by Gilda Bonanno LLC
When it comes to presenting, there’s one thing that can always help improve your skills: practice.
Most of us practice less than we should—especially for high-stakes presentations. Practice is what separates a polished, confident presentation from one that feels uncertain or disorganized.
So, what should you practice? Focus on the key parts:
- Your start and your end: What do you say first and what do you leave people with last?
- Transitions: How do you move smoothly from point to point?
Reviewing your notes or flipping through your slides is not practice. Real practice means saying the words out loud in as close to the actual environment as possible.
Rather than trying to memorize your presentation word for word, practice to internalize it so you know it well and it becomes part of your muscle memory.
Think of it like learning to drive. At first, adjusting mirrors, checking blind spots and keeping both hands on the wheel feels awkward. But with time, it becomes automatic.
Presentations work the same way. The goal is to internalize your content through practice, so in the moment, you can focus on delivery, body language, logistics and, most importantly, connecting with your audience.
Practice also prepares you for the unexpected, especially if you’re handling questions as part of your presentation. For example, be ready for three kinds of tough questions:
- The ones you don’t want to be asked.
- The ones you don’t know the answer to.
- The ones you know the answer to, but can’t share publicly.
Knowing in advance how to respond to these situations ensures you won’t look evasive or unprepared.
And if you’re presenting as part of a team, practice together. Decide who opens, who closes, who handles which content and how you’ll field questions. Coordinating ahead of time saves you from awkward surprises and helps you stay on schedule.
The goal of practice is not memorization—it’s muscle memory. With enough rehearsal, your presentation feels natural and effortless, allowing you to be present, confident and effective with your audience.
© Gilda Bonanno LLC - Gilda Bonanno serves as a trusted advisor to executives and entrepreneurs to transform their communication, presentation and leadership skills. She has worked with companies on 4 continents, from Chicago to Shanghai and Rio to Rome. The instructional videos on her YouTube channel have received over 1.5 million views and her e-newsletter has reached subscribers in over 45 countries since 2008. For other articles or to receive Gilda's e-newsletter, visit www.gildabonanno.com