2021 Talking Points

Talking Points

Steven Bernard Zwickel

Talking points are used by advocacy groups to keep members “on message.” They give people in the organization a way of staying on track—so they don’t wander off topic, contradict, or say something completely different than what others in the same organization are saying. They’re supposed to be prompts: not read word-for-word (unless one is doing a live phone interview).

Talking points are internal. They should not be sent out as press releases. In fact, the content is often sensitive, so one should never write and distribute talking points that one wouldn't want outsiders to see, because they do leak out.

For external use, one may turn talking points into a separate fact sheet, which you can give out and which reinforces the messages and themes in the talking points. Most of the time, talking points are presented as a list of items. Talking point items should be short and simple, but if you give out a fact sheet, you can add more information to support the items on the list and it can be longer and you can refer readers to reliable and credible sources that support the items on the fact sheet.

Because they have become associated with political propaganda and the spread of misinformation, talking points have negative connations for some people. Various sources have different definitions of “talking points”:

• “a topic that invites discussion or argument." Definitions from Oxford Languages <https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/>
• “something that lends support to an argument” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
• “A position or planned series of remarks on an issue or an aspect of an issue, 
  especially when used to help guide a person's discourse in public and in the media” American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. ©2016 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
• “a fact or feature that aids or supports one side, as in an argument or competition” dictionary.com Unabridged {Based on Random House Unabridged Dictionary © 2021 by Random House, Inc.}

Good Talking Points: Clear and Concise

• Strongest point first: If your people can only say one thing, what would it be? Make that your first talking point. Offer support for your idea. Keep it simple and easy for people to remember.
• Come up with more reasons to support your position. (People think in threes, so it’s a good idea to have three solid arguments ready to discuss).
• Anticipate questions readers/audience members will ask. What can you expect opponents to say? What objections might they raise? Think about both the rational and subjective responses people might have when you tell them your ideas. Have your answers ready ahead of time. Do not put people on the defensive. Listen and respond politely. Always be respectful of other points of view and always tell the truth.

Example of three talking points:

• This idea is the least expensive of the alternatives considered (do NOT say “cheapest”; a word that has connotations of poorly-made or shoddy).
• The proposed solution will have the longest-term impact on the problem.
• The recommended solution will have the least impact on the environment of all the alternatives considered.