Why you need to rehearse your pitch (and here’s how to do it)
Now that you’ve got your presentation drafted, it’s time to rehearse. Whether you’re headlining a conference or doing a simple sales pitch, I encourage everybody to do a basic set of rehearsals ahead of time. Practicing the key points of your presentation is essential to make everything go as smoothly as possible.
Why is rehearsal so important?
As well, great communication skills are BUILT from the ground up, so the more you practice, the stronger you can be in front of a camera or on stage. Practice and rehearsal gives you an opportunity to find the bumpy bits of your presentations, shows the weak links or where you need to back up your argument, and helps you understand why this message is important to share.
Confidence is also a happy side benefit from a solid dose of rehearsal or practice. The more skills you develop, the better communicator you’ll be, and this will translate into confidence when you are in front of an audience. (I like to say that “confidence comes from competence” - when you know that you’re prepared and ready to go, you’ll project this effortlessly.)
So, how DO we rehearse?
Here are some tips to help you get started:
Don’t memorize. First things first (and this might surprise you): I don’t recommend you memorize your talk. Professionals (like presidents and performers) might memorize their speeches, but mere mortals like you and me don’t have the luxury of teleprompters or extra time (trust me, memorization is exhausting). As well, memorization is tricky: if you forget a line or section, you’re stuck without the basic building blocks of the speech to anchor you.
Rehearse in small chunks: Instead of straight memorization, I recommend rehearsing the building blocks and bullet points of your talk from your “Bridge” outline. Work through each section, and nail down each component as you go, including the two Toll Booths and all the Pillars (with their concrete support bases).
Start practicing today: The key to nailing your content and building strong communication skills? Start practicing right away. Take the time to rehearse OUT LOUD...and in front of an audience is even better. Grab your family and friends, and entertain them with some impromptu rehearsals. Stand up, set a timer, and run through the sections of your presentation.
Record your rehearsal, or ask for feedback. Identify any rough patches in your presentation, and adjust or re-organize as needed. You’ll immediately notice where you need more practice, and what parts might be distracting or need editing.
Focus less on nerves and more on rehearsal
By rehearsing, you’ll start to wake up your brain and get used to the “switched on” feeling of having to speak in front of an audience. Of course it’s a different experience to share in front of friends or family, but the more rehearsal you do the better. Treat it seriously, and remind yourself that this is WORK.
The point is not to wait until you’re under the lights to mysteriously make magic happen. Again, it looks easy when the pros do it, but you never see the hours and years of prep-work that makes that magic possible. There’s SWEAT behind the scenes, rehearsal and training and practice. Pros make it look easy. Your job is to treat this presentation with respect, so you can sail through it with confidence.