how to memorise a presentation script

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How to Memorize Your Presentation—In 60 Minutes or Less

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Chelsi Nakano April 29, 2016

Learn the simple trick that will help you memorize anything—and that will make your presentations more memorable to your audience.

Originally published on the  SlideGenius blog .

When presenting, it’s never a good idea to read from your slides or note cards. A few quick glances are usually acceptable. And if you read everything word for word, you will seem disengaged from the audience. Even though most presenters know this, the situation still seems unavoidable. What if you experience a mental block and forget an entire section of your presentation? You can’t be expected to memorize an hour-long speech that’s packed with crucial data. Is that even possible? If we were to ask the ancient Greeks and Romans, we would find that the answer is a loud “yes.” How did Cicero remember all of his famous orations? He used a technique called “the memory palace.”

While the term might be new to you, I’m sure you’ve seen this technique portrayed in popular media. The latest incarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic character, Sherlock Holmes, uses it to solve the most complex mysteries. In BBC’s Sherlock , we watch Holmes sweep through imagined mental spaces to find crucial information that could help his investigation. In real life, the technique was used by the greatest Greek and Roman orators to memorize their speeches . Currently, “ memory athletes ” use it to memorize a deck of cards or a long list of random names in seconds.

HOW DOES THE “MEMORY PALACE” WORK?

The memory palace technique is formally known as the “method of Loci,” and this name gives us some insight on how the whole thing actually works. Loci is the plural form of the Latin word for location. Our spatial memory is much stronger than our memory for words or ideas, because our hunter-gatherer ancestors evolved to be able to navigate their world and remember their surroundings. When associated with spatial relationships, ideas become much more memorable—that’s why tools like Prezi, which allow you to show your ideas within context and lead your audience on a visual journey, can help make your presentation more memorable.

To practice the technique, imagine yourself walking through a specific location. You then associate each item you want to commit to memory to things you come across en route. Here’s an example from Chloe Cornish of The Independent :

So does the memory palace technique really work? I tried revisiting my secondary school, to help memorise the names of the U.S. Presidents in order (there are 44). To get into the car park, I jumped over a washing line (George Washington), where Adam and Eve (John Adams) were playing cricket with Geoffrey Boycott (Thomas Jefferson). Marilyn Manson (James Madison) was in the IT block getting off with Marilyn Monroe (James Monroe) etc. It took me about 40 minutes to come up with the lurid tale, and apart from occasionally getting their first names wrong (so many Jameses and Adams), it worked a treat.

To see this memory palace visualized, take a look at the prezi below:

SO HOW CAN I USE IT FOR MY PRESENTATION?

While creating a memory palace seems pretty straightforward, it actually takes a bit of practice and preparation. To start, create an outline of your presentation. List down all of your talking points and make note of the most prominent words for each one. You will use these words to make visual associations in your imagined scene. Following that, you can start with your mental construction:

1. CHOOSE ANY LOCATION YOU’D LIKE TO USE FOR YOUR MEMORY PALACE.

It’s better if you go with a place you’re completely familiar with, like your childhood home or the walk you take to the office.

2. SET A ROUTE THAT YOU WILL MENTALLY WALK THROUGH.

For example, if you’re using your childhood home as your memory palace, it can be the walk from the front door to your bedroom.

3. WHEN YOU’VE DECIDED ON A ROUTE, IMAGINE WALKING THROUGH IT AND FOCUS ON THE ITEMS AND FEATURES YOU “SEE.”

From the front door, you enter the hallway and climb the stairs to your right. You go up to the landing where a portrait of your grandfather hangs, and so on.

4. REFER BACK TO THE OUTLINE OF YOUR PRESENTATION.

Take the most important words you took note of and make visual associations you can insert to your memory palace. Place these associations in the specific features you’ve identified in your route. Try to place associations that are extraordinary, like in the example by Cornish.

5. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH YOUR MEMORY PALACE BY WALKING THROUGH IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.

Take note and memorize all the associations you’ve made. After some time, you will find that you’ve memorized your speech completely. Simply revisit your memory palace if you find yourself stumped during the presentation.

After building your memory palace, you won’t have to worry about forgetting what comes next in your presentation. Take a cue from some of the greatest minds in fiction and history, and you can save your note cards for another occasion.

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Written by Colette Nichol, Story Strategist and Filmmaking

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

In this post, I’m going to share with you how to memorize a script so you can get off the page fast!

These memorization techniques will help you no matter what you’re looking to memorize. But they are extremely effective for speeches, videos, plays, monologues, presentations, and on-camera acting or presenting.

Most online videos shine when there is no script.

Non-actors tend to do best when speaking off the cuff.

But sometimes you need a script, and you need to memorize it. Maybe you want to do a direct address sales video. Or you want to create an online course with certain pieces that need to be precise.  Or you just want to do something creative and fun that requires a script.

But how do you go about doing the memorizing?

Well, you’re in luck because I happen to have many years of memorization under my belt.

Aside from creating videos, I’m also an actor.  

And I have an obsession with solo theatre.  That means memorizing 60 plus minutes of monologue. That’s about 30 pages of text.  Sounds hard, right?

It is, and it isn’t.

Like most people, I am not a born memorization genius. Some people have glue-like memories.  Not me.  Unless there are some key ingredients in place.

So here they are – the top memorization techniques that can help you memorize as many lines of dialogue or monologue as you’re crazy enough to want to learn.

If I can do this, so can you!

And as a side note: this works for memorizing short scripts super fast and memorizing long scripts over a period of time.

Whatever you’re memorizing, this process will do the trick.

These are my top 10 memorization techniques for learning a script by heart:

1. movement..

Walk and talk my friend.

Go for a walk with your script.  Pace around the house with your script.

Rehearse actions with your script.  

Just move your ass, and those words will stick longer and more easily in your brain.

2.  KNOW WHY YOU’RE SAYING IT.

What are you trying to communicate?

Focus on the why behind each line.  What is your goal with each line?  Find the feeling inside yourself that connects to that goal.

3.  BREATHE!

 If you don’t have oxygen running through your body by the truckload memorization becomes much more difficult.

Allow your ribs to expand, your belly to hang out and your breath to be deep. Think about how babies breathe; that’s what you’re aiming for.

4.  RELEASE TENSION. 

The better you are at releasing tension the more you’ll be able to retain what you’re memorizing.

Breathe and release tension throughout the whole memorization process.

5.  CONNECT THE IMAGES IN YOUR TEXT TO IMAGES IN YOUR MIND.

If you’re telling a story,  see the story in your mind as you run the lines.  Paint the picture in your head, and you’ll be able to recall it better.

6.  STAY HYDRATED.

It’s hard for your brain to work when it’s dehydrated.  And your vocal cords will thank you too.  So that means drinking water two hours before memorization starts.  Yup, it’s that specific.

7.  SPEAK OUT LOUD!

Whatever you do… don’t try to memorize a speech or lines or anything inside your head.   Speak the speech I pray thee! Speak it out loud. Over and over! You can do it in your full voice. You can whisper it. It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re speaking the words.

8. TAKE LOTS OF BREAKS.

Work on your script for ten to twenty minutes. Then take a five-minute break.  Come back.  Rinse and repeat.  Do this a few days in a row and you should be ready to go.  Your brain works better when it can start and re-start.

