A short live-stream segment where TJ Walker explains a practical system for remembering speech content using ‘‘cheat sheets.’’ He contrasts memorization and reading slides with a method of using a single large-font notes sheet (multiple copies placed around the room) to appear natural and confident while following a scripted outline.
Chapters
Here's a top concern everybody has. How do you remember what to say when you're giving a speech or a presentation? Well, you've got a few choices. There's the hard way and then there's the easy way. The hard way is memorize and stay up late and study, study, study, study, study. Still might not work. There's also writing on your hand, which looks ridiculous because the only thing anyone will remember is, did you see that guy with writing on his hand? There is, unfortunately, what a lot of people do. They put all their notes on PowerPoint slides. And then they proceed to read the slides in front of their audience. Audiences love that because you've now implied they don't know how to read. Do you want an easier way? I have a system that is foolproof. It's worked well for me for years, and it works well for my clients. It's called cheating. That's right. Just use a cheat sheet. But you've got to do it in a very specific way. If I'm giving an hour long speech with slides, typically I will use something like this. It's a single sheet of notes, and I've written it out in large font, about 20, 24 point. And I'm just using 2, 3, 4 words across. That way. It's not a full sentence. It's on a single sheet of paper. So I'm not turning pages. Because it's large font. I don't have to sort of bend over and pick it up. I don't have to stop, fiddle, put on glasses. It's easy to read. Now, the other thing that is tricky and easy to do, yet nobody does it. I make five copies, or typically three copies of the same speech. And I place them around the room. That way I can have one on a table sitting next to a glass of water. I put the glass of water down. Boom. And I just glanced at it. I can be walking around. There's a lectern. I can put the notes on top of the lectern but turn so that I don't have to get behind it. There may be a table in the back of the room where I'm speaking. I'll have the notes there. And what this does is it gives me complete confidence. I don't have to stand wedded to one spot of the room. I can move around the whole room. And to the audience, it appears as though I'm just having a conversation with them. I appear to be completely relaxed, completely confident, knowing exactly where I'm going at any time. The reality is, I have no idea what's next on my slide or my points are my stories. I'm just following the script. So folks, it's not about working harder. It's not about staying up late memorizing. It's about using notes. But use them in a way that's effective for you in that environment. You normally have small text because you're holding up a piece of paper or a computer screen 1012 inches away from your eyes. You need to make the font large enough for you to see it three, four feet away. Do that and your audience will think you're a genius because you will appear to be just speaking to them naturally for as long as you're in front of them. It could be five minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, an hour, or two hours. It doesn't matter as long as you have your cheat sheet. I'm TJ Walker. Thanks for joining me. If you'd like more tips on how to be a better speaker and presenter, please go to my Facebook page. Like it? And follow it. It's facebook.com tjwalkerinteractive.
