while others hesitate.“  Be decisive and be INDEPENDENT.

Masonic Lapel Pins

Public Speaking Tips

Public Speaking
Improve Your Skills by Observing the Pros

You can visit a bookstore and find any number of books written on the subject of public speaking.  You can take a college course on the subject and you can join clubs that exist to develop speaking skills.

This “formal” education in speaking is important in that it will teach you preparation, structure, technique, delivery styles, etc.  In the case of a classroom or club environment, it will provide experience.

Assuming you have gained some formal or even “trial by fire” speaking experience, here is a big secret to improving your skills:

Observe The Pros In Action

I have had the good fortune of being in the audience of several great speakers.  I not only listen to what they say, but I observe how they say it.

If you have ever heard the great sales trainer, Zig Ziglar speak, I’m sure that you were in awe with his enthusiasm.  He delivers every speech with incredible passion.  Whether this passion is manufactured I’m not sure, but the important thing is that it seems to be sincere.

If you’ve ever heard Dr. Billy Graham preach, you have witnessed the same phenomena.  His passion for his message is undeniable.

Avail yourself of every opportunity to hear great speakers.  Take a pad and pen and make notes on things that impress you.  How were they introduced to the audience?  How did they “lead off” their presentation?  How did they build up?  How did they summarize key points?  How did they bring it to a close?  What was their “call to action?”

Many self-improvement gurus advise that you should emulate people that you consider successful.  This is true for any area of your life that you seek to improve.  You can learn a great deal from professional speakers, motivators and clergy.  Take what you like, incorporate it when you can and notice if there is any improvement.

Shawn Warren Receives DeMolay Order of Chevalier

Fratline President Shawn Warren with Dad M. Moore following the conferral

of the Degree of Chevalier at Kentucky DeMolay's 2011 Annual Conclave.

Michael Severe - Imperial Potentate of Shriners International

Fratline President Shawn Warren with Imperial Sir Michael Severe -

Newly installed Imperial Potentate of Shriners International

Develop Discipline

DISCIPLINE

Here’s a valuable quote borrowed from an article by one of my mentors, Dan Kennedy:  “Winners make themselves do the things necessary to win.”  Leaders in every field of endeavor develop the discipline required to achieve their goals or complete their mission.

Athletes undergo daily regimens of often intense training to develop the strength and endurance required to play at peak levels.

If you’ve been in any branch of the armed forces, you know that basic training or boot camp is about developing discipline.  This could very well be the most important, positive effect on someone serving in the military.

Sadly, many people in our society simply lack the discipline to get out of bed and go to work.  It’s true, there are some things I’d rather not do and it takes discipline to execute those things.

Discipline yourself today to receive the rewards of tomorrow.

CHANGE... and How to RESIST it!

Let me begin by saying that we have a huge subscriber list that is made up of members from many different fraternal organizations, clubs and associations from all over the world. We have subscribers who are Freemasons, members of Masonic appendant organizations such as the Shriners and Order of the Eastern Star, Knights of Columbus, Loyal Order of Moose, Elks, Odd Fellows, Eagles, Rotary and more. Sorry if I left you out... I try to keep this email pithy.

All of these organizations share one common purpose. That is to improve the lives of their members and in essence, to make good people better.

Further, most if not all of these organizations support some form of charity that is important to humanity. While membership in fraternal and civic organizations may seem to be on the decline, we still serve very important functions in society and if we ceased to exist, we would leave a huge void. A void that governments could not fill, I might add.

Change" is an often talked about issue in most organizations. "Change" was the mantra and slogan of the now president-elect of the USA. I am certainly a proponent of beneficial change but not "Change" for it's sake alone.

Two of my "favorite" (sarcasm if you can't pick it up) fraternal and organizational sayings are: "We've never done it that way before" and "We tried that and it didn't work."


While we may bicker and challenge change in different areas of fraternal life, like ritual and ceremony, there are areas that need no change.

I submit that all fraternal and civic organizations need to maintain the status quo in at least two areas:

1.) The commitment to improve and elevate the character of our members and

2.) To recommit ourselves to the service of humanity.

