1. Start with certainty. Have your opening remarks prepared and memorized to be carefully delivered so you launch from a strong opening.

2. Make movement purposeful. Unnatural or nervous movement is off-putting to those listening and watching.

3. Provide evidence to prove the points you make. If you claim your staff is “awesome,” have a story to illustrate the point. Otherwise is sounds like exaggeration.

4. Be crystal clear on what you want listeners to do after they’ve heard you. A strong call to action is a powerful tool. What they should most remember after you finish is not what you said but what they should do.

5. End as definitively as you started. Don’t just run out of words and ideas. Have a strong statement prepared to conclude your remarks. Even mediocre speeches can be resurrected with a strong close.

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