Don’t make your note card a mini-replica of your whole presentation. When you cram a card, everything goes flat; your eyes never rise above the paper; your audience doesn’t get a speech, it gets a reading. A note card works when you have just enough to stay on the course and then get off of it to speak.
Start with the flow of the presentation. What’s the cue for starting the talk? What’s the cue for the big idea? What’s one example? What’s the cue for wrapping up? You don’t need sentences. For instance, rather than trying to write your whole opening sentence, you can just write something like, “why it is important to know clear roles,” or “example in the meeting.” A note card should trigger your memory to keep you on course. It doesn’t need to tell you every word you’re going to say.
Put reminders to slow down on your note card. Put a slash right after your opening, for example, to help you not rush through your opening. Or put it before your ending, to give your closing a sense of finality. If you tend to speed up when you’re nervous, a note card gives you exactly the right prompt when you’re likely to rush.
You can put reminders for presentation delivery on your card as well, but only one. Too many reminders are confusing, so pick the one that’s most important to you. For example: look up, slow down for the example, don’t sway or rock, finish the sentence. One reminder is easier to remember and act upon while giving your speech than is a laundry list. You want your card to give cues for delivery, not add to the pressure you feel on stage.
Don’t put reminders you already know on your note card. Your name, your topic, or your first words aren’t difficult for you, so don’t take up valuable note card space on them. Save your note cards for reminders that are easy to lose in the moment: the cue to move on to the next example, the cue for the order in the list of tips, or for how to end your talk. The card should be clear and concise, so that in a glance you can remember what comes next.
Rehearse with the note card beforehand. Practice without the card one last time, too. Where do your eyes drift back to? Do you constantly check one particular reminder? If so, it’s a good sign that it needs a different wording and maybe a higher spot in the outline. Or are there cues you check once and then never again? That’s a signal that it probably doesn’t need to be on the card. Revise your note card after you practice. A good note card looks slightly different from what you originally planned because it gives cues for how you actually speak.
Do one final check before your presentation. Hold your note card. Ask yourself one question: does this card help me present to the audience, or am I hiding in the card? A good note card gives you the next thing you need to do, the places to pause, and maybe one reminder for delivery. Everything else can stay off of the card.