Let your speech preparation go in the following sequence

Let your speech preparation go in the following sequence

1. Choose a topic that you are already aware of.
2. Type ten questions on the topic and build your answers to each question in your memory first before you type. Stretch each answer up to one and a half minutes, so if you forget while talking, you may skip some content and still have enough content during your speech.
3. Don’t put heavy statistics or numbers. Save yourself from memorizing numbers and statistics.
4. Discuss your topic with friends and get well versed with the theme. A subject which you are familiar with does not have to be memorized stiffly.
5. Audio record your speech in a good sound recorder and listen to it multiple times- Listening is a good way of fixing a speech in your mind. That's how people memorize so many songs, right?
6. Give a few trials to your friends and let your friends ask you questions on your topic. Now the answers will add more content to your treasure.
7. As the day of talk appears closer, do not think about other things but keep thinking, discussing and reading about your topic. It will make you familiar with your subject and you can speak like an authority.

All the best.

I suggest you a proactive approach for your speech memorization. Here are the steps you can take:

1. Write an outline. including all main points of the speech.Most of your speech will not need to be memorized word-for-word. Memorizing the introduction and the conclusion can be a good idea because knowing precisely what to say at the beginning and at the end of a speech can help calm you down.

2. Split the speech into chunks.Divide the speech into short, manageable chunks that are between two and three sentences long.

3. Form a picture for each chunk, then put it in a specific storage location in a memory palace. Apply the Loci(Memory Palace) method , by placing the created images along a mental route. Link the images with the locations. It is recommended to create the mental journey, in a logical order, across the same room where you are supposed to give the speech. This way, all the stages are visible in front of you.The mental journey will give the order for your images. As you practice, actually imagine yourself moving from location to location, viewing each image in the order that its corresponding bullet point falls within your speech.

4. Review the images in your mind until you know them.You just see the place on your mental journey, call up your association with it, and you will remember the mental image that you have placed there.

All the best

#1. Describe you speech in one sentence and put this on top of the page. Ensure everything that goes into your speech supports this statement.

#2. Start looking for a “Sticky” phrase, something that drives your point home, is memorable, (it may have alliteration or and action associated with it to make it more memorable,) that is weaved a number of times during your presentation. Your audience will remember your sticky phrase, then your message that it was highlighting. You may have to write the speech first before your sticky phrase becomes apparent.

#3. Write your speech making sure that the opening grabs the audience, and your call to action at the end drives your message home. The body needs to flow smoothly. In ten minutes I would use two main points with three pieces of evidence supporting these points. People do not remember points if they only hear them once.

#4. Practice your speech using your notes, five to ten times, and be aware of how your words flow, and what makes you comfortable. Take videos of your practices and evaluate your gestures and use of voice variation.

#5. Rewrite your speech, the opening, the headings of your main points in the body of your speech, plus write your closing in full.

#6. Throw your original speech in the bin.

#7. Memorise your opening and closing.

#8. Practice your speech, in conversation mode. Have a conversation with the audience, just is if you were having a cup of coffee with them. Just use your headings to guide you if necessary.

If you try to memorise your speech you will be “in your head” when you are speaking, trying to remember the next line. You will have no eye contact because you do not make genuine contact, you may look at people but you are thinking about the speech. When you have a conversation you are looking at the person to see their reaction to your message, reading their body language. You connect with the audience because you are warm and genuine.

If people do not remember your presentation, it is a waste of both your time and the audiences time. Simplify your story, give it clarity, use lots of pauses and look for areas where you can unfold some humour from the content. Make their day that much better for listening to you and absorbing your piece of wisdom.

My advice is don’t try to memorize. Instead rehearse and prepare so that you can deliver the message in a way that is very close to your written content, but without the pressure of trying to deliver it perfectly.

From my perspective memorization is a major reason people struggle with nervousness and it is not necessary. What you need to do is deliver your message to your audience and make it connect with them. The audience wants you to succeed and wants to hear what you have to say; and they haven’t read the script.

So devote your time to standing up, rehearsing out loud—many, many times. Think of it as a performance and work through the places where you stumble over the words until you know you can work through them in front of an audience. Start by reading the content several times and mark places where the wording feels awkward or needs to be tweaked, but don’t edit at first…just read it and get comfortable.

Then stand up and deliver it out loud and move in the way you would in front of an audience. After doing that a few times, go back to the places you marked in the script and edit them to make them easier to deliver.