9.  TALK TO SOMEONE (REAL OR IMAGINARY).

Remember that you’re a human, not a robot. Humans talk to other people, not to the wall.  So focus on the words you’re saying and who you’re saying them to.  Your ideal client perhaps?  Imagine them in your mind’s eye and say the words.

10.   KEEP THE SCRIPT IN YOUR HAND UNTIL YOU DON’T NEED IT.

Don’t force yourself to get off the page early.   Give yourself the gift of time. Look down at the paper as much as you need to.  Eventually, you will find yourself not needing the paper at all.

Bonus Memorization Tip: Rehearse Before Bed

For some reason, when we rehearse before going to sleep, the words stick in our minds more deeply.

There’s definitely a scientific reason for it. But frankly, I don’t care what it is because I know it works.

Actors (myself included) have long used this hack to speed up the memorization process.

And don’t worry if you don’t memorize everything in one session.

Or if you come back the next day and can’t remember anything. Your mind is working.  Trust yourself.  The process always works.  It just works a little differently for every person.

About the Author

Hi! I’m Colette Nichol . I’m a solo filmmaker and story strategist based out of rainy Vancouver, Canada. I’ve been making videos and micro films for small businesses and global brands since 2014.

Plus, I LOVE to help aspiring filmmakers pursue their dreams and start making films. This blog is designed to help you gain the knowledge you need to become a filmmaker.

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How I Memorized a Presentation for TEDx (Word Perfect)

Anthony Metivier | February 17, 2024 | Learning , Memory

Podcast: Download

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Beyond that presentation from the stage, what qualifies me to offer you tips for memorizing a speech of any length?

Well, I also spent a decade as a professor at three universities in three different countries. I delivered dozens of lectures during those years. In more than one language.

I’ve also spent over a decade as an online “professor of memory.” My expertise in memory has taken me around the world. I’ve given presentations in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, China, Canada, Australia and the USA.

In fact, in the feature image for this post, you see me discussing memory as a part of language learning at a 2016 Polyglot Conference in Berlin. You can also watch hundreds of hours of my presentations on YouTube from several years of live streaming.

And on this page, I’m going to share the best of my experiences with multiple kinds of presentation.

If you want to memorize a speech verbatim, I’ll show you how.

Or, if you prefer to work from mental bullet points, I’ll help you do that too.

When it comes to memory aids for speakers, this is the real deal from someone who practices these techniques week in and week out.

Let’s get started!

So You Need to Memorize a Presentation… Here’s Where to Start

Getting started… this is the tricky bit.

So here’s a story using the Polyglot conference speech I gave to help dimensionalize the starting point I usually use.

Determine Who Your Presentation Is For… And Who It Isn’t For

Before I wrote a single word, I asked myself a very simple set of questions:

Who can I help and who am I unable to help?

And what’s the one thing that will help the listeners above all?

I went through this same process with my TEDx Talk and many other presentations.

Make no mistake, this step can be tricky. It’s a discipline to whittle things down to the biggest and most important point.

But it is possible and often the success of the talks we enjoy most come down to knowing that the audience you’re addressing is defined as closely as possible.

It was hard for me, but I believe focusing on just one kind of person and one message for that person helped my TEDx Talk reach so many viewers.

Of course, some presentations need more details and more nuance, but even then, the principle is the same. If you think about who each principle is for and how to focus on the biggest and most impactful part, it’s going to be easier to digest. And easier for you to remember successfully.

Script The Presentation

When it comes to helping yourself remember your presentation, writing is key. If you write a bunch of mush with endless long sentences, you’re setting yourself up for a struggle.

So when you’re putting the presentation together, ask yourself:

• Do I want to memorize the speech verbatim ?
• Or can I memorize keywords and let my expertise fill in the blanks while speaking?

Both ways work very well. It just comes down to your goal. In the case of my TEDx Talk, I wrote the speech and memorized it verbatim.

In my Polyglot Conference talk, I prepared slides and memorized the key points, which involved speaking some Chinese based on how I’ve studied that language .

Either way, scripting or preparing slides can help you decide how you’re going to memorize the presentation.

Review The Presentation

As a final preparation step, it’s great if you can take a moment to review what you’ve prepared. Ideally, you’ll also get at least one other person to review it as well.

For my TEDx Talk, Thomas Krafft reviewed the script itself and a recording of me delivering it from memory. Before presenting the script of my live-action “Memory Detective” game attached to a memory improvement novel I wrote, I had a test audience go through the entire sequence.

Reviewing the speech, slides and related materials with others helps add an extra layer of understanding that helps with the memorization process. I highly recommend making time for review.

How to Memorize a Presentation from Start to Finish in 7 Easy Steps

As Hanna Pishwa points out in Language and Memory , Aristotle was one of the first to intensively describe the rhetorical strategies used for persuasion in speeches.

But we can go a step further: Aristotle also closed his treatise on memory by explaining that we are moved most by people who speak from memory.

This is the first time I delivered a talk about Film Studies in German.

He says reciting from memory is impressive because the person who has memorized their speech doesn’t have to “hunt” for their ideas. They use a “process” that brings those ideas to them automatically.

How can you do that too? Just follow these steps:

One: Learn To Use The Memory Palace Technique

Since long before Aristotle, people have been using the ancient art of memory to commit speeches to memory using Memory Palaces .

A Memory Palace is simply a mental copy of a location you know well, like you home, office, school, church or any place with walls, paths and other environment features.

This is a graphic representation of the Memory Palace I used to memorize my TEDx Talk:

It’s a neighborhood in Brisbane and the numbers represent individual stations.

I teach people who take the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass to number their stations to help them rapidly create these simple journeys .

To do this, it’s helpful to draw your Memory Palaces first. Like this:

A Memory Palace drawn on an index card to maximize its value as a mnemonic device. This one is based on a bookstore in Zamalek, a part of Cairo.

Two: Add Interesting Associations To The Words & Ideas In Your Presentation

The best memory techniques all rely on mnemonic imagery .

When it comes to how to memorize lines for a presentation, you can do this very quickly by tapping into a pegword list .

For example, in a speech that starts with, “How would you like…?” my pegword list suggests Howie Mandel for “how” and Elijah Wood for “would.”

Those figures are laid out in the Memory Palace at the beginning of its journey.

This leads us to the next step.

Three: Make Your Associations Zany

Let me make a preemptive strike here:

A lot of people have protested to me over the years:

I’m not creative. I can’t get myself to see Howie Mandel and Elijah Wood to kick a like button on a platform like YouTube.

Stop right there.

I’m not creative either.

All I’m doing is taking too people who already exist and having them do something strange. There are only so many actions in the world. They could kiss the like button, put it in a rocket ship and send it to the moon, or bury it with thumbs-up shaped shovels.

Seriously. There’s nothing “creative” about this. It’s just borrowing from real possible actions and animating them in the Memory Palace. Please don’t overthink this process and make sure of the exercises I’m going to share with you in step four.

If you’re memorizing your presentation verbatim, you’ll need more associations than you would for a speech delivered based on bullet-points.

Either way, the process is the same.

Four: Make Your Associations Multisensory

Once you’ve decided what your characters are going to do with one another, add some multisensory elements. For example, you can hear the voices of your celebrity associations, or imagine that you’re feeling them interacting with the like button in our example.

We do this because scientific research makes it clear that elaboration helps form memories faster.

To get better at making your associations weird and multisensory within seconds, these elaborative encoding exercises will help, as will these visualization exercises .

