No notes? No problem! The technique that makes speaking without notes easier than sticking to a script

People often ask me how I present without notes and immediately follow it up with, “I could never do that.” 

If that’s you, I get it. The fear of forgetting what you want to say or freezing up in the middle of a talk is real. Most people feel safer with a script in front of them, even if it means sacrificing their natural tone. 

When I first tell people how I speak without notes, there’s hesitation because it’s a new way of thinking and speaking. And let’s face it, taking off the training wheels (letting go of your notes), is scary.

But once I walk them through the process step-by-step, they learn the fundamentals and start practicing it themselves, they realize they can do it too. More than that, they say it’s actually easier than presenting with their notes!

So what’s this technique? Roadmapping!

When I initially share the technique, I usually hear something along the lines of: “Oh, so like an outline?” My response is, “Kind of, but not really.”

Outlines are typically detailed and linear, which can be helpful for organizing ideas. But I’ve found that many people start to rely on them too heavily. Instead of using the outline as a guide, they try to stick to it word for word. 

That’s the problem. They get caught up in trying to remember the exact phrasing and lose the natural flow of their message.

A roadmap works differently. It gives you structure without scripting, so you can stay focused on your message without getting stuck on your phrasing.

When explaining roadmapping, I ask clients to give me directions from home to a place they go regularly. Most describe the journey by using landmarks like the coffee shop, an intersection by the park, the gas station on the corner. If I ask them to explain it again, the words might change, but the landmarks remain the same.

That’s how I teach people to build their presentations. 

We start by identifying the audience’s departure point: where they are now (before your talk) in terms of their mindset or understanding. 

Then, we look at the destination: where you want your audience to be after hearing you speak. What you want them to think, feel, believe, do, etc.

From there, we determine the key ideas they need to understand in order to reach that destination. Those key ideas become your landmarks. 

Once those landmarks are in place, your talk becomes a journey. Your job is to guide people from one landmark to the next in a way that makes sense and keeps them engaged. 

The exact words may change each time you present, and that’s not only okay, it’s often better. It keeps your delivery fresh, conversational and authentically you.

I’ve seen people go from “I could never do that” to “This is actually easier than using notes or reading from a script!” by following this simple, yet effective technique. 

And it really does become easier! That’s because it takes the pressure off of getting every single word just right and lets you focus on what’s important: delivering your message and connecting with your audience. 

If you want to try this approach, download the Speech Roadmap Template. This is something we usually only share with our clients, but we’re sharing it with you as a thank you for being a supporter of all we do!

Let us know how it goes when you try it. We’d love to hear what shifts for you!

And if you want to take a deeper dive into improving your public speaking skills, our SPEAC Success e-course is a great next step. It’s full of tools and techniques just like this one to help you build your skills and confidence.

See you on the road!