Tabling in 5 Easy Steps
“Tabling”—or setting up a table with resources about animal issues—is an effective way to engage the public and provide people with information about animal rights. Take the following five steps, and you’ll be sure to succeed!
- Setting Up: First, get permission from the school, community event, festival, or wherever you’re planning to table. On the day of the event, make sure that your table is clean and covered and that all literature is displayed neatly.
- Personal Appearance: By looking well put together, not wearing sunglasses, and flashing a smile, you’ll be more approachable and reach more people.
- Engaging People: Stand in front of your well-organized table and engage passersby. If it’ll help you, prepare a friendly opening line. It can be as simple as “Hi! Did you get one of these yet?” Talk to as many people as possible, and make sure everyone leaves with literature!
- Answering Questions: By educating yourself on the issues before you go, you’ll be ensuring that answering questions will be a snap. Use the literature on your table to supplement your answers. For example, if someone asks about the meat and the environment, make sure that he or she leaves with a copy of a “Meat’s Not Green” leaflet.
- Answering Tough Questions: The issues facing animals are deep and complex, so don’t worry if you don’t know the answer to a tough question. Simply get the person’s contact information and offer to have someone get back to him or her. Remember: If you don’t know something, that’s OK—never lie!
Don’t forget to have fun, and remember why you’re there—to help animals!
If you’re thinking of having a tabling session, e-mail us at [email protected], and we’ll set you up with digital leaflets that you can print!
Inspired to help animals? Join PETA’s Activist Network for even more ways that you can help every day.
Posted by Edwina Baier
