Cue cards: 8 tips for clever speaker cards!

You’re about to give a presentation. Some of us experience sleepless nights because of it. Others enter the stage with full confidence. Cue cards, also known as speaker cards, will give you a helpful overview and the feeling of being in control during your presentation. No matter whether you’re a CEO with years of stage presence, or whether you’re about to give a presentation to your team within your first job.

These 8 tips will help you to cleverly formulate cue cards and with it bring your message across in the most powerful way:

• 1. Key words: Prevent yourself from writing down complete sentences. In essence you know what to tell. Trust yourself and keep in mind that YOU are the expert on your theme!
  2. White space: Keep sufficient white space on your cards. It’s calmer to the eye and as such you’ll be able to browse more easily through your key words. Next to that it gives you the possibility to quickly scribble down last-minute thoughts.
  3. Speaker names: When you’re anouncing speakerers, or if you want to thank them, then write down their names. In the heat of the moment you easily forget the most simple things.
  4. Speaker pictures: Following the last tip, you can also add a profile picture. As such you won’t mix up names and faces.
  5. Slide screenshots: A small picture of a slide will help you to remember where you are in your storyline. This will also help you to remember clicking through to the next slide.
  6. Time indication: Compared to speaking out loud, a story on paper always seems shorter. Therefore note down a time slot in the top right corner. Nothing is more stressful than having to catch up time. Obviously, your smartphone or tablet can serve as a clock.
  7. Personal presentation: Don’t hold a wrinkeld piece of paper, but use thick paper cards instead. Maybe even add your company logo on the backside of the card. A strong first impression will last for long!
  8. Tablet use: A tablet, compared to paper cards, can be slightly less convenient to hold when presenting. Especially when you also have to hold a handheld microphone . Cue cards are easier to hold, you can quickly put them aside and are easy to put away in your jacket.

When you’re a regular presenter, you’ll notice that you will find your own cue card routine. And who knows: one day you might not even need them anymore? Regardsless of cue cards, always make sure to share your story with enthusiasm. Straight from the heart: A story no one will forget!