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Speaking Time Allowance Suggestions

Julia Bettencourt

October 24, 2018

There is no right or wrong amount of time to give speakers for events. It all depends on a lot of things, like expected attendance, the venue, if the time is correlated with other events, and things like that. Part of it depends on how much you need to pack into your event.

Out-of-town speakers should be given adequate speaking time for their journey. In other words, you wouldn't ask someone to fly in across the country for one 15-minute slot. You should always offer more time and more sessions if your speaker is traveling.

The following are kind of what I've followed over the years, but there are always determining factors involved in each speaking engagement.

Women's Ministry Speaking Time Suggestions

Remember nothing in this area should be set in stone. There are always variables.

1. Sharing a Testimony

5 to 10 minutes

2. Monthly Meeting Devotional Speaker

I think this depends on what your monthly meetings are all about in how you use the time.

10 to 15 minutes (a mainly fellowship geared monthly get-together.)
20-40 minutes (a mainly teaching/learning monthly get-together.)

3. Main Speaker at a banquet/large annual gathering

This is for things such as Mother-Daughter Banquets, Teas, Annual Lock-ins, Garden Parties, etc.

15 - 20 minutes (for a more intimate gathering with one of your own member's speaking)
45- 60 minutes (guest speaker)

4. Main Speaker at a Retreat or Conference

This usually depends on how many main speakers you have and the time frame to give them each ample time to speak. If you can't give a guest main speaker at least 30 minutes, then consider cutting back on the number of speakers.

45-60 minutes (If you have one or two main speakers)
30 - 45 minutes (if more than two main speakers)

Don't forget, ALWAYS let the speaker know how much time you are allotting for them to speak when you book them. Don't include any music or pre-activity, just give them the amount of time they actually have to speak. They may need every minute. And what you tell them may determine if the engagement is worth accepting or not.

As I said in the introduction to this page, offer more time and more sessions if your speaker is traveling.

5. Secondary Speakers at a Retreat or Conference

20 or 30 minute sessions

Again, you must determine adjusting according to travel distance and travel time.

6. Class or Workshop

I consider these a focused teaching time, so I think you need at least 30 minutes or more to cover most topics if it is a teaching session.

30, 45, or 60 minute sessions

7. Mini Workshops

These I consider more tips and how-to sessions.

15 - 20 minute sessions

8. Bible Study

For a Bible study, I personally plan for a 45 minute session, but I always tell my ladies it will be a 60 minute session. This way if it goes over, it still puts those ladies out the door in an hour. That's important.

20 minutes teaching
15 minutes worksheets or question time. I do consider this part teaching as well, but I like it divided up when I teach so I am aware of time.
10 minutes "chatter" because it will most likely be taken anyway, so just figure it into the session. Sometimes that 10 minutes won't get taken up for chatter, but if anyone is late or if there are talkers, your time will get eaten up easily. It might be that you get started late because of it, or things can go a number of ways, so just figure it in so it's accounted for when it happens.

I hope this helps some of you who have asked me questions about this topic from our Women's Exchange Facebook Group.

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