You have a 30-minute speech to give. You know you can’t memorize it and you’ll need to use notes. Some would say it’s really bad practice to use notes, but it’s not. Using notes is quite acceptable, but what type of notes should you use? One of the best formats is 4x6 or 3x5 inch cards. They’re available virtually everywhere and even come in different colors. I love these cards!
When using cards, there are a few useful things to know about how to use them. Here they are:
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Prepare the cards AFTER you’ve written your speech and highlighted the key points.
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Jot down key points only, not the entire presentation. They should only make sense to you.
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Leave a lot of white space so it will be easy to find what you want if you have to use them.
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Number the cards in the same place on each card, just in case you drop them.
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Use large print so you can read them without having to hold them close to your face.
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Limit the number of cards you use. Having cue cards the size of a deck of cards means you haven’t used key points.
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Use only one side of the card for easy transfer to the next card. If you’re holding them, you just need to slide one card behind the pile as you move along. If you put them on a lectern, just slide them over.
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Since you’ve just jotted down key points, you shouldn’t be reading from the cards. Remember, you’re using them just to jog your memory. It’s important not to read the cards.
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Susan Dugdale makes a great suggestion: Use coloured cards “eg. Pink for main ideas and blue for supporting ones. Yellow is for quotes and important facts. Green is for transitions.”
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It’s helpful to mark approximate times on your cards as well; then you’ll know you’re on track as you go through the presentation and you can adapt as necessary by leaving things out if you’re behind time or adding more details if you find you’re using less time than you had planned for.
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You can also use the cards to note such things as pause, show prop, speak up (I have a tendency to speak too quietly).
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It’s very important to rehearse with your cue cards! Get comfortable with how you’re going to use them, so you can use them smoothly and seamlessly.
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As Kathy Reiffenstein says: “Don’t shuffle the cards, don’t switch them from hand to hand, don’t gesture with them, don’t keep putting them in and pulling them out of a pocket. Don’t let the cards obscure your face.” The best way to use the cards is to leave them on the lectern.
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As mentioned in another article, don’t try and sneak a peek at your notes, the audience doesn’t mind if you use notes. Look at your notes, and then look back at the audience.
Using cue cards is a wonderful way to take the pressure off trying to remember presentations. It’s a security blanket you may not even use, yet it’s available if you need it. I’ve even used them for 5-minute speeches that had numerous facts or quotations. They’re a good investment in your self confidence.
Mary Anthes is a retired business owner, speaker and a Distinguished Toastmaster. She can be reached at nmanthes@shaw.ca
