HOW TO MEMORIZE A SPEECH: 4 GOOD TECHNIQUES

At professional conferences, especially those of a highly formal nature, we often witness speeches that speakers read from paper on stage. Most of the time they stare at the paper, with only the occasional glance at the audience. It feels like a scene from an elementary school "reading comprehension" class. And it's equally (un)convincing.

It's fine to write a speech outline to flesh out everything you intend to say, but there are few people I recommend going on stage with a written speech.

You're probably not the chairman of the US Federal Reserve (FED) or the CEO of Google, so any wrong word you say could result in huge consequences.

On the other hand, reading from paper will certainly deprive you of persuasiveness, spontaneity, and connection with your audience.

In this blog, I bring you 4 good ways to memorize a speech or presentation (speakers unfortunately also too often read presentations or slides , instead of interpreting the context). I will suggest 4 effective techniques for high-quality and efficient speech memorization that you can use in your next public appearance.

1. INTERNALIZE, DON'T SCREAM

A basic prerequisite for quality preparation and learning of speeches. I am not an advocate of learning speeches by heart. The difference between such rote memorization of speech and internalization of speech can be compared to the difference between superficial learning and deep understanding.

Speech memorization is the mechanical memorization of text word by word, as if memorizing lines from a theater or film script.

Internalization is the process of understanding and learning the key ideas and messages of the speech, and the natural expression of the rest of the content that supports these basic messages.

Bonus tip: figuratively speaking, don't try to imitate every step of Patrick Swayze in the movie "Dirty Dancing." Instead, catch the basic rhythm of the music and dance in some of your own style.

2. VIDEO RECORDING AND PLAYBACK

Yes, record yourself saying the content out loud! The video recording will allow you to analyze your public speaking and identify areas where you can improve in your words, voice, and body language. You will also immediately know if your speech is too long or too short.

Bonus tip: listen to the recorded speech "on the go" throughout the day - while driving in the car, or with headphones on while walking. You'll be surprised how much faster your brain will absorb the recorded sentences - and this will make it much easier to remember the content or speech.

3. PRACTICE IN "STRANGE" SITUATIONS

Practice your speech while walking, running, or lying down. You will remember it better and then perform better during a classic rehearsal, and then during a real performance.

Bonus tip: Use the mind mapping technique: Connect parts of your speech to rooms. For example, “place” the introduction in the hallway, the key points in the living room, and the conclusion in the kitchen. This method will make it easier for you to stay structured.

4. "BREAKING UP" SPEECH INTO PARTS

Practice your speech out loud in short segments. Once you've mastered one section, move on to the next. This way you avoid overloading and build logical connections.

Bonus tip: Don't always start from the beginning and work your way to the end. Try starting from the middle in one rehearsal, for example. Or from the final part, then go back to the beginning. Test your understanding and memory in different ways, and the final result will be better.

There are also several other special techniques that have enabled the participants of my public speaking training to better remember the structure of a speech.

If you want to improve your public speaking skills, overcome stage fright, communicate more clearly and convincingly, and thus achieve your business goals more easily - sign up for my group public speaking workshop.

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