How to give a talk or presentation

Mulima Akapelwa, CAFOD Partner from Zambia, speaking at a Drop the Debt Rally [Paddy Donnelly]

Giving a talk to a group in your parish, school or workplace is a good way of explaining why we are campaigning and what we are campaigning for.

Handy hints

• Prepare and practise – prepare your talk and then practise it out loud and to time. This is really important and will help banish your nerves!
• Focus on your key message – what do you want people to remember when they go home?
• Breathe deeply and enjoy it. Everyone gets nervous doing a talk but remember the audience is on your side. They want to hear what you have to say.
• Give out campaign materials – so people can find out more and get involved.

Speaking at Mass

• What are the readings for the weekend? Make links with your theme where you can, especially if you have the homily slot.
• When and where will you be speaking? After the Gospel or at the end of Mass? From the pulpit or the front of church? Will you have a microphone?
• Thank the priest for allowing you to speak and thank the congregation for their support of CAFOD before you start your talk.
• Read a couple of recent parish bulletins so you have an idea of the parish’s concerns and activities. Ask if your talk – and any follow-up meetings – can be advertised in the bulletin.

How to prepare your talk

• Before your talk, find out as much as you can about your audience. What do they already know or what have they done to support CAFOD? What will interest them?
• Plan your talk. Start by introducing yourself and what you are going to say. Then make three main points, with a story to illustrate each one. Then end with a concise summary and reminder of the main messages - and invite people to take action.
• Make it short and clear. Use short sentences and everyday words. It’s better to make a few points well than give a long, complicated talk.
• Practise your talk out loud several times, and time yourself. Remember you usually speak more slowly to a group.
• CAFOD has produced resources to help you, including a campaign video, a two-minute sample talk and speaker’s notes.

How to deliver your talk

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  Journalist and CAFOD supporter Paul Vallely speaks at a book launch [Leticia Valverdes]
  Pause – often! The audience needs time to take in what you’re telling them. Pauses can be dramatic and help important messages sink in.
• Use eye contact. If you are speaking from cards look up in the pauses between points.
• Vary your tone of voice, volume and speed to keep your audience interested.
• Use humour.
• At the end, invite questions from the audience. In case there’s an embarrassed silence, prepare a couple of agree/disagree questions yourself and ask for a show of hands.

After your talk, ask a friend or one of the organisers to give you feedback to help you do even better next time.

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