1. Introduction 
Bring a typed introduction and ask your introducer to read it verbatim.  This will give you credibility and give the audience a reason to listen to you.

2. Audience
Speak in front of an audience that can benefit from your service and can hire you.

3. Opening  
You only have 17 seconds to grab your audience’s attention otherwise you may lose them forever.  Open with a story, a question, a song, etc. that is relative to your speech or at least to the audience.

4. Body  
Give enough information that they will remember and want more.  A common mistake for many is that they give way too much information.  Leave your audience feeling good not overwhelmed.

5. Closing  
A good movie with a bad or disappointing ending will ruin the impact of the movie.  Same with your presentation.  Be sure to have a strong close in order to have impact on your audience.

6. Stories  
Tell personal stories in order to make your points.  People remember stories more than anything else.

7. Humor  
Make your audience smile, chuckle, or laugh.  When people have fun they remember more and will stay attentive to you.

8. Attention
There are many ways to keep your audience’s attention.  Many are mentioned in this article.  The more attention you have, the more results you will get.

9. Authenticity
Be yourself.  When you are sincere and show the audience who you really are, you will have more of an impact.

10. Confidence 
So you’re nervous sometimes.  So what.  You don’t have to let others know.   Act confident and you will appear and feel confident.

11.  Preparation 
The more you’re prepared, the more confidence you will have, and the better job you will do.  Know your material!

12. Pause
This is a great attention getter.  After saying something that you want your audience to remember, pause, be silent, and give it time to sink in.  Pause instead of using ah or um.  Pause when you forget what you were going to say next.  It’s o.k. to pause and collect your thoughts.

13. Vocal Variety 
Have your voice match what you are saying.  Be expressive and show it in your voice.

14. Body Language  
Have your body match what you are saying.  If you are telling a story about someone talking on the phone, use your hand as a fake phone and pretend you are talking into it. 

15. Nervous Fidgeting Pacing back and forth,  hands in your pockets, and rocking are all distractions.  Be aware of your own nervous habits and stop doing them.

16. Eye Contact  
Look at your audience.  Move your eyes from one side of the audience, to the middle to the other side in a smooth motion. 

17. Time
Stick to your allotted time and be prepared for your time to be cut short.

18. Connect with the Audience  Find something you have in common with your audience to help them relate to you.

19. Control
You are in command of the room.  Do not talk over people if others are talking among themselves.

20. Notes
Use them!  
They can be your handouts, flipcharts,  power point, etc.

21. Stay on TrackIf someone asks a question that is not relevant, tell them you will be happy to answer that question privately.

22. Visualization
Imagine yourself giving the best speech of your life!

See yourself acting the way you would like to be perceived by your audience.

23. Hand Outs
Try to always have hand outs and be sure they have your contact information on them.  This way you have given people a way to get in touch with you if they want to.

24. Dress
Wear something that makes you feel like a million bucks and you will act and appear like a million bucks.

25.  Record/Video Tape
Listen and/or watch yourself. You will be amazed of what you see and/or hear and didn’t realize while you were presenting.

26. Give-A-Ways 
If you have a product for sale, give a few away as prizes. This lets the audience know you’ve got stuff without having to give a sales pitch. 

27.  Listen 
Get your audience to open up and listen carefully to them.  The more you listen to your audience, the better your presentation will be.