All right. You thoroughly researched the material, and you know what you want to say. You're ready to present, right? Not yet. Many presenters spend too much time developing their ideas and not enough time practicing. They end up sounding boring, disorganized, unprepared. You must make time to rehearse your speech beforehand. In this lesson, you will learn how rehearsing your speech will improve your speaking style. Let's start with the modes of delivery that you can choose from. There are two main methods, the first one is writing a script which contains every single word you will say. You can memorize the entire text, or you can hold it and read it. An outline on the other hand contains only keywords and phrases. Traditionally, the outline is written on note cards and only the presenters sees them. Nowadays, many people use presentation tools like PowerPoint and keynote to create slide shows that visually stimulate the audience. For academic and professional presentations, using an outline is by far the most popular. You look like a friendly expert. The outline helps you stay organized at the same time, there is no exact script to follow, so it's more flexible. It's a more relaxed conversational style. To prevent your note cards from getting mixed up, number the pages. If you'll be showing a PowerPoint slide show or any other type of audiovisual file arrive early and preload the media on the computer before the event. You don't want the audience to see you fumbling with the equipment just before your presentation. Remember that an outline consists of short phrases without details. It is a mistake to have too many note cards or to write too many details on PowerPoint slides, instead of being an outline essentially becomes a script that you are reading. Of course, you can still script some things out. To make sure that they're delivered exactly the way you intended, you can memorize the hook of the introduction and the concluding epiphany, the firework ending of your speech. It is also recommended that you directly read quotations in order to prevent any distortion. When your note cards or PowerPoint slides already, it's time for the hardest part, watching yourself as you rehearse. What's the best way to do this? By practicing in the mirror, by recording a selfie video with your cell phone, or by setting your camera down? The best way is to set the camera on the floor or on a table so that you can get a full view of yourself from head to toe. You will see yourself as the audience will see you. If you don't have a tripod, you can prop your cellphone up between two thick books, or you can ask a friend to hold a camera for you. It is always painful to watch yourself on camera, but remember that doing this will improve your speaking style. Simulate the actual location to make rehearsing as realistic as possible. What equipment will you be using? Will there be a microphone? Try speaking behind a floor lamp, unplugged and without the shade, of course. Wll you be using a projector? Maybe you can put your laptop on a bookcase, at the very least, stand up when you are recording yourself. Don't sit, we speak differently when we are standing. Is there a clock in the room, where? If there's no clock, consider wearing a watch or leaving your cell phone on the podium with a screen saver off, time counts. Practice throwing secret glances at your clock. You need to keep track of time, but don't let the audience see or else they will be watching the time too. That will make time seem to go very slowly for them. If your speech is too long or too short, add or delete some information, adjust the total length until it meets the time frame that you are given. While watching your recording notice, distracting mannerisms, bad habits that you have. Verbal delivery is anything related to your voice. Do you talk too quickly or do you say hm too much? Non-verbal delivery is body language. Do you touch your hair too often or do you move around too much? Whatever your bad habits are, fixed them. In other words, you will need to rehearse several times, first practice at home or at the office, record and watch these recordings so that you can improve your timing and speaking style. If possible, a range of final rehearsal at the actual location. If that's not possible, arrive half an hour or an hour before the event. Recording yourself at this point is unnecessary. Focus on how to set up and use the real equipment there. In this lesson, you learn how rehearsing your speech will improve your speaking style. Public speaking is a skill that requires training, just like learning to cook or playing soccer. Practice makes perfect.