These areas need NO CHANGE. Let's keep doing it the way we've always done it. The worldwide economic state depends on our willingness to serve and give of ourselves. Every new member we receive is a new soldier for the cause of charity and service. Embrace your organization's mission of self-improvement, self-discovery and service to your fellowman.

Keep up the good work and resist efforts of change that would lead us down the road of complacency!

Tips For Conducting Successful Meetings

If you've ever attended a meeting that was "painful," you will certainly appreciate the following tips.  Enjoy and put them into practice.

1.)  PREPARE - Consult with the Secretary and other officers PRIOR to the meeting.  Phone calls and emails are great tools to help you prepare.  Walk-in with a "game plan" and execute it.  Nobody wants to see you "fly by the seat of your pants."

2.)  Be On Time - If the leader isn't on time, the meeting won't start on time.  Show respect to your officers and members by arriving early and starting the meeting on time.  Time is a valuable commodity in our lives.

3.)  Follow an Order of Business - As a general rule, the bylaws of an organization include an order of business to be followed during a meeting.  If you don't have one, make one.  Systematically moving a meeting from one item to another will keep the meeting timely and on track.

4.)  State Objectives at the Beginning - If there are particular items that must be addressed or that will require a lot of time, state it up front.  Example:  "We need to discuss this weekend's fund raising event and nail down the details."

5.)  Pace the Meeting - Don't rush and don't linger on any topic.  Set a pace using your order of business.

6.)  Be Objective - As the leader, maintain "neutrality" in discussions.  Make sure that both sides of any issue are heard and understood.

7.)  End on a Positive Note - At the conclusion of every meeting, review what has been accomplished, what has been "laid over" and what remains to be done.

RESILIENCY

This characteristic, is unfortunately absent in most people.  When you were a child maybe an adult told you, “If at first you don’t succeed, try again.”  I guess this didn’t sink in or maybe it was just lost along the way to adulthood.  I know many people that simply give up or throw in the towel prematurely after suffering a defeat.

As a leader, you must demonstrate your resiliency by becoming immune to criticism.  You know that there are “critics” all around you… literally scrutinizing everything you do.  “That’s not the way we usually do it”; “When I was in charge we did it this way“; “That won’t work, we tried that ten years ago.”  You get the idea.

Being resilient to criticism will enable you to carry-out your objectives effectively.  Don’t listen to the “nay-sayers.”  If something you do doesn’t work, be resilient.  Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go at the next project smarter and more determined than ever.

We all love a success story.  It’s wonderful to see people achieve greatness against the odds.  The taste of success is sweeter when you’ve failed before and you’re able to symbolically raise your hands in victory.  You can achieve greatness when you are RESILIENT.

How To Conduct Effective Meetings

Conducting Effective Meetings 

By Doug Staneart

The tips below are strategies that I have collected over the years from class members who swear by their effectiveness. I hope they work for you as well.

1.)  Have an Agenda: Outline ahead of time what points will be covered in the meeting.  Write it out, and distribute it to participants ahead of time.  This will help avoid the "chasing of rabbits," and help participants be more prepared for the meeting.

2.)  Follow the Agenda:  This sounds very elementary, but you'd be surprised by the number of people who take the time to create an agenda, and then totally disregard the agenda during the meeting.

3.)  Limit the Agenda to Three Points or Less:  Ask yourself, "What are the three most important things we need to cover in the meeting?"  Limit the agenda to these three points.  The rest of the things you wanted to cover, by definition, weren't really that important anyway, so why waste everyone's time?

4.)  Set a Time Limit:  I would suggest setting the time limit for the meeting to be no longer than 30-minutes. In future meetings, shorten the time by five minutes until the time limit is 15-minutes or less.  The leader of the meeting will become much more efficient, and the participants will become much more focused as well.  When the time limit is up, end the meeting.  You may not get to cover every single thing that you wanted to the first couple of times you try this, but within a short time, you will find that the major information points are being discussed and decisions are being made very efficiently.

