.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} In every poll about fears, speaking in front of an audience ranks right up there with snakes, heights and death. It doesn’t have to be that way.

After having delivered hundreds of presentations to groups that ranged from five members to 1,000, here’s what I’ve learned:

Say no. Don’t agree to speak on any topic you don’t really care about. You cannot fake passion, and without some passion, your speech is going to fall flat.

Take charge of the room early. Whenever possible, get there early enough to test the microphone and projector and set the room temperature. Stand in the back of the room and review how your audience will see you. Rearrange chairs the way you want them. This is your room.

Ignore the “hands at your sides” rule. Talk with those hands. Wave those arms. Walk throughout the room. Be very visually present.

Be a storyteller. Facts and figures are fine. But bring your message alive with compelling stories. Use your voice to build suspense and convey emotions as if you were telling a ghost story around the campfire.

Slow down. Odds are that your nerves have you speaking faster than you normally do. Use pauses and moments of silence to emphasize key points.

Don’t deliver a monologue. Build some interaction into your presentation. Ask questions. Take a show-of-hands survey. Ask them to tell stories. Do something to initiate an actual dialogue.

Most of all … enjoy it. Remember, you are the guest of honor. Be there early, interact informally and make a couple of new friends. Then when you get up to speak, you are not talking to perfect strangers. Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan