- Conduct an audience analysis to understand your listeners' needs.
- Chat with people ahead of time so they're not an audience of strangers.
- Take 5 minutes to calm your nerves beforehand.
- Smile.
- Make strong eye contact with everyone, or to each section of an auditorium.
- Look only at your audience (not at your notes) in your greeting.
- Use one of the foolproof ways to open a speech.
- Always tell your audience why your topic matters to them.
- Make your gestures clean, strong, and few in number.
- Know and use the 5 key tools of vocal dynamics.
- Say "you" and "we" instead of "I" and "me."
- Ask questions (rhetorical or not) throughout your talk.
- Stand with your feet at armpit width so you look stable.
- Practice the 10 ways to stay fully focused when speaking.
- Pause before each new main point so your audience is alerted to pay attention.
- Find ways to incorporate appropriate humor.
- Avoid telling jokes.
- Watch out for body language errors that will sink your presentatation.
- Make the story you're telling more important than raw data.
- Say something surprising to start.
- If you're nervous, don't tell your audience. They may not see it.
- Get over yourself, because it ain't about you. That'll reduce nervousness too.
- Breathe with your diaphragm and project your sound from there.
- Give a performance, which is what your audience deserves.
- Memorize the first minute of your Intro and Conclusion, but no more.
- Know the four golden rules for using PowerPoint.
- End with something memorable so your speech continues to resonate.
- If you run out of time, go immediately to your strong last minute.
- Welcome questions and objections, which indicate continued interest.
- Move! (It helps you think and makes you visually interesting.)
- Watch TED talks and learn from the good and bad speakers.
- Learn the 7 tips for overcoming audience resistance.
- Trust silence.
- "Invent" important words and phrases as you say them, making them new.
- Never create a PowerPoint slide that reads "Thank you!" or "Questions?"
- Learn how to prepare a speech in 15 minutes.
- Use the "B" (go-to-black) button of PowerPoint to foster a discussion.
- Avoid showing a video to start, as videos are hard to follow.
- Reveal your main points first, so listeners know where you're going together.
- Say "In conclusion" near the end so your audience will stay with you.
- Learn the 5 secrets of captivating an audience.
- Read listeners' body language, and adjust your approach if they're bored.
- Prepare your message well, then share it rather than saying it word for word.
- Unlock your hands so there's no barrier between you and listeners.
- Come out from behind the lectern: The Devil's Tool.
- Know the 4 characteristics of an influential speaker.
- Deliver more than information. Inspire.
- Audiences make judgments in 30-60 seconds, so don't take time to "warm up."
- Trust that there are more people interested than show it on their faces.
- Have fun.
