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The mini-rehearsal happens when you arrive at the location to give your speech. You do a quick check of your equipment before you actually give the speech. You make sure your slides look good and the sound system works well. You make sure the power cord is actually plugged into a socket that works. In Chapter Three, go over the Technology Checklist and the Equipment Checklist. It is the strangest phenomenon how you can test your slides and they all hyperlink perfectly well the day before the speech and then, on the day of your speech, nothing seems to link where it is supposed to link. Better to know that before you start the speech than in the middle of it.
Now, what do you need to be practicing when you do your real rehearsal? We've provided a feedback rehearsal sheet to ask people to fill out as they watch you practice. Yes, have at least one colleague there to watch. Preferably, have one colleague who knows your subject and can point out any content inconsistencies or additions. Have another colleague who doesn't know your subject and can point out unclear points and transitions. Videotape your real rehearsal so you can see how you look. Most people are pleasantly surprised when they see themselves on tape. They say something like, "I look better than I thought I would." If you can't videotape yourself, you can audiotape yourself.
Here is a tip from Ellen Finkelstein, author of PowerPoint 2000 Professional Results. "When preparing for your presentation, it helps to hear what your presentation will sound like. One secret is to record narration for your entire presentation as if you were presenting. Then run your presentation and sit back and listen. You get an entirely different perspective when you pretend to be the audience. Listening to your presentation enables you to pick up awkward moments, unclear passages, and boring spots much more easily.
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To record narration, follow these steps:
1. Attach a microphone to the proper connector on your computer.
2. Choose Slide Show . Record Narration and click OK.
3. Start narrating. Move through the slide show as you finish narration for each slide.
4. Click No so you don't save slide timings.
5. When you actually present, choose Slide Show. Set up Show and check Show Without Narration."
If you don't want to record yourself speaking, you can just practice your speech out loud using rehearsal timings. You can find out how long you speak about each slide and exactly how long the whole presentation takes to deliver. In PowerPoint, go to Slide Sorter and click on the Rehearse Timings icon. You will be in Slide Show. Practice your presentation out loud, then go back to Slide Sorter and see how long each slide took to present. When you actually present, choose Slide Show . Set up Show . Advance Slides Manually.
Looking and Sounding Professional
Here are the five keys to looking and sounding like a professional presenter:
1. End your sentences and pause. Have some silence between your thoughts. Don't always be speaking. When you practice this, you will eliminate the "uh's" in your speech.
2. End each sentence looking at someone. Don't end a sentence looking at the screen or your laptop or up toward the ceiling. End looking at someone. Linger a moment. Don't instantly dart your eyes away. Your audience will feel that you are really communicating when you look at each person. Your eyes give away your thoughts and feelings. (When you videotape yourself, you may be shocked to discover that, if you don't look at each person, you won't really appear to be that interested in your audience. You will probably seem to be more interested in getting your speech over with and sitting down.)
3. Hold your remote by your side and gesture with the other hand. It is fine to gesture with both hands as one holds the remote, but don't just gesture with the hand holding the remote and keep the other hand by your side.
4. Move deliberately. Don't shuffle from foot to foot. If you want to move, then take two steps. There is nothing worse than watching a presenter who spends an hour shuffling from one foot to the other. Pick several spots in the room and walk to them. Just be sure that people can see you.
5. Say more than is on the screen. You must add value to the images and phrases on the screen. Tell the story about the slide. Emotionally engage the audience as you speak.
Do all of the above as you rehearse. If you must rehearse alone, pretend that you have an audience and that each audience member is being supportive and interested in your subject.
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