No self-respecting athlete, actor or speaker would dare to give a presentation without a great deal of preparation and rehearsal.

Consider rehearsing one hour per minute of your talk time. This will give you confidence and allow you to spend less time worrying about your delivery while you are giving the talk. This will enable you to focus upon interacting with your audience and enjoying the conversation.

Time your talk so that you have a good handle on how long it will take you to make your case. Some people talk faster when they are nervous while others speak more slowly. Factor your tendencies into your time considerations.

Rehearse with the visual aids that you intend to use. Rehease with the notes you will use as well.

Practice using your body to move in concert with your argument. Rehearse your movements so that these are not distracting to the audience. Like an actor in a play, you want to block your movements to enhance your presentation.

Consider carefully worst-case scenarios. What will you do if the computer freezes? How will you cope with a ringing cell phone or audience members who interrupt you by arriving late, leaving early, or talking to their neighbor while you are speaking? What will you do if someone falls asleep or wants to ask a question? Rehearse every possible situation so that you can respond to these with composure.

Consider the speechmaking timeline and rehearsal tips found at http://www.abacon.com/beebe
/wheel/rehearse.htm

Check out Ron St. John's public speaking website at the University of Hawai'i Maui: http://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/

Just Before your Talk:

- Breathe deeply (think yoga)
- Remember that you are an expert, not a victim
- Keep in mind that your audience wants you to succeed
- Remember that you will not die
- Work off excess energy with isometrics