5.)  Encourage Participation from Everyone, but don't Force Them:  Instead of going around the table and asking for opinions or input, just ask a question and let people volunteer their answers.  There will be times during any meeting that each person will "phase out" (especially if it is a looooong and BOW-ring meeting.)  If we call on every person, it wastes time, and puts people on the spot. Other ways of encouraging participation is to just ask a question, and after someone answers, say something like, "Good, let's hear from someone else." If there are people in your meeting who rarely speak, instead of calling on them directly, you might say something like, "I value the opinion of each of you, does anyone else have something to add."  Then, just look at the person you want to hear from.  If he or she has something to say, he or she will say it if encouraged in this way.  If he or she doesn't, then you haven't embarrassed the person.

Meetings can be a very powerful way to communicate and solve problems.  In past workshops that I have facilitated, we have shown leaders how to identify the root-cause of a problem, come up with dozens of possible solutions, come to a consensus as group on the best possible solution, and create a written plan of action that is measurable in 15-minutes or less. Your meetings can be that efficient and that powerful too if you use these simple tips.

Doug Staneart, doug@leaderinstitute.com, is CEO of The Leaders Institute, Management and Public Speaking Training.  His classes focus on overcoming the fear of public speaking, building confident and autonomous leaders, and improving employee morale.  He can be reached toll-free at 1-800-872-7830.

Fraternal Lapel Pin Question & Answer Guide from Fratline

Fraternal Lapel Pin Question & Answer Guide from Fratline

How to Avoid Costly Mistakes When Designing and Ordering a Custom Lapel Pin or Emblem

This guide contains excerpts from the handbook, The Ultimate How-To Guide for Creating Your Custom Fraternal Lapel Pin. To learn how to obtain a copy of The Ultimate How-To Guide For Creating Your Custom Fraternal Lapel Pin, please refer to the end of this guide or visit www.fratline.net

It’s no secret that the members of fraternal organizations, clubs and associations enjoy receiving, wearing and even collecting lapel pins. Lapel pins identify the individual as a member and they are a great source of pride for those who wear them. Badges, medals and insignia of membership are as old as the institutions themselves. Lapel pins and emblematic jewelry items have become an important part of fraternal culture the world over.

Fraternal organizations can use custom lapel pins in a variety of ways. Lapel pins are used to promote membership, commemorate the term of a presiding officer, celebrate anniversaries, recognize veteran members and raise funds for charitable and other projects.

Lapel pins and emblematic jewelry are (1) VERSATILE – appropriate for men and women; older members appreciate them and youth think they’re fun; they come in virtually limitless sizes, shapes and color combination's. (2) DURABLE – they last; most people have emblematic jewelry items that were handed down from their parents and grandparents. (3) COST EFFECTIVE – no other item can be customized by size, shape, quantity and process to fit any budget.

Now I’ll answer common questions associated with ordering custom lapel pins.

What things should I consider when designing my custom pin?

The elements of your design will include: theme, symbols, colors, shape and size. Your theme will depend greatly on the purpose of the pin. For example: If you’re designing a pin to commemorate your term as presiding officer, maybe you have adopted a slogan that embodies your goal for the term. This slogan can be incorporated into your design in order to promote your theme during the term. If you’re designing a pin to celebrate your organization’s anniversary you’ll want to include the name, location and anniversary date into the design.

What symbols or emblems should I include?

Most fraternal organizations have many symbols from which to choose, each with their own meaning. However, there is usually one primary symbol or logo that is most commonly used. In Freemasonry, it’s the square and compasses with the letter “G”. With the Odd fellows, it’s the “three links”. In some organizations the presiding officer may adopt an emblem he or she likes that’s not necessarily taken from the ritual or symbolism of the organization. How about a bird, flower or fruit? If you’re from Georgia, a peach would be appropriate. You can use one symbol or several, the choice is yours.

How should I determine what, if any colors to use?

Does your organization have standard colors that you would like to include? The Order of the Eastern Star’s primary symbol contains five colors that make a beautiful emblem. Choose colors that you like. If you’re of Irish heritage, use some green. When asked about the color, you’ll have the opportunity to talk about it! Pins don’t always have to include color. Many designs look beautiful in bright gold or silver finishes without enameling. With the variety of manufacturing processes, the sky is the limit. You may want to consider a die struck pin that has an “antique” or even a “sandblasted” finish.

What shape and size should I choose?

