5 Advanced Memory Techniques To Ace Your Next Big Presentation

The stage is set, but are you? Preparing for a big talk or presentation can be daunting. So much at stake, so much to remember, so many people watching. You don’t want to read from notes, but how will you remember every important point? What if you stumble or lose your train of thought?

With a few tried-and-true methods borrowed from ancient memory practices, you can make delivering any keynote feel natural. When you deliver with confidence, you’ll enjoy yourself and wow your audience.

Here’s a breakdown of five powerful techniques that combine movement and memory to help you internalize your message and stay calm on stage.

Use movement and memory to boost your confidence

Record your talk as a Loom video

A week or so before the big day, record your presentation on Loom (or a similar video software) as if you’re talking directly to someone. Don’t worry about mistakes; just keep going. This lets you focus on the flow and get comfortable with the material.

Leave it for a few hours, then watch the recording back. Especially when you read the transcript at the same time, this helps you spot areas to refine and strengthens recall. Pretty soon you’ll know every word by heart.

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Practice while walking

Method of loci, the ancient memory technique commonly known as the memory palace, involves visualizing a familiar route or location and mentally placing items to be remembered at specific points along that route. To recall the information, you mentally walk through the route and retrieve the items from each location.

Take the method further by reciting your talk aloud while on a route you regularly walk. Pace the same streets for the same sections of the presentation, to create location association with key points.

Record it perfectly on your phone

When you’re ready, record a smooth, polished version into the voice notes app on your phone. This final perfect recording acts as a guide, letting you listen back while doing other activities, or work. Even if you’re not actively listening, the information will be going in.

Repetition helps you absorb the content more deeply, making it easier to recall under pressure.

Listen while you move

You’re not in school anymore. You’re not confined to a desk, room or chair, you can move your body as you move your mouth and mind. One study found that when we exercise, muscles release a protein (cathepsin B) that appears to generate new cells and improved connections in the hippocampus: a part of the brain that controls memory. Whether you’re running, cycling, or doing weights, listen to your recorded talk to engage memory through physical movement.

Movement helps your brain commit the content in a more natural way, making you feel more relaxed with the material.

Repeat until it feels natural

TED speakers practice for hours before the big day. Appearing effortless takes a lot of effort. Repetition is key, especially with physical movement. But don’t stick to one memory technique, try different angles. Recite it to music. Record the talk as a voice note to a friend. Practice with a smaller group. Mix up how you say it out loud for maximum confidence ahead of schedule.

Repeating your words creates muscle memory, helping you internalize the flow and confidently present the material on the day. Explaining the talk with different contexts gives more depth to your understanding. Make it look easy with this technique.

Movement-based techniques work for memory: nail your keynote

You’re not anxious, you’re underprepared. Prepare for every keynote or presentation using these techniques. Record your talk using Loom, practice while walking a specific route, make use of your phone’s voice note app, listen while you’re exercising and repeat daily for confidence, in a variety of formats.

These methods work because movement and memory are closely linked. Physical activity primes your brain for learning, making it easier to remember information and deliver it smoothly. Make light work of being on stage and get invited back.