10 Tips for Effective Testimony

1. Write your testimony out in advance, as if you’re writing a one page letter addressed “Dear Committee Members.” If you don’t plan to read your letter word for word, make a list of the points you’ll cover to glance at.
2. Practice! Run through your testimony from beginning to end. Time yourself. You have 2 minutes to make your point.
3. Open by stating your name for the record.
4. Speak slowly, and clearly. Assume that you are sharing useful information with interested legislators. Be friendly. We are here to build up support for our position.
5. Establish your credibility immediately. You can refer to professional work you have done, but personal experience can be even more powerful. Link it to your stand on the issue. Example: “I’m a successful graduate of the GED program at Oregon State Penitentiary, and that’s why I’m asking you to support educational programs for prisoners.”
6. Look up and make eye contact with legislators. It can help ground you and makes for a more effective presentation.
7. Make a specific point about why you support or oppose the legislation they are considering. Legislators hear a lot of testimony, and you want them to remember if you are for or against the issue you’re testifying on.
8. Don’t be concerned about people coming and going. Legislators routinely get called out from hearings. If at any time, you lose your place or get confused, take a breath.
9. You may hear testimony on the same issue that is not in agreement with yours. Be respectful (think: Golden Rule.)
10. Thank the legislators, and let them know that you have copies of your testimony for them (we’ll take care of photocopying for you).

You can see an example of this in some sample testimony.