· First impression. First impressions are created immediately, within seconds. Often it is too short time to even start talking. Therefore, it is important to think about all the senses when leaving a strong impression: visual (appropriate dressing, right for the occasion), sense of smell, touch (importance of the first handshake) and also hearing (do you say your name and first greeting clearly).

· Body language. Body language is one of the most important aspects of any public speech. Good gestures, good eye contact and friendly posture can do magic. Avoiding looking at your audience, constantly reading text off your slides, not moving at all during your speech or running around the room, keeping your hands crossed at all times – do this and you can be sure people remember the awkward situation and not your speech and your message.

· Paralanguage. Paralanguage is the vocal component of speech, which includes volume, tone, speed, pauses, and clarity (diction). It has been proved that paralanguage is the second most important element after body language for persuasion. The worst enemy of attractive speechmaking is monotonous speaking. Whether you speak very quietly or loudly, if you don’t have variations in the way you speak, your audience gets very tired. Variations in placement, setting, lighting, voice brings attention. The basic rules include:

- Speak clearly, so that the people in the last rows would be able to hear.

- Use different volumes and speeds to stress important parts of the speech.

- Don’t speak too quickly, take pauses and let people to digest information.

· Move freely and position yourself centrally. The distance between the speaker and the audience can be a very powerful tool. The sign of a confident speaker is ability to move naturally while speaking. Make sure everyone in the audience sees you.

· Use good visuals. Never forget, that the visual support (e.g. slides, photos, videos) are there to support you, not the opposite. Be sure they look very nice, use designers to develop your slides, avoid common templates. Check and double check your slides for factual or spelling mistakes.

And finally – enjoy! Make sure you practice. If possible, organise a video training so you can see your strengths and weaknesses. Ask your friends to sit in the audience and give you feedback. Because it is all worth it to become more confident and memorable public speaker and successful entrepreneur.