One of the most important parts of delivering a good speech is the speaker’s level of comfort with his or her words. Setting aside time to practice the speech out loud, especially before a small group of trusted people who will provide honest feedback, can help make a speaker sound at ease and conversational. Additionally, practice can help speakers avoid reading off notecards, which can seem unnatural and unengaging.
It can be beneficial for speakers to make themselves comfortable with their audience. Greeting and conversing with select audience members before a speech may help a speaker feel more at ease with the crowd. It is also important to make sure the content of your speech is interesting and relevant. Many public relations firms offer speechwriting services to assist business professionals in communicating effectively with audiences.