I deliver a 60-minute keynote from one page of notes. It’s scruffy, the handwriting is questionable, and it is one of the most useful tools I take on stage.
Most people walk on with pages of notes. Full sentences. Sometimes the whole talk, word for word. I understand why. It feels safe. But it isn’t.
Why full presentation notes hold you back
The more you write down, the more you read. The more you read, the less you connect.
When your notes are a script, your eyes go to the paper and stay there. The audience sees the top of your head. Your voice flattens because you’re reading, not talking. And if you lose your place halfway down page four, you freeze, because you were relying on the words rather than knowing the story.
An audience will forgive a lot. They’ll forgive a stumble, a pause, a joke that doesn’t land. What they switch off from is a speaker who isn’t with them.
What one page of notes looks like
Every word on my page is a jumping-off point. One word means one story. An arrow takes me to the next idea.
If I lose my place or the nerves creep in, I glance down, find the word and carry on. Nobody in the room notices, because I’m not reading. I’m reminding myself where I’m going.
That’s the job of presentation notes. They should jog your memory, not do the talking for you.
How to cut your notes down to one page
You don’t start with one page. You get there.
- Write your notes out in full. Get every idea, story and point down. This is your raw material.
- Cut them down every time you practise. Run the talk out loud. Each time, turn sentences into phrases and phrases into single words.
- Keep going until one word brings back the whole story. When one word is enough for you to tell a two-minute story, it’s in your head.
When an hour fits on one page, you know you know it.
Practise out loud, not on paper
Reading your notes silently is not practice. Say the talk out loud: walking the dog, in the car, round the kitchen. You’ll learn the shape of it rather than a script, and the shape is what you need when you’re under lights with a full room looking at you.
It also stops you sounding rehearsed. I’ve written more about that in how to sound authentic when public speaking.
Your notes are a safety net, not a script
Good presentation notes give you confidence because you know they’re there. You’ll rarely need them. But knowing one glance will get you back on track lets you look up, talk to people and enjoy it.
So next time you prepare a talk, ask yourself: how many pages am I walking on with? And could it be one?
I’m Ben Hanlin, a keynote speaker, corporate host and magician. I speak about human connection and how to land your message so it sticks. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next conference, take a look at my keynotes.
FAQs
Should I use notes for a presentation?
Yes, but keep them short. Use single words or phrases that remind you of each point, not full sentences you read out.
How do I remember a speech without notes?
Learn the structure, not the script. Practise out loud, cutting your notes down each time until one word per section brings the whole idea back.