Five: Use The Memory Palace To Memorize Your Speech

When the ancient Romans delivered their speeches, they often would start a persuasive passage with a set of points.

“In the first place,” an orator would say before diving into the point. Then the orator would say, “In the second place,” etc.

Anthony Metivier memorizing and recalling names at a memory demonstration in Brisbane

This convention in speeches remains with us today, and those orators were literally using their Memory Palaces in real time to recall their points.

But you can be sure that they had practiced in private before delivering them. We know that Rhetorica Ad Herennium , originally attributed to Cicero , gives many suggestions around how best to practice for both public speaking and reciting poetry.

And you need to practice as well.

You do it by starting at the “first place” of the Memory Palace and then triggering those images to help you recall the words.

Personally, I practice my speeches by following several patterns. For example, instead of always starting at the beginning, I will practice reciting a few lines from the end, then switch to the beginning, then go to a spot in the middle.

This is helpful in ushering the speech into long term memory quickly because it harnesses the primacy effect, recency effect and serial-positioning effect.

Six: Practice Delivering The Speech

Now, this point is a subtly that I personally find important.

I do not go through my Memory Palace while delivering my presentations unless I absolutely have to do so.

See, when you follow the process I’ve described above, the presentation will be in your long term memory .

However, unexpected things can happen. During my TEDx Talk, people laughed at a spot I hadn’t placed a joke. It surprised me for a second and I briefly popped into the Memory Palace I’d made to help me get back on track (instead of standing there like a deer caught in headlights).

But ideally, you want to just have the speech memorized and not have to rely on any mnemonic strategies while in the moment. With optimal setup and execution, the memory techniques will have already done their job and you can do what Aristotle described: speak without looking like you’re hunting for the ideas.

And that means you can connect with that audience you identified during the preparation stage. The more you connect with them, the more successful you’ll be during and after your presentation because people remember connection.

Seven: Analyze Your Performance

Want to be a pro speaker?

Then you’ll want to spend some time reflecting on your presentation.

This step is important because it gives you the opportunity to identify areas to improve the next time.

And it will help you congratulate yourself where credit is due. Please make sure to do so. Giving a speech is a huge accomplishment and you deserve recognition merely for making it happen.

But the real gold is some objective and subjective reasoning about the entire process. It will also reveal new ideas for other presentations you might not have thought about otherwise.

In a Pinch? Here’s How to Memorize a Speech Fast

I know that some people don’t have time for all of the steps above.

To be clear: I do all that I can to make sure I have enough time.

But when I don’t, here’s what I do instead.

The Acronym Method

I’m often invited to speak in the community at the last minute. I literally don’t have time to mindmap more than a few ideas.

But I can take those ideas and arrange them into a keyword.

For example, when I was invited to speak at a “Masters of Marketing” event, I arranged my ideas into the acronym F.R.E.E.

• Frequent messaging to a…
• Relevant audience…
• Entertains, Educates and…
• Engages in the direction of a response

I placed that acronym in a simple Memory Palace and talked about what each concept mean for two minutes each.

The great thing about the acronym approach is that you don’t have to practice as much, if at all. The logic of the acronym itself guides you through the parts of your presentation because you’re mentally checking them off by spelling the acronym.

Give this presentation technique a try and you will have no problem committing presentations to memory fast.

Memorize Your Speech in No Time With the Steps Above

Let’s recap:

Presentations are so much easier to remember when you’re clear about who you’re addressing  and  who you’re not.

Once you’ve decided on whether you’ll be speaking verbatim or working from bullet points, the Memory Palace technique is a tried and true technique with thousands of years of success stories .

To make information “stick,” you need a process of elaborating associations. A bit of prep will take you a long way if you complete the exercises I shared on this page.

Finally, it’s worth repeating that reviewing your talk in any way possible is tremendously valuable. Even if you get a last minute invite to speak, you can probably squeeze in a few minutes to record yourself on your phone and tweak a few things.

Even if you don’t have time to change anything, just seeing yourself once will give you ideas about how to make what you’re about to say in front of an audience better.

Just make sure to avoid perfectionism. Relax and if you make a mistake, just call a spade a spade and find your way back to where you got lost.

And if you want more on the memorization process so you always recover quickly when things happen during live presentations (as they inevitably will), check out my FREE Memory Improvement Kit:

So what do you say?

Are you ready to get out there and give the best presentation of your career?

Let me now if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to share with you more granular details from my long career of presenting around the world.

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How to Memorize a Presentation Fast and Deliver It Without Notes

Last Updated: March 7, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been viewed 72,398 times.

Memorizing a presentation can seem overwhelming but with practice and determination it can be done. All you have to do is be confident in your ability to deliver information to your audience, and you can accomplish this by using some proven memory techniques. Using some great techniques will help you to memorize the information quickly and present it to an audience without needing notes.

Organizing Your Information

• Think about your main topic first—what is the main idea that you're trying to get across? Then, break it down into 3 specific ideas—this is a great way to focus your discussion.

Imagining Pictures as Reminders

• If your point is about a particular animal such as a tiger, visualize a tiger for that point. If your sub point to that main idea is about how a tiger finds prey, visualize a tiger running towards its prey in the wild.
• If you main idea is about how education is changing, visualize a caterpillar turning into a butterfly or a person changing their shoes. If your sub point to that main idea is how different classrooms look, visualize a classroom or visualize two contrasting things like oil and water.

• A trigger word for a sub point about how a tiger finds prey could be “yum” to stimulate you to think about food.
• Trigger words should be short and clear.
• Sometimes using unique trigger words works best.
• Your trigger words or phrases only have to make sense to you.
• Choose words or phrases that quickly jog your memory about the point you’re trying to recall.

• You may want to assign main points to larger body parts such as your feet, stomach, arms, hands, and head.
• You may want to assign details or less important points to smaller body parts such as your toes, knees, hips, fingers, and ears.

• Lets say you have 10 points, you can begin at your feet, move to your knees, then your thighs, next to your hips, ribs, shoulders, neck, ears, head, and finally eyes.

• It is vital that you remember how many points to deliver in your speech. Be sure to memorize this number and count as you go so you don’t go over or fall short.

Memorizing the Information

• Consider your learning style, too. For example, if you're an auditory learner, then play an audio recording of your speech. If you're a visual learner, then highlight important passages that you want to emphasize. Or, you might be kinesthetic—if so, rehearse the body language you'll use.

• Besides just recalling how many points to hit, be sure you know the correct order. You must not be reluctant about where to go next when moving from body part to body part or your presentation will lack fluidity.

• Take some time to simply practice the order you plan on moving around your body. Make sure to do this without actually stopping to present the main ideas at these stopping points. You’ll want to be able to move very swiftly and be certain about where to go next.

• Transition sentences are phrases that link one thought to another. It is so very important that you incorporate these into your presentation.
• If you do not shift from one idea to the next in a proper way using transition sentences you run the risk of sounding robotic and rehearsed. Make certain your thoughts flow so that you are not stopping abruptly or jumping suddenly from one point to another.
• Examples of good transition words or phrases between similar ideas include "Similarly," "Likewise," etc.
• Examples of good transition words or phrases between contrasting ideas include "On the contrary," "Contradictory to," etc.

Community Q&A

• Practice makes perfect, so spend a good amount of time reviewing your information and rehearsing. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Use physical gestures to enhance your storytelling! If you're discussing the qualities of a good leader, you might stand up nice and tall; if you're talking about a time you felt nervous, you might physically feel that experience by hunching over, shaking, widening your eyes, and wrinkling your forehead. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Rote memorization is not the best way to retain information but is a good way to quickly remember and deliver information about a particular topic. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about memorizing a presentation, check out our in-depth interview with Patrick Muñoz .

