$12-5$a$.$ Choosing a Delivery Method

Inexperienced speakers often hold on to myths about public speaking. They may believe that they must memorize an entire presentation or read from a manuscript to be successful. Let's debunk the myths and focus on effective delivery techniques.

Avoid Memorizing Your Presentation

Unless you are an experienced performer, you will sound robotic and unnatural if you try to recite your talk by heart. What's more, forgetting your place can be disastrous! That is why we don't recommend memorizing an entire oral presentation. However, memorizing significant parts$-$the introduction, the conclusion, and perhaps a meaningful quotation$-$can make your presentation dramatic and impressive.

Don't Read From Your Notes

Reading your business presentation to an audience from notes or a manuscript is boring, and listeners will quickly lose interest. Because reading suggests that you don't know your topic well, the audience loses confidence in your expertise. Reading also prevents you from maintaining eye contact. You can't see audience reactions; consequently, you can't benefit from feedback.

Deliver Your Presentation Extemporaneously

The best plan for delivering convincing business presentations, by far, is extemporaneous delivery, especially when you are structuring your talk with a multimedia presentation such as a PowerPoint slideshow, Keynote presentation, Google Slides, Adobe Presenter, or Prezi canvas. Extemporaneous delivery means speaking freely, generally without notes, after preparing and rehearsing. You comment on the multimedia visuals you have prepared. Reading from notes or a manuscript in addition to a PowerPoint slideshow, Keynote slides, or a Prezi canvas will damage your credibility. Unlike extemporaneous delivery, impromptu speaking describes improvised, unrehearsed, spontaneous spur$-$of$-$the$-$moment delivery.