Why should you rehearse a presentation out loud?
Thinking it through isn't the same as saying it. Say it out loud at least once to catch tangents, lost places and timing problems before they happen in the room.
What I say in the video
Before you present, here's one thing to remember: thinking it through isn't the same as saying it out loud.
Your brain has to translate ideas into language, and if you haven't done that out loud, that's where things can go sideways: going off on tangents, losing your place or misjudging time.
So no matter how much prep time you have, say it out loud at least once.
It's one of the simplest ways to sound clearer, calmer, and more confident.
What I didn’t say in the video
Reading your notes silently feels like rehearsal because the ideas are all there. But the words aren't, and the words are what you'll have to find in the room.
The first time you speak a talk out loud, you hear the statement that goes off into a tangent and the transition that doesn't exist yet. You also find out how long it really takes, which is almost always longer than it looked on the page. Better to find that out beforehand than going five minutes over in front of your audience. For clients who tend to go off on tangents, this is a must do.
Try it today
Pick the first two minutes of your next presentation and say them out loud, standing up, before the day. You’ll be more concise and confident, I promise.
Bill Smartt is a New York executive presence and public speaking coach and the founder of Smartt Talk. He works with leaders in financial services, tech, advertising and startups.