• ↑ https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/business-by-the-book-remembering-presentation-material/
• ↑ https://blog.udemy.com/how-to-memorize-a-speech/
• ↑ http://westsidetoastmasters.com/resources/powerspeak/lib0208.html
• ↑ http://www.productivity501.com/how-to-memorize-verbatim-text/294/

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Remembering Your Presentation: A Step-By-Step Guide

September 3, 2023 in  Public Speaking , prep

For all esteemed speakers and aspiring presenters, mastering the art of delivering a compelling presentation requires not just creativity and expertise, but also the ability to remember your material. Think of your presentation like a well-crafted movie script: It's not just about the lines; it's about how they're delivered. Here's an easy step-by-step guide to make sure you not only remember your presentation but also deliver it in an unforgettable way.

Step 1: Start With An Outline

What It Is:   Your outline is a skeletal framework of your presentation, encompassing key points, sub-points, and transitions.

How to Do It: List the introduction, main headings and bullet points, and closing of your talk. Make your main points the key "take-aways" for your audience. Customize your presentation for each audiences.

Pro Tip: Refer back to this outline frequently while preparing and practicing.

Example: Think of the outline as your storyboard in a movie production.

Step 2: Create Mnemonic Devices

What It Is: Mnemonics are memory aids that help you recall complex information.

How to Do It: Create a memorable word or phrase using the first letters of each main point i n your outline.

Example: The way I remember the 5 Keys in my Action Taker's Playbook, "5 Proven Keys to Be a Fearless & Compelling Speaker," is be using the mnemonic device, AACCE. If your main points are Innovation, Trust, and Engagement, your mnemonic could be "ITE" or "TIE."

Step 3: Chunk the Information

What It Is: Break down your outline into smaller, digestible segments.

How to Do It: Group related bullet points under each main heading. Each main point should be a "take-away" for you audience.

Example: Think of each chunk as a scene in a movie, which when combined, create the full story.

Step 4:  Use Visual Aids

What It Is: These can be slides with images, props (e.g., a book or other item), or visual cues (e.g., colors on your outline or a bracelet you're wearing) to supplement your talk.

How to Do It: Align your visual aids with your outline's key points and sub-points.

Example: It's like the props in a movie that help set the scene and guide the story but you are using them to help you remember your points.

Step 5: Create a Narrative (Storytelling)

What It Is: A cohesive story that either ties your main points together.

How to Do It: Integrate your outline's key points into a relatable and compelling story or use anecdotes to drive points home.

Example: Imagine your presentation as a mini-series, where each main point is an episode contributing to the overarching narrative.

Step 6: First Rehearsal

What It Is: Your first full run-through.

How to Do It: Use your outline, mnemonic devices, visual aids, and storytelling as guides.

Example: Consider this your table read where you get to hear how everything sounds together for the first time.

Step 7: Intentional Pauses and Breaks to Relax

What It Is: Pause to mentally review or take a physical break.

How to Do It : After a full run-through, take a short break or daydream for a moment to let your brain relax and consolidate memory.

Example: Just like after an intense scene rehearsal, the a ctors take a 5 to 10 minute break.

Step 8: Subsequent Rehearsals

What It Is: Additional practices to refine your delivery.

How to Do It: Aim for at least 2 more full rehearsals.

Example: Think of this as the multiple takes in a movie to get the scene just right.

Step 9: The Power of Sleep

What It Is: Use rest to consolidate your memory.

How to Do It: Review your presentation before bed and sleep on it.

Example: Consider this the editing process in filmmaking, where your brain refines what you've learned.

Step 10: Final Review

What It Is: Last-minute recap.

How to Do It: Skim through your outline, mnemonics, visual aids, and storytelling the day before your presentation.

Example: Think of this as your final touch-up in the makeup chair before stepping onto the set.

Additional Tips Based on Science

Pondering your memory capabilities can increase your retention by up to 50%, according to the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology.

A study in Psychological Science indicates that review-sleep-review can increase long-term retention by 50%.

Remembering your presentation doesn't have to be a daunting task. With the right preparation steps, it becomes a structured, fun, and creative process, just like creating a great movie or TV show. 

We've explored a range of techniques to help you master the art of remembering your presentation, from the power of mnemonics to the science-backed benefits of rehearsal and rest. But now, it's your turn to take center stage. Have you tried any of these methods, or do you have your own trusted techniques for nailing your presentations? Your insights could be the missing piece for someone else striving for oratory excellence. So, go ahead—share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Let's make the stage a place where we all shine brighter together.

About the Author

Pam Terry  

Hi! I'm Pam.  I teach entrepreneurs to be fearless & compelling speakers online and in person and how to easily promote and run their own online  workshops, webinars, and online courses. 

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How To Memorize a Presentation For a Better Flow

Many presentation veterans and TEDxTalkers will tell you that you should dedicate one hour of preparation for every minute of the presentation. That seems like a lot, right? If your presentation is 15 minutes long, that’s 15 hours of preparation. Who has time for that? However, when you actually sit down and consider the brainstorming and story mining, the physical deck design, and practicing the presentation— 15 hours might not seem so astronomical. After all, you don’t want to spend hours creating a deck just to forget everything you’re supposed to say when you step up to the podium. 

It might not seem important, but how your presentation flows is critical to its overall success. In fact, 90% of people believe that a strong narrative and story in a presentation is critical for engagement. Similarly, 35% of millennials say they will only engage with content they feel has a great story or theme. It just goes to show that presentations are two-fold: the deck, and the delivery. Your presentation could have a great story, but if your flow and delivery misses the mark it’s all for naught. It’s no wonder so many people stress about public speaking, they don’t want to get choked up in front of an audience and embarrass themselves. Practice and memorization are just as important as the physical presentation deck, and vice versa. 

If you’re a last-minute warrior (no judgement), and are wondering how to memorize a presentation in one night, we’ve got you covered. Consider these tips to help you memorize your next presentation for a better flow and overall experience. 

Structure your story in an obvious way

If you structure your story in an obvious way— with a beginning, middle, and end— it will help keep you on track. Become familiar with the character (your product, service, or idea), the villain (the problem you’re solving for), and the narrative. Better yet, think of it as a novel you’ve read again and again, or a funny story you’re sharing with your friends. When you know the flow, positioning, and progression of your story, it will be easier to pick up where you left off if you get lost or distracted mid-thought. 

Beautiful.ai can help you structure your story more effectively with our Smart Slide templates . The guardrails put in place by our design AI force you to format your story more efficiently, but it also allows you to structure it in new, creative ways you might not have thought of otherwise. 

Keep it short and sweet

It’s not rocket science: the shorter your presentation, the easier it is to remember. (The same goes for your audience, too). In order to memorize your presentation, and make sure you’re not leaving out any key points, keep your deck to a minimum. We always recommend Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule, which says no PowerPoint presentation should be more than ten slides, longer than 20 minutes, and use fonts smaller than 30 point size. If you stick to this method, you’ll have less to memorize and more to gain. 

Practice, practice, practice

Obviously, practice makes perfect. The more you practice and rehearse the narrative, in your head or in front of your mirror, the more prepared you will be on game day. Here are some easy ways to practice, and better memorize your presentation.

