Many people try to memorise their presentations and speeches, but few manage to do it successfully. If you forget one word, you are blocked and the audience thinks that you are not prepared. So the trick to being a good presenter or speaker is to remember your key points or message:
- Be an expert in what you are talking about.
- Think about the benefit for your audience once they get the information you give them
- Make an outline of your presentation or speech.
How to make your speech or presentation memorable?
There is something to say about the voice. Our voice is a powerful instrument. Try to record yourself giving a speech and then listen to the recording. You might have difficulty with this exercise as people usually don’t like the sound of their own voice. We still encourage you to do it and keep an eye on the following features while listening to the recording:
- Volume
How loud are you? Do you have a powerful voice? Is it pleasant to listen to? Can you hear any nervousness? Did you have a chance to use a microphone before? How loud are you when talking too close to a mic? Write down some general remarks.
- Tone
Do you sound so completely neutral that can put the audience to sleep? Use your voice to make your audience feel comfortable and at ease, to feel excited and fired up. Changing your tone during your presentation or speech will prevent your audience from drifting away. You will help them to focus on your topic. If you want to involve your listeners by asking them real questions, your intonation needs to go up at the end of the question.
- Pitch
Do you have a high or low voice? It is easier to listen to people who have a low voice than to people with a high-pitched voice. If you have a high pitch, practise speaking in a lower pitch.
- Pauses
One more great way to emphasize your words and draw your audience’s attention is to use pauses. Pauses before moving on to the next point also give your audience the necessary time to grasp and understand what you are saying. Some speakers like using pauses to build tension and excitement. Instead of using fillers (the um and ah sounds), try pauses next time.