Theme 4 - Communication
Verbal
Verbal communication is one of our most commonly used ways of sharing information, and one of the best. Communicating by speech can range from intimate one-on-one conversations to addressing a public audience.
The most effective methods of communicating verbally are:
Word of Mouth directly
This is said to be the best form of advertising! Use your contacts. Get all your friends to tell their friends. The 'Bush Telegraph' is a very effective form of publicity for community groups, and it’s free!
Meetings -agendas and minutes
Meetings are great for sharing ideas and gaining agreements. However, even speaking to small groups can be a fearful experience for some people. For others speaking effectively to small groups is a challenge. If you are not confident when speaking to small groups then look under our section on public speaking. To help the flow of verbal communication at meetings remember to:
- Stick to the topic
- Allow others to voice their point of view
- Once you have clearly stated your viewpoint, stop talking.
Find out about documents used at meetings
Public Speaking
This is a highly effective method to address a large audience, but daunting to most people. You may need to speak in front of a large public gathering or at a conference.
There are many organisations eg Toastmasters who assist the community with public speaking skill development and confidence building.
If confidence is not an issue, this Community Tool Box site has a good overview of how to make a community presentation.
Radio and Television Interviews
If your group develop media contacts, then you have a wonderful opportunity to spread your message to a wide audience. The time that you will have on radio or TV will probably be quite short, so give some thought to what your key message is.
Some key tips for handling an interview are:
- Speak in short sentences
- Have a few clear messages that you wish to get across
- Ask for help from a supportive well-known personality if you don’t feel you can 'do justice to the occasion'.
This link has a directory of all community radio and television stations in Australia.
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