The 20-20-20 rule

The 20-20-20 rule, which was created by memory experts, encourages you to go over the material (in this case, your presentation) for 20 minutes, and then repeat that twice for another 20 minutes each. According to research, if the information is not repeated or revisited within 30 minutes, it’s not encoded into the long-term memory side of the brain, and therefore would be harder to remember on presentation day. 

Record yourself

When you sit down to practice, you should do at least one dry run in front of the mirror or a friend. And you should record yourself doing it. When you record yourself presenting, you can watch it back to 1) review and memorize the information, and 2) tweak your narrative where necessary. It’s also a great way to manage and tweak your facial expressions and body language. 

There’s just something about hand-written notes that really engrains the information in your brain. No, really. It’s scientifically proven that physically writing down information by hand helps you retain it more effectively. So, take notes. Take notes as you’re story mining, designing your deck, and practicing your speech and refer back to them before your presentation. 

Have a cheat sheet handy

Okay, normally we wouldn’t encourage note cards. Why? Simply because people tend to read directly from the note cards instead of speaking to their audience. But in our new norm of remote work— and virtual conferences, meetings, events, etc.— a cheat sheet can be your friend.

Check out this hot tip. Make a cheat sheet of the absolute highest level key points you need to touch on and tape the note card to the top of your computer near the camera. Even if you need to read from the card (in the case of a mental lapse), it will look like you’re staring into the camera and making eye contact with your virtual audience. You’re welcome. 

Jordan Turner

Jordan is a Bay Area writer, social media manager, and content strategist.

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Presentation Script | Ultimate Guide To Engage Your Audience in 2024

Jane Ng • 05 Apr 2024 • 7 min read

How can you organize a PowerPoint presentation so it engages the audience? this is a hot topic! Are you looking for a script presentation example? Every memorable presentation starts with a single blank page and a writer’s determination to create something extraordinary. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at that intimidating blank canvas, unsure how to transform your ideas into a captivating script, fear not. 

In this blog post, we’ll guide you on how to write an impeccable presentation script that will mesmerize your audience. Moreover, we’ll provide you with practical tips and real-life examples that help you kickstart your journey toward crafting a compelling presentation script.

Learn how to write a presentation script with AhaSlides, today!

Table of Contents

Why a well-written presentation script matters, how to write a presentation script, expert tips for writing an engaging presentation script.

• Presentation Script Example 
• Key Takeaways

Overview – Presentation Script

• Presentation description
• Title ideas

Start in seconds.

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A well-written presentation script is the backbone of your delivery, ensuring structure, engaging your audience, boosting your confidence, and providing adaptability.

• An excellent presentation script brings structure and clarity to your message.
• It keeps your audience engaged and helps them understand your ideas. 
• It also ensures consistency and repeatability, especially when presenting multiple times. 
• A good script for presentation provides adaptability and preparedness, enabling you to adjust and handle unexpected situations. 

In addition, for many presenters, nerves and Glossophobia can be significant hurdles to overcome. A well-written script provides a sense of security and confidence. Like a safety net, it ensures that you have your key points and supporting details at your fingertips. This boosts your confidence and reduces anxiety, allowing you to deliver a more polished presentation.

So, how to make a script for a presentation?

Before writing a presentation script, you need to know your audience’s background, interests, and knowledge level. Then clearly define the purpose of your presentation. Having a clear objective will help you stay focused while writing your script.

1/ Outline The Structure

Start with an attention-grabbing introduction, followed by the main points you want to convey, and conclude with a strong summary or call to action.

For example:

• Introduction – The introduction script for presentations should be a welcome and personal connection to the topic. 
• Main Points – Benefits of “topic”
• Transitions – Use phrases like “Now let’s move on to,” or “Next, we’ll discuss.” 
• Conclusion – Recap key points and call to action.

You can consider using bullet points or headings to organize your ideas within each section.

2/ Craft A Powerful Opening

Crafting a strong opening statement is crucial to capturing your audience’s attention and setting the tone for your entire presentation. Here are some key elements to consider when creating an impactful opening statement:

• Hook the Audience: Start with a captivating hook that immediately grabs the audience’s attention
• Establish Relevance: Communicate the relevance and importance of your topic to the audience. Highlight how it relates to their lives, challenges, or aspirations.
• Create an Emotional Connection: Appeal to your audience’s emotions and create a sense of resonance or empathy. Connect with their desires, challenges, or aspirations to make a personal connection.

3/ Develop Key Points

When developing the key points in your presentation script, it’s essential to provide supporting information, examples, or evidence that reinforces your message. Here’s how you can expand on each main point:

Supporting Information:

• Present facts, data, or expert opinions that support your main point.
• Use credible sources to strengthen your arguments and provide context.
• Use evidence to back up your claims and increase credibility.

Logical Order or Narrative Flow

• Organize your main points in a logical order to facilitate understanding.
• Consider using a narrative flow to create a compelling storyline that connects your main points.

4/ Incorporate Visual Aids

Incorporating visual aids strategically into your presentation can significantly enhance understanding, engagement, and retention of information.

• Example: If you’re discussing the features of a new product, display images or a short video demonstrating its functionality as you describe each feature.

5/ Include Transitions and Signposts

Including transitions and signposts helps guide your audience through your ideas and ensures they can easily follow your train of thought.

You can use concise and engaging language to introduce the upcoming subject matter.

• Example: “Next, we’ll explore the latest…”

Or you can use questions to transition between sections or engage the audience’s attention.

• Example: “But how can we tackle this challenge? The answer lies in…”

6/ Summarize and Conclude

• Recap your main points to reinforce key messages concisely.
• End with a memorable conclusion that leaves a lasting impact or a call to action for your audience.

7/ Seek Feedback and Revise

• Share your script with a trusted colleague, friend, or mentor for constructive feedback.
• Once you have made revisions based on feedback, practice delivering your revised script.
• Refine and fine-tune your script as needed through practice sessions and additional feedback.

Involve The Audience

Boost audience participation and engagement by leveraging interactive features such as Q&A session , live polls, quizzes and small activities through AhaSlides . By utilizing these interactive elements, you can transform your presentation into a dynamic and engaging experience for your audience.

You also can ask your audience for feedback by rating scale or Likert scale !

Use Conversational Language

Write your script in a conversational tone to make it more approachable and relatable. Avoid jargon and complex terminology that might alienate your audience.

Know Your Key Takeaways

• Identify the main messages or key takeaways you want your audience to remember.
• Craft your script around these key points to ensure they are emphasized throughout the presentation.

Address Potential Questions or Concerns

By proactively addressing potential questions or concerns within your presentation script, you demonstrate thoroughness, credibility, and a genuine commitment to addressing your audience’s needs. 

This approach helps foster trust and ensures that your presentation provides clear and comprehensive information, leaving your audience feeling satisfied and informed.

Presentation Script Example

Here’s an example of a presentation script about “The Power of Effective Communication”: 

Key Takeaways 

In conclusion, crafting a well-written presentation script is essential for delivering a successful and impactful presentation. By following the steps and tips outlined in this guide, you can create a script that engages your audience, communicates your message effectively, and leaves a lasting impression.

Remember, incorporating interactive elements can significantly enhance audience engagement and make your presentation more memorable. AhaSlides, with our wide range of templates and interactive features like questions, polls , and activities, provides a powerful platform to involve your audience actively and create an interactive and dynamic presentation experience.

