If you’re like most people, you use PowerPoint to present information. And if you’re like most people, you probably use speaker notes to help you remember what you said. But what if you want to use speaker notes in a way that’s different from how most people use them? In this article, we’ll show you how to use speaker notes in a way that will help your audience understand and remember what you said. First, let’s look at the traditional way that speakers use speaker notes: They write down everything they want to say on a piece of paper and then put it in front of the audience. This can be a time-consuming process, and it can be difficult for the audience to follow along because they don’t have any visual cues. Instead of writing down everything that you want to say, why not try using speaker notes as an outline? This will allow you to structure your presentation in a way that is easier for both yourself and your audience. You can also include pictures, charts, and other visuals in your outline so that your audience has more information available when they are listening to you. By using speaker notes as an outline instead of as written words on paper, you will be able to better remember what you said and ensure that your audience understands it too. ..
Adding speaker notes to a PowerPoint presentation provides reference material for the speaker when they’re presenting a slideshow, allowing them to stay on track without forgetting key message points. Here’s how to add and use speaker notes.
Add Speaker Notes in PowerPoint
To add speaker notes in PowerPoint, you’ll first need to be in the Normal view. If you’re not already there, you can switch to Normal view by going to the “View” tab and then selecting “Normal” in the “Presentation Views” group.
Next, in the pane on left, select the slide where you’d like to add speaker notes.
Next, click the “Notes” button at the bottom of the window.
A small box reading “Tap to Add Notes” will appear beneath the slide. For Mac users, this will say “Click to Add Notes.”
Now, simply type the speaker notes for that slide. Repeat this process for each slide you’d like to add notes to.
Use Speaker Notes During a PowerPoint Presentation
There are two ways to use speaker notes during a presentation: by presenting on a secondary monitor or by printing out the speaker notes.
Using a Secondary Monitor
It’s safe to assume that most presentations will be presented on a secondary monitor. If this is the case for you, there’s not a whole lot you really need to do.
RELATED: How to Add an Extra Monitor to Your Laptop
The first thing you need to do is change the view to Slide Show. You can do this by selecting the Slide Show icon at the bottom-right corner of the window.
In this view, the audience will see only the slides as you’re going through the presentation. However, on your primary monitor, you’ll see the current slide, a preview of the upcoming slide, and your speaker notes for the current slide.
This is a convenient way to have a virtual copy of the speaker notes while you’re giving a presentation, but it never hurts to have a hard copy.
Printing the Speaker Notes
To print the speaker notes of your presentation, first select the “File” tab in the Ribbon.
RELATED: How to Print Multiple PowerPoint Slides to Each Piece of Paper
In the pane on left, select the “Print” button.
In the “Settings” group, select the option that says “Full Page Slides.”
A drop-down menu will appear. Here, select “Notes Pages” in the “Print Layout” group.
Finally, click “Print.”
You’ll now have a physical copy of your speaker notes.
