Speaker notes, for most people, represent an afterthought. They see this section of their presentations as a nice to have. However, for great speakers, they are essential to the performance. They play a centerpiece role in the approach to slide deck design that departs from the usual type-a-text-in-this-box kind of presentation design. They provide a guide path to the story the presenter wishes to share with the audience.
Many presentation gurus emphasize, with reason, the need to focus on the story. The most ubiquitous of recommendations consists in avoiding putting too much information on any given slide. This recommendation finds its roots in the distractions that a wall of text creates both for the audience and for the presenter. Speaker notes shine in this area particularly well. For example, if an idea has three or more sections, It’s almost always best to put the main idea on the slides and the bullet points in the speaker notes. Why would I give such a piece of advice? I have a few reasons for doing so.
Speaker notes are only visible to the speaker
Speaker notes are only visible to the presenter. The presenter view allows the speaker to quickly glance at the screen to see where the story goes and what is the next crucial element. The audience will notice their absence, but it can sometimes show up in the delivery. Speaker notes allow the presenter to eliminate uncertainty in the delivery.
Presenter competence
As a speaker goes through the presentation, there may be occasional instances in which hesitation becomes apparent. These instances are visible or perceivable in the forms of frequent verbal flubs and the increased presence of filler words. The longer the presentation runs, the more numerous these occurrences become. By allowing the presenter to see which story comes next, speaker notes serve as a protective shield for the presenter’s reputation.
Speaking fluently about a topic is a sign of command of the domain. To paraphrase French poet, Nicolas Boileau, we state clearly the concept we master, and the words to describe said concept come easily. Speaker notes help with clarity and fluency in the way we share the story of our presentation. Hesitant speech can call into question the competence of the speaker and lead the audience to tune out.
Create a space for the story
Without a story, a presentation would prove an exercise in a boring recital of facts. I often argue that facts feel like the barren and unsightly skeleton of a building. They are important, even critical, to the persuasion process. However, without stories, facts are mostly ineffective. You may be asking yourself how speaker notes help me tell a story. They do so by allowing you to create space for the stories you wish to tell. By using speaker notes as a shorthand to guide your way through the story, you drive your message home with a perfect flow.
To wrap it up, speaker notes are not optional for great presenters. If your goal is to join the elite club of people who deliver experiences instead of giving presentations, you owe it to yourself to start using the power of speaker notes. The more you use them, the better you will become at leveraging their power to serve your purpose.