Now rehearse the entire speech 15–20 times, possibly more, until you can deliver it with confidence and know that the message will be received and so it feels natural. THAT is the way to deliver an effective performance…and memorization is not necessary to make it happen.

I would allocate a lot of time in advance if possible. Memorizing a 10 minute speech perfectly in a few days would require a lot of focus and time, and it might not be enough anyway.

The best would be to practice about a month in advance and spend some time, about an hour, looking at your speech and reading everything out loud. Get used to actually saying the words and getting used to the way you present information.

I say a month because there’s a good chance you are going to make edits and changes, even during the speech! You want to have a good idea of what you are going to say to be good enough to adapt.

Memorizing takes time, and if you want it to be close to 100% as possible, you’re going to have to start well in advance. The less time you have to prepare, the harder it will be to memorize.

Is 1 hour a lot of time to spend a day? For some, yes. But then, you want to memorize your speech and you need to put in that effort if you want to know everything by heart.

To be visually pleasing most speakers do not use notes. When preparing a program, they may write on index cards some keys words pertaining to each aspect of their program. They will then TALK about each word. The main thing professional speakers are doing now is telling stories. If you can tell a story about each word/topic on your cards, your speech will have a better flow.

After they decide on which topics (words) to be discussed, they may think of an acronym/word and use the acronym to keep their presentation in order. For example, a speaker may have written on an index card, risk, objectivity, pessimistic, neutral, encouragement and self. By thinking of the first letter of each word the speaker may arrange the words to spell PERSON….or any other word of his/her choosing.

By using PERSON to keep them on track:

P - pessimistic

E - encouragement

R - risk

S - self

O - objectivity

N - neutral

They practice what they will say about each word. NOTE: the speaker is using this to keep him/her on track, but the audience has no clue. They will just think the speaker is THAT good! There may be other methods; however, this has worked for me, as well as other speakers I know.

If you would like to learn how I overcame the fear of public speaking, read the ebook on Amazon Kindle, Rise Above: Conquering Adversities.

All the best to you!

Everyone has their own method for memorizing a speech. This is the method I use and recommend to clients.

First of all you should never attempt to memorize an entire script and deliver it verbatim. The main reason for this is that unless you are an extremely talented actor it will always sound stilted and people can tell you are playing a recorded announcement. Because of this your words will be less impactful and instead of inspiring people to be passionate about the topic you might just bore them. But another reason for not memorizing and replaying a script is that you are then in trouble if you have a temporary blackout. This is similar to the way that you lose situational awareness when you rely on an auto pilot.

Instead of memorizing the script just read through it a few times, speaking out loud and fine-tuning the parts that don't sound natural when you say them. When your complete draft is ready take the script and reduce it to key phrases. So, for example, if this answer were my script my first key phrase might be "never attempt memorize entire script". Write down all your key phrases on a sheet of paper and group them into sections. Highlight the first key phrase of each section and memorize these key phrases and their order. This is important because to navigate easily through the speech you need to memorize just the structure and the key phrases. With that you can expand the key phrases to make the entire point, using whatever words come out. It will usually be similar to the script but every time slightly different. Because you are speaking from the heart and not memory it will sound much stronger. At the same time you are much less likely to have a blackout.

When you have prepared your list of key phrases you can start to practice delivering the speech, remembering each key phrase and then expanding that. At first you will have to look at the list sometimes to see what comes next, but after some repetitions the order will start to become familiar, just like most people know which song comes next on an album they have heard many times. Sometimes you might even find that you don't remember enough to expand a key phrase so you have to go back to the script and learn that part of the content better.

If you have trouble remembering the order consider revising the structure of the speech and pruning the less essential parts. A well structured speech is much easier to remember, to deliver and to understand. Anything that doesn't fit in the structure is going to be a problem eventually. Everything should hang together elegantly to make a natural delivery possible.

Finally when you are able to deliver the speech without looking at your notes you are ready to go. Always keep a copy of your key phrase list in your pocket just in case of blackouts. Almost certainly you won't need it but just knowing that it is there can help immensely. Some people also leave a copy on the table next to the laptop, so that when they need to check what is next they can "forget" they have a clicker and use the down button on the laptop instead, sneaking a peek at the list.

