Public Speaking Tips: More Hiding Places for Your Notes

by Paul O. Radde Ph.D.
 

1. I sometimes place a chair, back to audience, next to my prop or projection table. I may take off my coat and place it over the chair, but I also use the chair back to tape up notes, or even put them in the seat.
 

2. I have also placed a flip chart-sized piece of paper in the back of the room so that when I look out over the audience I can look at my outline. If I am on a stage with a curtain, I may have the same sized cheat sheet on both sides of the stage, between stage frame and the curtain, or just behind the curtain. That way, which ever way I am facing or pacing, I have it in front of me.
 

3. Finally, with adequate preparation, I simply reduce the entire presentation down to 2-3 points and put it on a 3x5 card, which is easily placed almost anywhere within view.
 

4. The biggest problem I have faced in making notes to myself is writing too small to read it, or putting an excessive number of notes on one page. Mindjet.com has a 30 day trial of its Mindmanager [mindmapping] program which provides excellent graphic organization of notes for a speech.
 

Paul Can be reached at http://www.thrival.com