Front and Center - Improve Your Public Speaking

1. Put your audience first- Figure out what your audience is interested in hearing, and use that as your starting point

2. Know what you want your audience to do - When you speak you can involve your audience more if you describe a situation and then explain what they can do about it.

3. Practice - Go through as many dry runs as it takes until you are comfortable. And clock it, so you will have an idea of whether your speech will fit into the time allowed for it.

4. Use good diction and delivery - Speak slowly. Try to make consonants crisp, and pronounce all of them.

5. Be aware of time - If you are asked to speak for a specific length of time limit yourself to that duration. If things are rushed your sponsors and audience will be tremendously grateful to you for not running over.

6. Use well prepared materials - If you are using notes be sure they are legible. Check any props you will use to be sure they are in working order. The idea is to eliminate all the distractions you can in advance.

7. Speak from examples - The formula is known as "PEP"-"point, example, point". Make your point clearly, and give an example of it. Then make your point again. Your examples give your listeners a new approach to each point, and offer new ways to understand what you are trying to say.

8. Make eye contact - Pick on a few members of the audience and make eye contact with them. It is easier to speak to what you perceive to be a few people than to a huge faceless crowd. By making yourself aware of a few members of the audience, you can give your presentation a more personal note.

Be prepared for questions - If your speech is good, you are sure to get some