Dress appropriately for the occasion; it will give you confidence. Avoid tight or revealing clothing, and make sure you feel comfortable in what you are wearing. Don’t wear a hat. Don’t pull at your hair or your jewelry.

Eye contact—looking directly at various audience members—is an important habit. As a speaker, you have the opportunity to look out over the audience, making real eye contact with various individuals. Make audience members feel as though they are being addressed directly and personally. Be sure to look around the room rather than looking only at the instructor.

Use your physical presence to establish a level of comfort and connection with your audience. Interact with the audience while you are waiting to speak or at key points. If you can, leave the podium and approach the audience. While delivering, don’t nervously rock back and forth; project confidence by standing balanced on two feet.

Use your hands expressively, but don’t overdo it. It’s OK for hands to be comfortably at your sides or resting on the podium, but don’t grip the podium like a life raft. Keep your hands out of your pockets, and don’t nervously play with a pen.

People will be looking at you, so be ready. Imagine yourself looking good.