What are the 5 most important things to do when you are doing a speech in front of a crowd and why?

There are few skills that will bring more opportunity into your life than the ability to speak well in public. Below are 12 tips that can make the difference between those speakers who leave a powerful, positive impression and those that are quickly forgotten.

1. Speak with an intent to move people to action. Know what you want your audience to do immediately after hearing your speech. If nobody does anything different than they would have done before you spoke – the value of your speech is zero.
2. Start strong with a “grabber”. A personal story, a quote from an expert or a shocking statistic – something that takes a hold of your audience and gets them hooked and opens their mind to your message. Give the audience a chance to see your personal connection to the topic.
3. Structure your material in three sections– grabber, middle, close. Know your material. Get really interested in the topic. Find good stories.
4. Practice. Practice.Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Use a clock to check your timings and allow time for the unexpected.
5. Know the audience.Try to speak to one or two people in the audience as they arrive – they will be your allies in the audience – it is easier to speak to friends than to strangers.
6. Know the setup.Arrive in good time to check out the speaking area and get practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
7. Relax. Begin with a well prepared grabber. A relevant personal story is a great start.  It establishes your credibility.  It connects you to the audience and creates the right emotional atmosphere (and calms your nerves).
8. Visualize yourself successful.See yourself at the end of the speech surrounded by people asking questions, visualize the applause.
9. Pauses. Include 3-8 second pauses at key moments – just before key statements or just after a story – this really brings the audience into the speech.
10. Don’t apologize– the audience probably never noticed it.
11. Smile. Look like the content matters to you – if the audience don’t feel that it is important to you, it will be really hard for them to feel that it should be important for them.
12. Get experience.Take every opportunity you can get to speak (and listen to other speakers). Prepare well ahead of time. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking.

A final note on practice: There are many resources available for those who decide that they wish to become influential.  However, nothing can help the person who does not practice.  No tool is as powerful in allowing you to practice than the webcam.  Make it a habit to switch on the webcam for 3 minutes each day and practice expressing yourself.  Explain why your project is important.  Explain why someone should work on your team.  Explain your tips for success in your business.  Practice your answer to “tell me about yourself?”

A great musician practices a symphony hundreds of times before playing it in front of an audience.  A great speaker practices the words before they find themselves on the spot.

Malcolm Gladwell made famous the idea that we need 10,000 hours of practice in order to become a world-class performer.  Start now with your first webcam video.  It may take many years before you accumulate 10,000 hours of practice, but there are big steps forward in your influence at 1, 10 and 100 hours of practice.

Conor Neill is a senior lecturer at IESE Business School and an expert in communications.

Editor’s note: This article is a re-run as part of our countdown of top stories from the past year.

Fear of public speaking, or glossophobia, can be debilitating.

Those who have spoken publicly with success or viewed a well-given talk will tell you that preparation is the key to overcoming it.

If the thought of speaking in front of a room full of people doesn’t make you weak in the knees, being prepared can enhance your speech and make your words more powerful. Success can lead to an lasting impression that can influence audiences in profound ways.

What do nearly all TED Talks have in common? They’re well presented.

With that in mind, there are a few do’s and don’ts that every communicator should follow when prepping for a presentation. Consider these:

The Do’s

1. Grab your audience’s attention starting with your first sentence.

2. Pick the right words to impart your message.

3. Maintain positive eye contact.

4. Use props when appropriate.

5. Practice.

The Don’ts

1. Talk too fast or too slow.

2. Read from your slides.

3. Use “um” or other filler words.

4. Fidget.

5. Pace.

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For more on public speaking best practices, along with a fantastic guide to presenting, check out the infographic below from Walkerstone:

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking—routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears—can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series, Mastering the Basics of Communication, I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace, I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. Nervousness Is Normal. Practice and Prepare!

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice—a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head—in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.