During the performance you could also put the key phrases in the speaker notes and display those on a monitor at the edge of the stage, but only look at that when you need it. Memorizing always makes the speech more persuasive and prompts should be only for when you get stuck.

I have made many speech in Seminars or meetings for students mostly. I will convert my whole speech into a story. I will collect information and details for my speech from various sources. And i will create a Shortcut memory sentence, for not to omit all the things i want to say. I will be upset if i miss something, which took me hours to gather that story or Anecdote or information or even a Joke i use!

I need a story and keep my audience lively to send my message deep into their memory for ever! Even after 10 years they should be able to recollect my speech!

For example I will divide my speech into five or Six parts. I will Tell at least five or Six stories or Jokes and i should tell my story or joke completely relevant to the lecture. Otherwise the whole speech will become a joke.

If the first part is about Telling about how fine the day is and about the Introduction, i will make stories for a good day or morning or a joke about Early bird. Next if the topic is Color, i will allot 10 to 15 minutes for color. Then one story about colors and joke about colors.

Next i have to speak about Speed and light, means 10 minutes for Explaining the speed or power or Velocity and 10 minutes for light. next is about Designing the whole building, means a story about design, history and all the concepts i will explain with interaction.

Finally i will finish with Congratulating the audience and telling ideas how they should go for further studies or career and finsh it with humor and feedback!

To keep the six parts in memory, i will make a short cut Sentence so that i do not miss all the Six parts of my speech. The Short cut sentence is Early Morning in the Sunshine a Colorful Man is Speeding in a Horse with a lamp in hand and shows a building for everyone. This shortcut Sentence will make sure we do not miss anything we planned to speak! All the best!

Here are my tips based on my own learning during my early days of public speaking. My first major speech was of 45 minutes and it required no less than ten references and quotes.

1. Do not mug up your speech text, you can never memorize and even if you, it might not be full of impact.
2. Make it into a point format-
3. Now audio record it in your own voice and listen to it ten times… attentively - You are ready with 50%. Isn’t this how you learn songs too?
4. Deliver it and audio record it five times- the rest of the 30%, too is done.
5. From the remaining 20%, you may use your own brain to construct the rest of the stuff while you speak

If we are talking verbatim memorization, focus on recall as opposed to repeatedly reading the text.

A great exercise for verbatim recall is writing down the first letter of each word, and letting your mind fill in the blanks:

e.g. Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech:

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Write down the first letter of every word, cover up the original sentence, and let your mind work and fill in the blanks:

G o t p, b t p, f t p, s n p f t e.

This is much more effective than reading the passage over and over again.

Visualization of the speech as a story along with movement and engaging all the senses also help the brain encode information. What does the air smell like? Is it windy? Is it snowing? Is there a flag in the background? What colors jump out? Is there any violent movement?

The more vivid the image, the easier it will be to recall.

If you are writing the speech to memorize, it’s best to follow the golden rule:

Part I - Tell them what you are going to tell them.

Part II - Tell them.

Part III - Tell them what you told them.

1. Repetition
   How do you memorize anything? You need to say it or do it repeatedly. Practice your speech again and again and again and again.
2. Setting
   No reciting in your head or sitting down or mumbling to yourself. To deliver an amazing speech, you need to rehearse as if the audience is already right there in front of you. The top speakers will visit the stage beforehand to get a sense of the layout, the feel, the acoustics, etc. Your practice needs to be as close to the real thing as you can make it.
3. Local Toastmasters Club
   Use your local Toastmasters Club as a platform to practice it. Depending on the type of club (open, corporate, academic), they are incredibly inviting and would be open to giving you feedback on your speech if you lay the parameters.
4. Timeframe
   Give yourself a healthy timeframe to begin this repetitive practice. A trick I use is to deliver the speech first thing when I wake up and last thing before I go to sleep for as many days as I can until I deliver it. This helps me memorize it almost as second nature.
5. Tell A Story *Speech Memorization Hack*
   Incorporate a story in your speech because you’ll be working off your longer term memory because you’ll already know it. The largest benefit that, if told right, the story is what the audience will remember the most.

Many people’s greatest fear is standing up to speak...and suddenly realizing they can’t remember anything.

This fear can make people wake up in a cold sweat. It’s no wonder that most people use copious notes to refer to when speaking. Unfortunately, this makes you look down instead of out at your audience, forcing an immediate loss of confidence and presence.

The great news is you don’t need a script.

