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Memorize Key Points

Techniques > Public speaking > Speaking Tips > Memorize Key Points

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Commit key parts of your speech or presentation to memory. In particular this includes:

The opening
Key points and summaries within the body of the presentation
The closing section

This may take a certain amount of practice, but it is always worthwhile. There are many different methods you can use to commit sections of text to memory, although the good old fashioned method writing or printing it out and then looking at it an repeating it as you look away can be very effective.

Example

A speaker opens with a poem, which he memorizes. He then uses several lines from the poem during his presentation, which he also memorizes along with the key points that align with it.

Discussion

As this takes more effort than other methods, you may wonder if it is worthwhile. In some contexts such as sales, the presentation is utterly critical and a well-rehearsed presentation is well worth the practice time.

It is also more important to memorize the key points if you are relatively inexperienced at speaking. It can be a scary experience and when we are scared we can easily freeze unless we are so well rehearsed that we can carry through on 'autopilot'.

Half-memorizing something can be worse than not at all as it can lead to you freezing half-way through or staring at the ceiling as you search for the words. Not remembering may be taken as a significant insult by many audiences. It is as if you cannot be bothered to put yourself out for them.