Strive for Naturalness and Enthusiasm

• Strive for naturalness. Rather than behaving theatrically, act naturally. Think of your speech as a particularly important conversation.
• Show enthusiasm. Speak about what interests and excites you. Inspire your listeners by showing enthusiasm for your topic and for the occasion. An enthusiastic delivery helps you feel good about your speech, and it focuses your audience’s attention on the message.
• Project a sense of confidence. Focus on the ideas you want to convey rather than on yourself. Inspire the audience’s confidence in you by appearing confident to them.
• Engage directly with audience members. Demonstrate your interest and concern for listeners by establishing eye contact, using a friendly tone of voice, and smiling whenever it is appropriate. Consider positioning yourself so that you are physically close to the audience.