A prominent art collector and curator recently called public speaking coach and veteran public relations professional Rosemary Ravinal in a panic. He was asked to conduct VIP tours of a large exhibition he curated and was going blank during practice sessions. This individual knows every artist and artwork yet has moments of “brain freeze” when he is tasked with describing them in public.
“This is a common problem when you have tons of information in your brain and have difficulty accessing it,” Ravinal notes.
What was her solution?
“Think of it as Random Access Memory in a computer,” she says.
As Ravinal and her client toured the exhibition together, she suggested various frameworks and techniques to organize the information and the context he wanted to share. “Just as the artworks are displayed and organized by artists, themes, media, periods, and other criteria, the unifying narrative requires a structure,” Ravinal says. “It’s OK to use notecards to recall the basics that usually comprise an artwork’s wall label: artist, title, medium, year created, etc. The background and commentary that brings it to life, however, requires skilled storytelling, not very different from the talents of an excellent tour guide.”
One of Ravinal’s favorite ways to remember vital information without memorization is by using the “Loci Method.”
She explains, “If you know your topic well and are agile with the material, this method will help you bring each of the key points to the forefront when you need them.”
First, Assign points to locations: Imagine a familiar place, like your home, and assign each section of your talk to a specific location within it.
Then, Visualize moving through space: As you give your talk, mentally “walk” through the locations, retrieving your points from each spot.
Another way is “The Chunking Method.” This sees Ravinal consider these three things:
1. Divide critical information into chunks: Split the talk into smaller, manageable sections of one to two minutes each.
2. Master one chunk at a time: Practice and memorize each section before moving to the next one.
3. Link the chunks: Practice transitions between chunks to create a seamless flow.
“Memory and recall tools require much time and practice,” Ravinal concludes. “In the case of my client, we practiced in the setting where he will conduct the tours this week and defined the flow through the gallery spaces to pique interest and keep the energy levels high. As he gained more confidence, his delivery became more natural, comfortable, and authentic.”
