What are the most effective ways to practice for a big speech?

Mastering your topic is key to delivering an engaging speech. Fully immerse yourself in the subject to ensure you're well-versed in all facets of your content. This involves more than rote memorization; it's about knowing the material so well you can discuss it confidently and authoritatively. Deep familiarity breeds confidence, equipping you to navigate unforeseen questions or challenges smoothly during your presentation.

Other than in an impromptu speech or discussion, you should know what you are talking about. And ideally, you should know more than your audience does. There is a business talk with a man who reads his text from a prompter, but the prompter fails due to technical problems. The speaker runs away from the stage and disappears. This is what should not happen at all. Instead, prepare yourself thoroughly to add more background information once you are asked in the follow-up discussion.

1) Practice, record yourself, do it in front of friends and family first 2) Know your content through and through 3) Predict the type of questions folks might ask and have answers ready 4) Provide handouts 5) Consider humor-if that comes naturally to you 6) Consider an engaging power-point 7) Add interactivity to your talk-song, games, question answer, physical movement for the audience

Know your subject well, but also know the POINT you're trying to make related to that subject so you're not just sharing a topic, a theme, or a thought, but—much more valuably—a proposal, a suggestion, or a recommendation. This is a good template: "Doing/Knowing/Participating in X will lead to Y" Now you have a meaningful takeaway (valuable impact and a means to achieve it) versus a book report-like description that won't stick. Example: "If you apply these wise ideas (X), you will give a more powerful speech (Y)."

Know your message and the story you want to tell your audience. We get into trouble when we try to memorize all of the information/the script. If you first know the journey you want to take your audience on, it's much easier to deliver the right information.

Saying it out loud one syllable at a time with all the endings is key. It slows you down, it let's you know what words don't come naturally, and you'll know when your lungs are empty. That is a good way to measure sentence length and confidence with tonality.

Rehearsing your speech aloud is key for practicing before delivering. Whenever I record a video for LinkedIn or YouTube, I rehearse it five to ten times until I am satisfied. I watch and listen to my record and amend parts of my speech before recording it again. Here is my secret tip: 1. Watch the video recorded without voice to analyze mimics and gestures. Analyze and reflect on your strengths and aspects you want to further improve. 2. Listen to your voice without watching the video. Do you add personality, energy, and passion? Is your vocal variety satisfying? Again, analyze and train your voice until you are satisfied. 3. Watch and listen altogether. Record your next session, and do it all the same again until you are satisfied.

Rehearsing your speech is a great way to memorize your content so that your speech flows naturally. I find that rehearsing in front of the mirror or on a walk helps connect both my heart and head in how I deliver my speech. It also helps me notice what I need to shift in order to express myself the way I intend to. Hoping this helps you on your next exciting speech that your audience awaits.

The most important reason to rehearse out loud is to train your mind and your mouth to work in concert, just like gymnasts need to practice the connection between their mind and their muscles. You're not communicating by telepathy, which would only require your mind. You're not just blabbing, which would only require your mouth. You're using both in your presentation so you need to use both in your practice. Don't mess with mirrors—they will only distract you. Just practice out loud and in real time and you'll be exercising all the muscles you'll need.

Practice delivering your speech out loud multiple times. Rehearsing aloud helps you internalize the material, refine your delivery, and become comfortable with the flow of your presentation. It also allows you to identify areas that may need further clarification or adjustment. I find that rehearsing aloud helps me fine-tune my pacing, intonation, and gestures for maximum impact during the actual speech.

There's nothing as annoying as having a lot to say and not being allowed to say it. This is why it is very important to time yourself while rehearsing your presentation. It is better to exhaust what you have to say and have some time to go over your lessons for emphasis and clarification than to have so much to say and not be given an opportunity to say it.

Practice delivering your speech within the allotted time frame to ensure it fits comfortably within the given time constraints. Use a stopwatch or timer to track your speaking time and make necessary adjustments to avoid running too short or too long. Timing myself during practice sessions helps me gauge the pacing of my delivery and ensure I cover all key points without rushing or dragging.

Timing your speech is particularly important if you contribute to a program with a schedule. Finish maybe a minute earlier than expected, and never exceed your time limit. My motto: Less is more. Get to the point.

Recording yourself is a great way to prepare yourself for an upcoming speech. Go over your speech the same way you would do if you were speaking on stage and record yourself to see how you did. Observe things like the clarity, your pace, hand movements, facial expressions and rate yourself based on how good you think you performed. Identify your weak points, work on them and do the whole thing over again till you're confident that you're prepared. The hardest person to convince is yourself so if you can do that you're most likely good to go :) Asking others to review these recordings is a great way of getting feedback too.

Record yourself delivering the speech and then review the recording to assess your performance objectively. Pay attention to aspects such as vocal clarity, body language, and overall presentation style. Take note of areas for improvement and areas where you excel. Watching recordings of my practice sessions allows me to identify any habits or mannerisms that may distract from my message and make adjustments accordingly.

I have mentioned it earlier on in this community. For exceptional results, you should analyze your speech by recording and re-watching it. You still don't need to be perfect, but you should strive for it. You could also reach out to your mentor or presentation coach. In your record, eye contact with the camera lens is essential. Whenever you speak up in an online event, the camera is your best friend.

I understand the purpose of recording and reviewing, but I rarely do it. I find seeking feedback much more effective than recording and analyzing yourself. Others' (trusted peers) opinions on your delivery are more constructive than your perception.

But don't just ask, "How'd I do?"—they'll simply say "You did great!" or suggest you switch ties. Instead, ask, "What do you think my point was?" or "What I want people to take away is X. Did that come through?" If they answer right, your speech succeeded. If they answer wrong, you need to find ways to elevate your primary point in both content placement and speaking emphasis. (Are you sure you have a point? A point is a proposition, not just a topic, theme, or observation.) Remember that you're not delivering this presentation to receive a medal for flawless public speaking. You're doing it to effectively make a point, so what you need most is an assessment of that one goal.

Seek feedback from trusted peers, mentors, or coaches to gain valuable insights and constructive criticism. Encourage them to provide honest feedback on your content, delivery, and overall effectiveness. Incorporating feedback from others helps refine your speech and ensures it resonates with your audience. I regularly seek feedback from colleagues and mentors on my practice speeches, welcoming their input to enhance my delivery and connection with the audience.

In addition to this, I would present the talk to local groups, meetups etc. Speaking in front of familiar audience is different than unfamiliar audience; they might notice something or ask questions that are very different than the familiar audience.

Visualize yourself delivering a successful speech with confidence and poise. Mentally rehearse your performance, envisioning yourself captivating the audience and delivering your message effectively. Positive visualization techniques help build confidence and reduce anxiety leading up to the big day. I use visualization exercises to mentally prepare for important speeches, envisioning myself delivering a compelling presentation and receiving positive feedback from the audience.

Play the scenario in your head, like daydreaming. How you walk to the stage, the feeling when you are on it, your first words, a part of your speech, and so on. It helps normalize the process and also is useful to find calibration points. It is also an efficient exercise. It can be done anytime and anywhere.

I have made this suggestion many times: you do not have to practice everything every time. Do little chunks. I do a 4-hour programme, and I practice it in 30-minute sessions. I take one section of content and only practice that for 30 minutes. One or two sessions in the morning. One session in the afternoon and another one or two in the evening. I start doing that 20 to 30 days before the event.