Check Speech Planning checklist   Do Checklist   Don’t Checklist

Check the rostrum, delivery point in advance

Check the microphone

Check water is in place

Organise your cue cards so the you can see them easily

Rehearse your walk from your seat to the rostrum

Try and meet some of the audience beforehand

Do some general/facial/breathing exercises before you start

Visualise yourself delivering a loud, confident clear speech

Go to the bathroom before you start

Take those deep breaths

Start with your quote/headline and give it a chance to sink in

Remember that you should be the expert on your chosen subject

Rely on your cue cards to avoid the appearance of reading your speech

Focus on your message, not that you are delivering it

Be and sound enthusiastic

Continually asses the audience reaction/adjust as you go along

Encourage questions/comments

Allow the audience to interact during the speech

Make the audience feel that you are talking about a topic exclusively for them

Minimise the end build-up.   ‘ just the last five points…’

Finish the speech before the audience expect

Remember your audience want you to give a successful speech

Answering questions:

Take time to understand the question

Repeat it so everyone has heard it

Be frank & direct

Look at the questioner

Tell the truth

Answer the question

Set it in the   context of your speech

Never lose your cool/temper, however much provoked

Never put down/humiliate the questioner. Deal with him later!

If you don’t know, say so, and offer to find out/report back/contact