How do you write a script for a presentation?

Here are steps on how to write an effective presentation script: Outline the structure, including an attention-grabbing introduction, main points, and a strong conclusion.  Craft a powerful opening that hooks the audience, establishes relevance, and creates an emotional connection.  Develop key points with supporting information and logical order.  Incorporate visual aids strategically to enhance understanding.  Use transitions and signposts to guide your audience.  Summarize and conclude with impact .  Seek feedback, revise, and practice for a polished presentation.

How do you start a presentation script example?

Here’s an example of how you can start a presentation script: – “Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for being here today. My name is_____, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you about_______. Over the next _______, we will explore [briefly mention key points or objectives of the presentation].” The opening lines should aim to grab the audience’s attention, establish your credibility, and introduce the topic you will be discussing. 

Is it okay to read a script for a presentation?

While it’s generally recommended to avoid reading directly from a script, there are situations where it can be beneficial. For formal or complex presentations like academic or technical talks, a well-crafted script ensures accuracy and keeps you on track.  However, in most cases, a conversational style with notes or prompts is preferred. This allows flexibility, spontaneity, and better audience engagement. 

A writer who wants to create practical and valuable content for the audience

More from AhaSlides

How to write an effective presentation script

If putting together presentation content wasn’t tough enough, a script also has to be written for, or by, the speaker. Learning how to write a presentation script can take some time to master, and just like a presentation design , there are some important rules to remember.

From putting together a storyboard and ensuring the words complement the slides, to inserting pause breaks and not sounding too scripted, delivering a presentation speech is a skill that needs to be honed. In this article, we will help you with all of that and more, so you can learn how to write a presentation script your audience will easily connect with.

1. Finalise the storyboarding

Planning is everything when it comes to  writing a script for a presentation . In order to make the content flow naturally, a speaker needs to be well-prepared with enough time ahead of the event for them to practise.

In order to achieve great presentation content , clear and concise storyboarding needs to be the first step. This is especially true in situations where the same person is writing the script and also putting together the design. It can be tempting to write the content first before attempting to retrofit the design elements so it matches the script.

However, following this method rarely ever works, and it only serves to increase frustration and stress levels. By using a storyboard it becomes much easier to plan the length of the presentation along with its content. It also creates a guideline that will enable the speaker to direct the audience from start to finish.

2. Stick to the slide content

A key point to remember is that the content of your slides must provide the foundation of your script. When you sit down to begin writing it can be easy to follow the flow of ideas to create a script that reads wonderfully on its own. What you can’t forget is this must tie directly into the presentation content you have already storyboarded.

Writing a script for a presentation that doesn’t match the content will leave the audience feeling confused. As the script starts wandering off into tangents that do not relate to the slides, the crowd will quickly lose their place and their concentration will soon follow.

An easy way around this is to write the script with the presentation content close to hand. Break down the words into sections that reflect the order of the slides so the two are always complementing each other perfectly.

3. Remember to add in some pause breaks

When an audience attends a presentation they have two tasks to juggle: firstly, to digest the words being delivered by the speaker, and secondly, to understand the information provided by the presentation content.

It’s important to place yourself in the shoes of the audience to remember this when writing a script for a presentation. You want as much of the information you are providing to be taken in by the audience, which means you need to factor in some time that will enable them to process your words and the visual data.

Writing pause breaks into the script plays a key role in achieving this. When the speaker pauses it gives the audience a moment to reflect on what has just been said. It also allows the speaker to create a  rhythm of speech  and have more control over the attention of the audience from start to finish.

4. Write, practice, iterate and repeat

Once you have your script ready to go, you will need to set aside a good amount of time to practice it. Don’t forget, the script is one half of the content you will be delivering to the audience, so you should always practice the material alongside the finalised slides, as this gives you a better feel for how it all comes together.

This also allows you to make final tweaks and changes to the script, as well as physically practicing how you will deliver it on the day. You can then rehearse the way you stand, your eye contact and the management of your overall body language in front of an audience.

It is also worth remembering that when you write a script for a presentation, it will be written more formally compared to the way you naturally speak. If the script isn’t changed to reflect this, it will sound unnatural and awkward and the audience will pick up on it very quickly.

5. Remember, You don’t always need to write a script

Please note that this final point isn’t intended to undermine everything we have talked about above! As we mentioned in the previous point, sometimes writing every word you are going to say can sound overly scripted, which can lack empathy and struggle to connect with the audience.

If you are experienced and confident enough, or if it fits the type of audience you will be speaking to, you can work around key points you have written down, or simply use the slide content as your start point.

This usually suits a more informal setting and you always have to be careful not to wander off on long tangents that will lose the audience in the process. Always remember the structure of your presentation and have a time limit so you will still deliver the information concisely and effectively.

Script writing is no easy task!

Just like creating content for your presentation, writing a script requires practice. With each one you write you will gain more confidence and improve the way they are structured and delivered. Use the guidelines above as a foundation for your scripts and you’ll soon be able to find a voice and style that will add real value to your presentations.

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Crafting an engaging presentation script

Crafting a presentation goes beyond simply putting together content. It also involves mastering the art of scripting by the speaker. Learning how to write a script for a presentation can take some time and effort to master, and similar to designing Google slides or PowerPoint presentations, there are several important rules to follow.

From developing a compelling storyboard and adding strategic pauses to making sure the words match the slides and maintaining a natural flow, delivering an effective presentation speech is a skill that needs to be honed.

In this article, we aim to provide comprehensive guidance on all these aspects and more, making it easier for you to create a presentation script that effortlessly resonates with your audience.

Top 10 tips on how to write a script for PowerPoint presentation

1. finalize the storyboard.

When it comes to crafting presentation scripts, planning is vital. A speaker must be well-prepared and have ample time before the event to practice and make sure the content flows naturally. Therefore, clear storyboarding must come first if you want to produce excellent presentation content. This is particularly true when the script and design are being done by the same person.

2. Follow the KISS rule

‘KISS,’ or Keep It Short and Simple, is the number one rule for crafting a fantastic script for presentation. Short and concise sentences can help you get the message across much faster, especially if your presentation’s emphasis is placed more on the visuals than the aural aspect.

3. Make sure your script for presentation introduction is engaging

A strong introduction is critical to captivate the audience’s attention and make them interested in what you have to say. This can be done through a compelling narrative, a thought-provoking question, or a startling fact. Remember, your introduction for presentation script should be designed to hook the audience and make them want to keep listening.

4. Aim for well-structured content

The presentation script’s content needs to be well-organized and structured. It has to have natural transitions from one idea to another, as well as distinct breaks between sections. And to make each argument more convincing and relatable to the audience, you should back it up with examples or evidence.

5. Stick to the slide content

It’s important to keep in mind that the information on your slides must serve as the basis for your script. It should be closely related to the presentation material you have already storyboarded and be simple to follow.

In case your script for PowerPoint presentation doesn’t match the content on the slides, the audience will likely feel confused and lose their place. That’s why it is recommended that you always have the presentation’s material nearby. Divide the text into chunks corresponding to the slides’ arrangement so that the two complement one another perfectly.

6. Add pause breaks

When attending a presentation, an audience member has two tasks: first, taking in the speaker’s words, and second, understanding the information offered by the presentation content. Therefore, when writing a script for a presentation, it’s essential that you always put yourself in the audience’s shoes and include pauses in the script.

