5 Reasons to Practice Your Presentation Out Loud

There’s a right way and a wrong way to prepare for a presentation. Sadly, I’ve found the wrong way is the most common approach: sitting in front of the computer and tabbing through the slides in silence.

If it’s an important presentation, then it’s worth spending the time to do it right. That means on your feet and out loud, in a full voice and at a normal pace.

Here are five reasons why.

1. It helps ensure that you finish on time.

Which do you see more frequently? A presentation that ends early or one where the presenter speeds through the last 10-to-20 slides in a blur?

It’s the latter, right? That usually happens because people fail to practice aloud, which is the only way to get a sense of whether the content fits the allotted time.

So put your PowerPoint in presenter view — with the clock activated — and go through it at normal speed. 

Avoid using placeholders like, “Here I’ll walk through the bullet points” or “Then I’ll tell a story/give an example.” Speak those parts out loud so you know how long they’ll actually take.

Also, plan your ad-libs. OK, not really. But part of what causes presenters to run out of time is all the asides and anecdotes we spontaneously come up with in the moment.

So, visualize exactly who will be in the room and what you know about them. Anticipate their potential reactions and prepare your remarks accordingly.

For instance, if you know Diane is always thinking about cost, then build in a point about how your proposal is revenue neutral. Or if you imagine Colin will be reminded of that customer issue that came up last year, then be proactive and explain how this time will be different. 

And, of course, time those remarks out.

2. It pressure-tests your ideas.

There’s nothing like saying something out loud to give yourself a reality check. If you can’t express it with full confidence or a straight face, then that’s a warning sign. Think about whether the point requires more evidence or if the assertion needs to be tempered or qualified.

This also helps you stitch the content together by preparing smooth, logical transitions. And if you have trouble finding the thread that ties one idea to the next, perhaps that piece of content doesn’t belong.

3. It reveals places to cut.

Sometimes when practicing a new presentation, I’ll come to a part that feels like a slog to get through. When this happens, I always remind myself that if I’m bored, my audience will definitely be bored. 

So, when you sense these moments, either condense the material or cut the point altogether. I guarantee you, there’s never been an audience member who walked out saying, “I wish that presentation had been longer!”

4. It helps you internalize the content.

Obviously, the more you practice, the more familiar you’ll become with the content. And a halting delivery can undermine your persuasiveness. 

But it’s not about memorizing specific words. (Unless you’re an elite speaker or professional actor, I wouldn’t recommend that!) It’s about internalizing the big ideas and the overall flow.

Think of it as describing a favorite movie to someone versus reading them the script.

5. It enhances your delivery.

As we all know, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. A big part of any presentation is physical. How you move about the room, your gestures, tone, volume and pitch — all of those can either reinforce or undermine your message.

Because like it or not, a presentation is in many ways a performance. You have to bring confidence, intention and energy to the occasion.

If closing yourself off in a room to practice this way feels weird to you, I get it. But the more you do it the more comfortable you’ll be. 

And, of course, any awkwardness you might experience in the moment pales in comparison to what it would feel like to flop in front of the actual audience!