Presenting without reading off notecards or slides isn’t impossible, and you don’t have to worry about memorizing your entire speech word-for-word. You simply have to make sure you’re creating and practicing content in a memorable way.

You need to speak the way your brain is born to think. Thankfully this is the same way that people are born to listen. It’s a win-win.

Here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you aren’t hiding behind paper the next time you have an important message to share.

1. Write it in a way that is memorable for you and the audience.

Create a story, not a list—a journey from start to finish.

You can start with your background. Imagine if someone said, “Who are you and why should I listen to you?” You would most likely tell them a very simplified story of events that led you to speak in this meeting - your personal history, significant events at your company or critical details that have happened in the past few weeks. This will give everyone context and establish what Aristotle called ‘ethos’.

Thousands of years ago Aristotle explained that before anyone will listen to you they need to trust you. You can build this trust and get into an easy flow in a meeting by telling the story of events that led you to speak. This will establish your credibility and set the scene for everything you say next.

Practice answering this question with a friendly anecdote you might give to a friend who really wants to get to know you—then apply your answers to your presentation.

The next stage to remember is that great stories have three acts.

We love the rule of three when it comes to storytelling. It's easy to remember and to follow. So, whatever you're speaking about, break it into three sections. You might have 20 things you need to talk about, but if you divide them up into three key sections, then you’ll always know where you are in your presentation, and your audience will feel like they’re taking a journey with you.

2. Practice in a way that creates muscle memory.

Physical memory is much more powerful than mental memory alone.

Think about the last time you saw a play. Did you think at all about how many lines those actors had to remember? It’s pages and pages of dialogue—and they keep it all in order in part because of muscle memory.

When I was studying acting, I had to physically move my body and voice in rehearsal exactly the same way as I would for an actual performance. Actors don’t plot out what they’ll do at the first show and then wait until the day to actually do it. They stand up and run through their performance physically the way they want it to go.

This ingrains it in their bodies so keenly that when the time comes, it’s entirely natural to step stage right and deliver the opening line to their monologue. The story is embodied.

So, if you've got something important to say, stand up, wear the clothes you'll be wearing on the day, and physically do it out loud. Then, when the big moment arrives, your clothes and stance will feel familiar. You’ll have physical cues to remind you, and your mind will say, “oh yes, I’ve been here before. I know what to do.”

3. Create Trigger Notes

Even for things I’ve been delivering for years, I keep a few simple keywords or phrases nearby in case I need them, because I know that everything that can go wrong, eventually will. This safety net allows you the freedom to perform at your best, knowing that you have a back-up to jog your memory if need be.

It’s important to remember that even when you have notes, they’re really only a few trigger words, not the full script.

Break down the different parts of your speech into a few key ideas you can focus on. Write down key words that are connected to each major point. That way you’ll be able to find your place and keep going if anything happens to stop your momentum.

By only using trigger words your mind doesn’t obsess over every single thing you planned to say or get tripped up when it’s missed something small. Instead, you’re focused on the key message you’re delivering.

And that key message, at the end of the day, is the only thing that matters because it’s going to deliver your goal to the audience. It can be really easy to obsess over details and minutia when we’re afraid of the spotlight. But really, it’s achieving that big picture that’s important.

Here is a very effective method for memorizing a speech:

1 Write an outline. including all main points of the speech.

Most of your speech will not need to be memorized word-for-word.

TIP: Memorizing the introduction and the conclusion can be a good idea because knowing precisely what to say at the beginning and at the end of the speech can help calm you down and ease you into the setting.

2.Split the speech into chunks.

Divide the speech into short, manageable chunks, that are between two and three sentences long.

3.Prepare a mental journey with specific storage locations in your memory palace or along your route.

It’s always o good option to create a journey in a logical order across the same room where you are supposed to give a speech. Thus, all the stages are visible in front of you and if you are stuck somewhere for whatever reason, you always can look at the next location in your journey and can immediately recall your next point

4.Form a picture for each chunk, then put it in a specific storage location along the journey.

Create a mental image for each part. The more absurd and unique the image is, the easier it will be to recall it later.In your speech, you need to weave the mental images together. The easiest way to do this is to visualize yourself traveling along various locations, observing the pictures in order.

By memorizing the points of your speech in this way, you will have visual reminders everywhere around you, in the room, and they will automatically trigger you the points of your speech.