Remember, when the speaker pauses, the audience has a chance to digest what has just been said and absorb as much information as possible from the visual aids. Additionally, it gives you, as a speaker, more control over the audience’s attention during the entire speech.

7. Use engaging language

Whether it’s an introduction for presentation script or a closing part, your entire content should be written in clear and engaging language. Refrain from using technical or jargon terminology that the audience might not understand. Instead, speak in plain English and incorporate jokes, rhetorical questions, or storytelling to keep the audience interested throughout your presentation.

8. Don’t forget about calls to action

Strong presentation scripts always end with a clear call to action. This could be requesting that the audience takes a specific action, such as subscribing to a newsletter, making a purchase, or putting the concepts discussed into practice in their own lives or places of employment. Your call to action must be captivating and inspire the audience to do the desired action.

9. Practice and rehearse

Practice and rehearsal are essential components of a good script. That’s why it is crucial to rehearse your script several times, ensuring a smooth delivery. Additionally, practice helps boost self-assurance and ease presentation-day nervousness. By including these components in your PowerPoint presentation script, you can create a persuasive and memorable presentation that effectively conveys your message and interests your audience.

10. Enlisting key points is also an option

Writing down every word you intend to say might sometimes result in overly scripted content, which can lack empathy and prevent you from connecting with the audience. Therefore, sometimes it is enough to simply focus on the key points or even use slide content as a starting point, keeping in mind the presentation’s structure and your time limit. Now that you know how to write a presentation script, let’s look at some examples to see the above tips in practice.

Presentation script example

Detailed presentation script:

https://www.slideshare.net/aland/script-for-perfect-presentation

Presentation script containing only key points:

All in all, having a presentation script is essential for delivering a great audience experience. It gives you flow, structure, and two times more confidence than when you are simply improvising or reading off your slides.

Use the above guidelines to ensure you are starting with a strong script, and remember that our presentation design company is here to help 24/7! SlidePeak’s dedicated team can not only help you improve your old presentation but can also design a professional pitch deck with unique infographics to wow potential investors, clients, and employers.

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Related Content

9 easy ways to remember your presentation material.

Published: June 30, 2023

Updated: July 05, 2023

Overcome your anxiety with these methods that help teach you how to memorize a presentation and remember your slides before you get to them.

A common reason we experience presentation anxiety is the fear that we will forget what we have to say and risk losing credibility. A method many use to address this fear is to create presentation slides as a memory aid. However, this can be short-sighted because nothing erodes your credibility as a speaker faster than signaling to the audience that you depend on your slides.

Seasoned presenters are able to announce a slide before showing it. At a minimum, they know their material so well that they only need to briefly glance at the slide to know what's coming next. You can achieve this by doing simple memory-boosting practices to remember your presentation material and, in turn, reduce your anxiety.

Here are nine tips for memorizing a speech or presentation:

1. Use the Palace Method

Among the most effective tips for memorizing lines is The Palace Method or Mind Palace. The Palace Method is based on research into brain science that has proven a very deep connection between how we remember an event and the space in which it occurred. The brain system important for memory is lso important for space; in other words, we remember things based on spatial locations or "spatial scaffolds."

In a nutshell, The Palace Method is a memory technique that involves transforming what you want to remember into images and placing the images in a familiar mental location. In other words, you're giving your memories something to hang on to, a spatial anchor. You can then mentally tour your Memory Palace looking at your memories through these spatial anchors to help you recall each memory.

Seasoned presenters are able to announce a slide before showing it. At a minimum, they know their material so well that they only need to briefly glance at the slide to know what's coming next. 

Have you ever wondered how do you memorize a last-minute presentation? The Memory Palace Method is an ancient memory technique for how to memorize a presentation, and it's worth knowing. 

For further reading, you might consider Joshua Foer's book, Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything (or watch Foer's popular video,  To Remember Better, Build a Mansion in Your Mind, which illustrates a specific memory-building technique.) 

So, How do You Create Your Own Memory Palace?

• First, create a mental image for every item you want to remember. You will mentally place these images in a location you're familiar with, possibly the place where you grew up or your current residence. 
• Next, visualize arriving at that location and placing, on the front door, the mental image you created of the first item you want to remember. 
• Next, step inside the house and turn to your left. What's the first thing you see? For this example, let's pretend it's a fireplace. Now mentally place by the fireplace the image you created of the second item you want to remember.
• Continue your mental tour, seeing the other things in the room. Place each image you created for what you want to remember on different things in the room. Do this for the entire list of items you want to memorize. You may move from one room to the other until you have exhausted all the items on your list that you need to remember. 
• Rehearse walking through the route as many times as you can. This will aid in familiarizing yourself with your mental palace and help you recall the memorized information faster during the actual presentation.

You might need more than one memory palace, depending on what you're trying to remember.

2. Use Mind Maps

A mindmap is a diagram that allows you to lay out all of your presentation material in a visual shape rather than in list form. A mindmap can be a powerful memory aid as the visual shape or image is imprinted on your brain, making it easier to recall the information than a linear list of items. 

Drawing a mindmap is also an effective way to memorize a last-minute presentation. Try practicing your presentation from a mindmap rather than traditional notes and see what happens.

So, How do You Create a Mindmap?

Here are the basic steps to build a mindmap:

First step : Write down your main topic. For example, your main topic could be the importance of pausing when delivering a presentation.

Second step : Once you've established your main topic for the mindmap, add branches listing the topics you want to remember. In the case of this example, you would have a branch titled: "When it's important to pause." (You can simply write "When?")

Under this branch, you would insert subtopic branches listing the various reasons for pausing. Subtopics for our example might include:

• Pause before displaying a complex visual.
• Pause between different topics.
• Pause before and after explaining a critical or complex concept.

Short phrases and even keywords should suffice to jog your memory when rehearsing from your mindmap. For example, instead of "Pause before displaying a complex visual," you only need to write "complex visual." 

Third step:  Explore another topic by adding another branch to the main topic in your mindmap, such as "The benefits of pausing."    (You can simply write "Why?") To continue with this example, your sub-topics branches would include: 

• To appear unrushed and confident.
• To replace filler words.
• To engage the audience.

You can draw images and use different colors to help you visualize and recall information more quickly than words. You can draw a mindmap manually or purchase mind-mapping software such as  Matchware,   MindGenius ,  Scapple  or  Xmind , to name a few.

3. Know the Value of Focusing for Eight Seconds

Memory experts tell us that it takes an uninterrupted eight seconds for a piece of information to be processed through the hippocampus and into memory – this is how information is encoded in our brain.

Examine how you go about preparing for a presentation. Are you concentrating fully on the task of transferring the information from your notes into memory? Or are you in the habit of interrupting yourself by checking e-mail, reacting to each social media notification, or answering the phone? Remember the crucial eight seconds rule and carve out dedicated time when you can be laser-focused on rehearing the information without any interruptions. This will prevent you from overthinking your material and considerably shorten your preparation time.

4. Practice the 20-20-20 Rule of Rehearsal

How long should you be rehearsing your presentation? Memory experts recommend the 20-20-20 rule, which prescribes going over the details of a presentation for 20 minutes, then repeating the same material twice more. If material is not repeated within 30 minutes, it is not encoded into long-term memory.

This method can help you from overthinking and spending too much time memorizing your material.

5. Rehearse Out Loud

Rehearse your entire presentation out loud at least five to six times. Do this and watch your confidence in the material grow as you not only boost your memory of the material but also end up turning the presentation from a mere recital of facts to something that you have truly internalized—it changes the presentation from a thespian activity to a message that you deliver from the inside out.

