Many of public speaking coach Rosemary Ravinal’s clients struggle with pre-presentation planning. That’s why she created The Ultimate Speech Presentation Checklist — a 20-point guide that starts with setting your intention before you put pen to paper or your fingers to a keyboard.
By Rosemary Ravinal
Imagine your boss asks you to give a 15-minute state-of-the business summary for investors and you have a week to prepare. You’ve been successful presenting to other audiences, but the stakes are higher this time. How do you prepare and ensure you and your content are in top form on the big day?
Even experts make mistakes, especially when under stress or when multitasking. The checklist is a reminder of crucial steps to ensure your talk succeeds and that you can enjoy the process. Knowing you have a structured approach reduces anxiety and increases your ability to perform consistently.
Here are some examples from the checklist:
- Understand who will be in the room and what they need to hear from you.
- Scout the venue and tech setup. Where will you stand?
- Test your presentation software for compatibility with the house system.
- Practice on video and with people outside your organization.
- Condition your voice and body with warm-ups and stretches.
- Look for the countdown clock and prepare to end early.
These insights will help you manage some of the fears and anxieties around speaking to an audience of any size. This is the same checklist I use for my own presentations and with my private clients. I hope you’ll find it useful.
Download The Ultimate Speech Presentation Checklist today.
