Practice your delivery in front of a mirror.

The more familiar you are with the words, the more comfortable you will be when delivering the eulogy.

Don’t expect to commit it to memory, but your words will sound more heartfelt if you’re not reading every sentence word for word off the page.

If you are comfortable rehearsing in front of other people, this is a good way to become more relaxed with your presentation.  Ask your audience for honest feedback about the tone of your voice, the speed of your speech and are you looking up from your script to make eye contact at intervals.  You can also rehearse to a mirror in a room on your own, or to a video camera which will allow you to see yourself as others do.

Even if you think you have it memorised, the stress and emotion on the day may affect your memory, so it is very important to have a copy of the eulogy to refer to.

Getting Feedback

It is a good idea to have some close family members and friends, who knew the deceased well, read or hear the eulogy to make sure that it’s accurate and conveys the personality of the deceased.

They’ll also be able to identify if you’ve said anything inappropriate, forgotten something important, or have written anything that is confusing or difficult to understand.  Ask your reviewers to be critical and honest, and if there is anything you should change or add that might make it better.

Be specific and ask direct questions such as;  is it too long or not long enough, and is the tone of the eulogy too sombre or too lighthearted?  If you have used humour, it is important to have feedback about it’s appropriateness and effectiveness.   If in doubt, leave it out.

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