By Vanessa Ugatti

1. Make sure that you have a goal and a structure. Choose ordinary words - avoid jargon and long sentences. Complicated words may not be understood. In other words, keep it simple.

2. Before you begin speaking, take a few deep breaths. This will help to combat any nervousness you may be experiencing and enhance your performance.

3. Focus on pronouncing your words more clearly - open your mouth - do not mumble - enunciate.

4. Slow down - it is not a race!  Speak more slowly than you would in a normal conversation. This way you will be better understood and appear more confident!

5. Vary the pace - slow down for an important point, speed up for less important points. This also adds interest and keeps the audience engaged. Use emphasis for important points too.

6. Change the tone, so that your emotions match what you are saying e.g. if you are saying something sad, your voice needs to sound sad too. Otherwise, the audience will believe the tone of your voice and not your words.

7. Use short pauses to add meaning to what you are saying. This also gives the audience time to absorb the information.  Longer pauses can be used for dramatic effect. Using pause effectively will also make you look (and feel, in time) more confident.

8. Always make eye contact with your audience - this will help keep them engaged in what you are saying and act as valuable feedback.  Otherwise, they may not listen.

9. Smile when appropriate - a smile relaxes you and your audience. Most human beings identify with someone who is smiling.

10. Be aware of your body language, facial expression and posture.  People will believe what they see more than what they hear.  So if your body language is different from what you are saying and how you are saying it, the audience will believe your body language.