10 Techniques for Effective Public Speaking

1. Relax. Give yourself time to take a couple of deep breaths before you begin.
2. Use good posture. Standing up straight conveys a sense of confidence. Poor posture looks sloppy and conveys uncaring and/or weakness.
3. Concentrate on the message. Stay focused on what you want to say. Don't be distracted by things around you.
4. If you are giving technical information, use familiar words. You won't impress with tech jargon that no one understands.
5. Make eye contact. Look at your audience, find a few friendly supportive faces and use their attention to make your point.
6. Do not apologize. Don't make excuses for not being ready. Your audience does not know that you forgot one of your charts or didn't get a final graph completed. Present what you have with confidence!
7. Forget ever being perfect. No one is perfect. Just be enthusiastic and pace your presentation to avoid being rushed at the end if time is short. Practice before hand.
8. If you are using a prop/pointer or remote control, don't fidget or wrap the cord around your finger over an over.
9. Keep your hands out of your pockets.
10. Dress well on your presentation day.  You want your audience to hear your message, not read your t-shirt or figure out the dangling earring symbol in your ear