Giving a Presentation
This training provides a fresh approach and live demonstration of giving a solutions-focused CCL presentation while orienting people to climate change and the Energy Innovation Act.
Note: To experience this content in an interactive style to help deepen your learning, click here.
Preparing your presentation
Check out the recent How to Give Motivational Climate Presentations training for a thorough walkthrough through the AHA Presentation Slides.
In early 2022, CCL national will also provide a presentation outline and slides that you can customize and will provide updates as we learn what Congress can be pushed to do next. In the meantime, You can also use the solution-based CCL's introductory slide deck created by the Presenters & Schedulers Action Team, or create your own from scratch. If creating your own, review the presentation sequence research for tips on how to best construct your presentation so that your audience hears your message and acts.
Here are some other tips on how to prepare for your big moment:
- Watch this six minute How-To Prepare for Presenting Tutorial for tips on dealing with the logistics of presenting, ten questions to ask your host, and suggestions for your equipment.
- Verify ahead of time what your technology needs are. You may need a computer, the presentation, projector or ability to connect to a host’s projection system, connecting cables, clicker, and, if needed, someone to help you with setup.
- Practice in front of the mirror until you become comfortable.
- Visit the scheduling presentations training for more information about the process of scheduling a presentation, where to look for presentation opportunities, and the resources and support available for schedulers.
Tips for presenting
- Consider beginning to go paperless with your chapters' calls to actions for engaging people at your event. See the Paper Grassroots Outreach training for recommendations on how to get started and the actions to feature.
- Bring sign-up sheets and some action they can take immediately (postcards or letters to their member of Congress, Text to Join).
- Dress nicely.
- Arrive early and have equipment setup 30 minutes ahead of time.
- Move around and make eye contact.
- Describe, don’t label.
- Refrain from using abbreviated acronyms like “MOC” or “LTE.”
- Refrain from using too many difficult to understand terms like “externalities” and concepts that are difficult to grasp like “internalizing costs of carbon.”
- Focus on the main messages about the Energy Innovation Act: It’s effective, good for people, will benefit our economy, is revenue-neutral and bipartisan.
- Create ownership: this is our challenge to face together.
- Refrain from demonizing others, including fossil fuel companies.
- Have at least one powerful message from a trusted messenger. In the introductory presentation slide deck, there’s a variety of messenger slides to help you customize to your audience.
- Focus on mitigation of climate change, not adaptation.
- Speak from the mountaintops, don’t fight in the trenches. We have a moral imperative to act, responsibility to our children, families and communities.
- End with empowerment and how your audience can be a part of solutions. Make it clear how to join CCL and find out more.
After your presentation
- Once you’ve given your presentation, it’s time to share your success!
- Log your presentation in the Action Tracker so that your outreach gets counted.
- Make sure to follow-up promptly with your contact to thank them for the opportunity to present and for any connections made afterwards.
- Share pictures taken at your presentation to social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram.
Demo presentation begins
(4:27)
Debriefing presentation
(29:49)
How to Get Involved
(31:39)
Steve Levin
Dave Cain
To skip ahead to a specific section go to the time indicated in parenthesis.
Demo presentation begins
(4:27)
Debriefing presentation
(29:49)
How to Get Involved
(31:39)
Steve Levin
Dave Cain
Download this training (right click and save).
Find the episode on CCL’s iTunes channel.
- For additional information on presentation basics, check out our training on Grassroots Outreach Basics.
- Join the Presenters & Schedulers Action Team.
- Attend their monthly open office hours on the first Thursday of the month at 9 pm ET, details here on their group events page