What's more, rehearsing out loud can help you practice your pre-planned pauses to avoid  speaking too fast  when you deliver your presentation.

6. Practice to Music

When you explore tips for memorizing your presentation, don't forget music. Music is an effective tool to help us retain information. Dr. Georgi Lozanov, a psychologist, developed a methodology for teaching foreign languages which involved using baroque music with about 60 beats per minute. This type of music activates the left and right brain; the simultaneous action of both hemispheres maximizes the retention of information.

Students learned in a fraction of the usual time and had an average of 92 percent retention. The same applies to retaining your presentation material. Consider listening to music while rehearsing your presentation to help you absorb and retain large amounts of information.

7. Record Your Presentation

A simple, yet surprisingly not widely-known, feature is the record narration function. This allows you to record yourself delivering your presentation and then replaying it. Hearing yourself narrating your presentation from slide to slide will boost your ability to remember your material, as you now use a visual and auditory memory aid. This is a highly effective way to memorize a presentation or a speech.

8. Rehearse Before Bedtime

Neuroscientists uncovered a link between sleep and learning and memory. The findings showed that sleep enhances the consolidation of recently-acquired information in our memory system. Therefore, if you rehearse your presentation just before bedtime, you are more likely to remember the material more easily in the morning. Try doing this for your next presentation.

What's more, a quick run-through of the material before bedtime can help you calm your mind and get a good night's sleep. Consider doing a "brain dump" before bedtime by jotting down thoughts circling in your mind of any last-minute arrangements you must make the following day so they don't run through your head while you try to sleep. 

9. Improve Your Working Memory

Let's start by defining what working memory is. Working memory, also referred to as our "mental chalkboard," is a system in our brain that allows us to temporarily retain small amounts of information, such as  remembering  a phone number, a grocery list or a set of directions. It's our capacity to retain and control information for brief periods.

Working memory is for things that matter to you now but won't matter in 20 years. Long-term memory, in contrast, refers to all the information stored in our brains throughout our life.

Improving our working memory can help control our ability to pay attention and remember things.

• You might consider using some memorization apps, such as Cogmed, Mindsparke or Elevate, to name a few.
• Rehearsal of information can also help. According to researchers, if information is practiced enough,  it can become more permanent.
• Dividing big chunks of information into manageable bite-size pieces and rehearsing these small chunks will also help you  remember  your material. Concentrate and rehearse one or two of the small chunks before moving on to the next pieces of the presentation. 

What if You Forget Your Presentation?

Keep in mind that only  you  know the ideas you want to present. You are not delivering an opera where the audience has a libretto to follow your script.

If you forget something, move on, and the audience will likely not notice. If you remember something later, say: "There is one other item I would like to add," or "Let me digress for a moment to mention another point."

Stay sharp by using some of these memory improvement techniques.

Preparing for a Presentation Should be Quick and Effective With these 9 Tips

• Use the memory palace method to encode the information in your long-term memory for easy retrieval.
• Draw a mind map to outline all your presentation material and rehearse from the mind map.
• Practice deep focusing and rehearse your information without interruptions.
• Use the rehearsal rule of 20-20-20 to shorten your practice time.
• Practice your presentation material aloud.
• Create a low-stress environment and listen to music while rehearsing.
• Record your presentation and watch a replay several times. 
• Rehearse before going to bed and write down a checklist of what's on your mind as a brain dump to relax your mind and get a good night's sleep.
• Improve your working memory by using memorization apps and breaking your rehearsal material into bite-size, manageable chunks. 

A version of this article was originally published on April 11, 2012. 

Photo: Getty Images

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

Partner Center

How can I memorize a presentation

I have about a 5 minute presentation. I do not know it completely by memory as it is difficult to remember every thing word for word. Is it okay to read the presentation as long as I look up often?

If you can – learn the script. This will make things flow more naturally.

Many speakers read out their script – particularly at senior levels in government – autocue is the favorite, but many read from paper. Make sure that you still give the audience good eye contact.

If you are going to read the presentation, make sure that you have read it out loud at least four times. One of them in front of an audience – friends, family, colleagues. This will make sure that it flows well and gives you a chance for a few tweaks. Early on, I used to speak it into a tape recorder and play it back to myself.

Good luck – please let me know how it goes

p.s. What is the topic of the presentation?

I did not receive your response until this morning, but thank you for the good advice.

I was on track with what you said. I gave the presentation last night at a class that I am taking at the University. It is called “Managing Teams in Organizations.”

Specifically, my presentation was about the dimensions of collaborative power. As an example of collaborative power, I used the story, Geese Flying in V formation and talked about the lessons we can learn from their team approach to flying in V formation to accomplish a goal.

I read my script and gave eye contact often. The professor and the class said it was a very good presentation. However, I always feel so nervous and not completely conscious of what I say. When it’s over; I wonder if I left out something.

I meant to tape the presentation, but I was so nervous that I left it in my purse and forgot to turn it on. In preparation, I did speak my script into the tape recorder about six times, but when I spoke aloud (to myself/mirror) I could not remember the script – I stumbled and stuttered along the way. Reading the script with good eye contact helped a lot, but I would like to get to a point where I can learn/memorize my script so that I can present like a professional.

I have two more presentations coming up. One is on November 12. This is a book report/presentation that I have to summarize called quality without tears by Phillip Crosby, and the other is December 10 subject “Reducing Inter-team Conflict.” This is will be on chapter 13 from the book Team Building by William Dyer.

I don’t make presentations often. In my position, I may have to present about 3 or 4 times a year.

On occasion, I may have to speak in a staff meeting about the status of projects I have been working on and even then, I feel nervous. People praise me often that I have a good speaking voice, but I am so nervous about public speaking that it turns me off. I want to do better, so I’ll keep trying.

Thanks again for your advice.

Nerves are something that all presenters feel – we just have to learn how to harness that energy – just as an athlete does.

Generally speaking the more often that you get to speak – the easier it will become. If nerves are a problem then you may consider booking yourself onto a presentation skills class. It will give you the chance to practice in front of a tame audience.

In the mean while here are two techniques that you can use.

Visualization. Try to imagine a very happy time in your life. Close your eyes and imagine what it feels like, what did you see, what were the sounds that you heard. Now imagine the same feeling when you step down from the podium. I usually do this just before I walk on stage and it has a wonderfully relaxing effect.

Breathing. Breathing with your “tummy” is absolutely the best way to breathe – not just during a presentation but all the time! By using your diaphragm (the strip of muscle under your rib cage, above your tummy) to force air out of your lungs you are able to expel much more Carbon Dioxide and thus allow a lot more fresh oxygen into your lungs. The biggest problem with breathing when we are nervous is that our breathing becomes fast and shallow and we don’t breathe OUT properly before we breathe in. Consequently we are only ever just “topping up” with oxygen which can just add to the feeling of breathlessness. Try to push your breath out from your tummy and you will find that you are able to inhale a much larger amount of oxygen which will immediately have the effect of making you feel calmer and more relaxed! This type of breathing also encourages you to breathe slower and it will make you look a lot more relaxed (important if your audience are watching you!).

It is easy to do – practice in front of a mirror and you should notice your tummy actually going in and out as you breathe, RATHER than your shoulders going up and down!

Hope that helps!

hi, reading the presentation before you go to sleep may help

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