Ken Okel

How a Cocktail Napkin Can Make You a Better Speaker

What's more absorbent than a Post-It note and can be a great tool for your next speech?  Read on to find out more about the power of the cocktail napkin.

Who says a speaking tool needs to be expensive? A cocktail napkin can not only help you improve your talk but can also come in handy should something be spilled. Here are some quick tips on how it can make a big difference in your presentation:

Use it to review your main points. Can you write down your themes? Do you find yourself covering the napkin with words? That probably means that your points are not focused enough. You want to include only your main concepts, like you'd see on an outline. By working on such a small canvas, you're forced to make sure you're only covering the three or so topics that you most want your audience to remember. Of course each topic will have supporting points but you should know that information.

Use it as a reminder. I'm not a big fan of using scripts for speeches. I think communication works best when you know your topic and have an outline in your mind of what you want to talk about. If you know your material and have practiced, you should be able to survive without a script. But the napkin can also serve as a security blanket should you go blank on one of your points. Plus, writing things down often can help you lock it into your mind.

Use it to take notes. Prior to your presentation, you might think of some new idea that you want to add to your speech. Or you might hear something that you want to reference in your talk. If only you had a place to jot down these thoughts? But wait, you do! A napkin has two sides and you can use one of them for these last minute notes.

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