There are literally hundreds of “standard” shapes of pins. Standard shapes include: round, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, state outlines, flags and everything in between. Membership pins and presiding officer pins are often made in the shape of the respective state or jurisdiction. Would your symbol be a good overall shape for your pin? If your primary symbol / emblem is an apple, you could make the outer shape that of an apple, put additional symbols and your name and year inside the shape and enamel it in red. Sometimes the information and symbols to be included on the pin dictate the shape.

The size of your pin is very important. A good rule to follow is this: If you can’t easily read what’s on the pin, it’s too small! Pins are typically made in sizes from 1/2″ to 1-1/2″ and cost varies with size. After you’ve sketched out your design and decided on a shape, you’re ready to select a size. A trick to determining size is to use a photocopier. For best results, draw your design on plain white paper using black ink. Place the paper on the photocopier and shrink the image. Keep shrinking it until it looks right to you and the wording is still legible. Using a ruler, measure the design at the longest distance between points. Example: a square is measured diagonally.

How do I know what manufacturing process will be the best choice for my design?

We offer several manufacturing processes to our customers. By far, the most popular processes are Cloisonné and Acid Etched Soft Enamel. You must consider how much detail your pin will require because some processes may not be suited to your design. For example: If exact color matching is required, some processes can’t be used. Review the processes offered and take a look at quality samples. When in doubt, forward your design sketch for a professional recommendation.

What is included in the price of a custom pin?

We can only answer this question using our own policies. Our base price includes standard shapes, gold or nickel plating, up to five colors of your choice, an epoxy dome (if applicable), a military clutch back or safety pin attachment and individual poly bag packaging.

I’ve heard that I must pay a die charge in order to have a custom pin made?

Again, we can only answer this question using our own policies. While it’s true that the majority of lapel pin suppliers make customers pay die and set-up charges, that’s NOT our practice. Die charges for custom pins can range from $75 to $300 or more from other sources. M. Warren & Co. is a DIRECT supplier. Due to the volume of custom fraternal lapel pins we sell, we are able to pass incredible savings on to our customers. With M. Warren & Co. there are NEVER any lapel pin die charges, set-up charges or color match fees.

How many pins should I order?

The answer to this question depends on several factors. Whether the pins are to be sold or distributed at no cost; the size of the organization; in what time frame will the pins be distributed; etc. We suggest that you be conservative. You don’t want to get “stuck” with a bunch left over. Besides, you can always order more.

How long will it take to manufacture my custom pin?

In general, we ask that our customers allow six to eight weeks. By allowing ample time you won’t have to worry about your order being delayed. Also, you’ll avoid rush charges and expensive express delivery costs.

We have specialized in custom fraternal lapel pins for over eight years. Notice that we said FRATERNAL lapel pins. Fratline (TM) has quickly become the best known name in custom fraternal lapel pins and emblems. Of course, there are a number of companies from which you could purchase your custom pin, but none have the combined years of experience, involvement in the organizations and the best guarantee – 100% Satisfaction.

We’re sure you agree that it makes sense to order from folks who know about your organization and understand your needs. We are proud members of most of the organizations that we serve. Because we specialize, we have compiled one of the most complete libraries of fraternal emblems available.

When you choose M. Warren & Co. to supply your custom pins, you can depend on: the best selection to fill your needs, quality to meet your demands, competitive pricing to fit your budget and on-time delivery to meet your schedule.

Thanks for reading!

By B. Shawn Warren, CEO
Fratline Emblematics by M. Warren & Co.

Shawn Warren is President of M. Warren & Co. located in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a member and past presiding officer of several fraternal organizations. Since 1991, M. Warren & Co. has been supplying fraternal groups and associations with custom lapel pins, emblematic jewelry and souvenirs. Fratline Emblematics has quickly become the best known name in custom fraternal lapel pins and emblems nationwide. M. Warren & Co. is listed with the Jeweler’s Board of Trade, Kentucky Manufacturer’s Register and the Advertising Specialty Institute. In 1996, Shawn received certification from the Gemological Institute of America as an insurance replacement appraiser. He is also a graduate of the Drouhard National Jewelers School, Columbus, Ohio.